PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Arttu Attila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kirk Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Bodies/Drowning pool kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Attila
vs
Gracie

179 cm
25
179 lbs
3 - 13 - 0

178 cm
30
177 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arttu Attila!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kirk Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Attila napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Gracie wants to control but Attila is keeping him busy.
Gracie takes a little break here. Attila wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Attila tries to bench press Gracie off him but Gracie keeps the position.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Attila is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Attila is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Attila is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kirk Gracie has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Attila misses with a takedown

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Attila didn't expect that.
Attila can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Attila actively working from the bottom here.

Attila looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie uses his free foot to push down on Attila's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Attila.
Gracie controlling his opponent.
Attila keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Attila knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Gracie controlling the pace for now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Attila tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Attila is working hard here to advance position.
Gracie tries to control but Attila wriggling away.
Gracie looking to control and managing it successfully.
Attila can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working for a guillotine from mount but Attila frees his head quite easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Attila really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Attila gets back to half guard.
Attila slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gracie is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Attila looking for subs off his back but Gracie has passed one foot through into half guard.
Attila tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie slows the pace down in half guard.
Gracie's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Attila is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Gracie wants to control but Attila is keeping him busy.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Attila wants to get back to full guard but Gracie has passed into side control.
Attila regains half guard.
Attila wants to get back to full guard.
Gracie controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kirk Gracie dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gracie displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Attila.
Attila shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Attila has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arttu Attila. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie throws a body punch but Attila moves out of range.

Gracie dives in and scores a takedown into Attila's guard.

Attila throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gracie escapes and throws Attila's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Attila tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Attila!
Gracie content just to control the position here.
Attila is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Attila is looking to escape.
Attila is working to get back to half guard.
Gracie controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Gracie has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Attila regains half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Kirk Gracie wasn't active enough on the ground.
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as Attila shoots in.
Attila has a takedown stuffed.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Attila.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie takes a swing at Attila's ribcage but misses.

Gracie is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Attila's half guard.
Gracie is taking a breather. Attila says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Attila is defending well.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Attila looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Attila actively working from the bottom here.

Attila is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.

Attila actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie controlling the action here.
Kirk Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie passes the guard and advances to mount!

Gracie is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Attila to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Attila shrugs it off.
Attila bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Attila drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gracie dives on top into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gracie forces his way into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie passes the guard and advances to mount!
Attila working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kirk Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gracie looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gracie controlling the action here.

Attila actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Gracie wants to control but Attila is keeping him busy.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Kirk Gracie wasn't active enough on the ground.
Attila tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Attila won't be happy with that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Attila is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie controls the position.
Attila looking for a sweep but Gracie has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Gracie working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Gracie content just to control the position here.
Gracie looking to control but Attila is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Attila tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Attila is working to get back to half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Gracie content just to control the position here.

Gracie is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Attila has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Gracie with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Attila is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling the pace for now.
Gracie looking to control but Attila is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Kirk Gracie wasn't active enough on the ground.
Attila shoots for a takedown but Gracie saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Attila misses with a takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Attila didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arttu Attila. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Attila working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Attila looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Attila is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Attila manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Attila's guard.
Gracie trying to control but Attila is working from the bottom.
Arttu Attila has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kirk Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kirk Gracie!
Kirk Gracie seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.