PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikal Helio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mr Gray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Helio comes into the arena with You are the best Around! blaring out of the sound system. Gray has chosen make love not war baby as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Helio
vs
Gray

190 cm
31
195 lbs
23 - 6 - 0

182 cm
31
193 lbs
21 - 11 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikal Helio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 11 - 2, fighting out of London, Mr Gray!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Daniel Bishop and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gray tries to clinch up but Helio circles away and keeps his distance.
Gray swats away the attempt to clinch by Helio.

Gray rushes Helio and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Gray breaks the clinch.
Helio connects with a single shot there.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gray.
Gray shoots in looking for a takedown but Helio manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gray's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Helio misses with a head kick.
Helio connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Gray throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gray walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Helio gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Helio goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Helio looking for a takedown.
Helio tries to circle away but Gray has him pinned against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helio can't get the takedown.
A head punch on the inside from Gray fails to land.
A short left from Gray.
Gray lands a shoulder strike.
Gray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gray lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Gray.

Helio manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gray postures up in Helio's guard and throws a big left but Helio blocks it.
Gray working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gray with a flurry of punches that miss.

Helio looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gray works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Helio is trying to maintain the position but Gray is very close to passing his half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gray lands strikes from half guard.
Gray is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Helio is rocked!
Gray has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray is pressing down on Helio's thigh, looking to free his foot. Helio is holding on for now.
Oh Helio is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Helio keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Helio seems to have got his legs back now.
Helio blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gray.
Gray is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Helio is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Helio on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gray thows a huge punch but Helio dodges it nicely.
Helio is looking to improve his position.
Gray missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gray is looking to advance position but Helio won't allow it.
Helio avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gray.
Gray misses with a head shot. Helio uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gray's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gray accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gray sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Helio's guard.
Helio avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gray.
Helio tries to roll over but Gray keeps him under control.
Gray working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Helio's thigh. Helio counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Helio keeping moving, preventing Gray from controlling successfully.
Helio manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gray manages to get himself to full guard.
Gray utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helio wants to control from the top but Gray keeps moving.
Gray looking to hit a scissor sweep but Helio is one step ahead there.
Helio not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gray is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Helio 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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mikal Helio wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Helio lands a leg kick that knocks Gray off balance momentarily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Helio throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Helio misses with a takedown

and Gray counters with a nice double leg into side control. Helio won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikal Helio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Helio parries the strikes from Gray easily there. Gray is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Helio to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mr Gray dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Helio lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Gray has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Gray and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Mikal Helio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Helio dives in and scores a takedown into Gray's guard.
Helio wants to control from the top but Gray keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Helio postures up in Gray's guard and throws a big left but Gray blocks it.
Helio postures up.
Helio won't allow Gray to sweep him here.

Helio got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gray has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Helio has managed to get both his arms back between Gray's legs - danger averted.
Gray keeping moving, preventing Helio from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Helio accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gray wants to sweep here but Helio controlling him for the moment.
Helio content to stall in guard here.

Gray working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Helio doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Helio manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gray looking for subs off his back but Helio has passed one foot through into half guard.
Gray is pressing down on Helio's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Helio looking to pass the guard.
Gray wants to sweep here but Helio controlling him for the moment.
Mr Gray has got the better of the ground game so far.

Helio avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Helio looking to pass the guard.
Helio seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helio landing with the ground and pound.

Gray is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Helio forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gray manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gray is looking for a triangle here but Helio uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Helio tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Helio wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Helio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gray keeps working.
Helio advances nicely into full mount.
Gray manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Gray is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Helio's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Helio's back!
Helio tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Helio in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Helio manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Helio, under a barage of strikes from Gray.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Helio trying to control but Gray postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gray thows a huge punch but Helio dodges it nicely.
Gray tries to stand and escape but Helio is controlling the position.
Gray not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Helio is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gray's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gray's back!
Gray is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Gray tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Gray tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gray is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Helio with good strikes from the mount here!
Helio wants to control the pace but Gray is squirming around nicely.
Gray is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mr Gray will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Helio misses with a two punch combination.
Gray lands a nice looking body kick.
Gray throws the left hand but Helio avoids the punch easily.
Gray lands a glancing blow to the side of Helio's head.
Gray takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A slow jab from Gray misses its intended target.
Gray tries to clinch but Helio moves out of range.
Helio swats away the attempt to clinch by Gray.
A nice leg kick lands there from Gray.
Gray shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A head kick from Gray lands but Helio takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Gray blocks the leg kick.
A big right from Helio misses.

Helio closes the distance and pushes Gray back into the cage.
Gray lands a shoulder strike.
Gray is looking to break free of the clinch but Helio has double underhooks.
Helio has had enough of the clinch but Gray keeps him there for the moment.
Helio is trying to pull guard but Gray has him pressed against the cage.
Gray letting Helio take a breather here.

Helio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Helio attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Helio waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gray.
Gray throws the left hand but Helio avoids the punch easily.
Helio fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gray looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray is looking to clinch.
Helio comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Helio scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gray gets full guard.

Helio is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Gray has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Helio is looking to defend but Gray has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Helio! Gray pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Helio taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Mr Gray!
Mr Gray took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, GTI - 1337 sponsors VERSUS for their support in the buildup to the fight.