PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Helson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaz Yago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes into the arena with My Life blaring out of the sound system. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Gracie
vs
Yago

175 cm
21
182 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

178 cm
27
181 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Helson Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kaz Yago!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Jorge Garcia and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Gracie forces Yago back against the cage and clinches.

Gracie jumps into guard, dragging Yago to the mat.
Yago stops Gracie from standing up.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Yago pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yago wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Yago won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
Yago wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gracie is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Yago is controlling him.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Yago cracks a nice hook into Gracie's ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yago lands a body shot.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Yago lunges at Gracie with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gracie's hand.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yago sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Gracie shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Yago manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Yago keeps moving.
Gracie postures up in Yago's guard and throws a big left but Yago blocks it.
Yago keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie trying to control but Yago is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Yago trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yago is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Yago keeps moving.
Yago not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Yago keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gracie closes the distance and pushes Yago back into the cage.

Gracie gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Yago is looking to get back to is feet but Gracie passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Yago, who protects the arm well.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Yago knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Yago is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Yago is not content to let Gracie control the position.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Yago, who protects the arm well.
Yago can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yago sneaks back into half guard.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Yago is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yago is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Yago defending well.
Yago is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yago manages to get to full guard.
Gracie passes Yago's left leg - he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Helson Gracie dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gracie throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Yago tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Gracie is in Yago's guard.
Yago controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
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.

Yago is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
Gracie stands and throws Yago's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yago is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gracie wants to control but Yago is keeping him busy.
Yago trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Yago trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.

Gracie is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Yago doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gracie.
Gracie is keen to just control but Yago is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is pressing down on Yago's thigh, looking to free his foot. Yago is holding on for now.
Gracie trying to control the action but Yago is working from the bottom.
Gracie stops Yago from getting back to his feet.
Gracie frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Gracie looking to control and managing it successfully.
Yago really wants to buck Gracie off and get back to his feet.
Gracie looking to control but Yago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Yago is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Yago to control.
Gracie wants to control the pace but Yago is squirming around nicely.
Yago is working to get back to half guard.
Yago prevents Gracie from taking his back.
Yago is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.
Yago sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Yago actively working from the bottom here.
Yago is trying to control but can't.

Gracie seems to be working for a kimura but Yago defends the submission attempt.
Yago is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Yago is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Helson Gracie dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Yago. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yago misses with a looping left.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gracie showed some decent athleticism there.
Yago preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Yago on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Yago is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yago avoid being mounted?
Gracie misses with a head shot. Yago uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yago keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Yago trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yago is keeping the position for now.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Yago escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Yago keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.

Yago is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Yago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yago is wriggling around but Gracie manages to pass to half guard.
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Yago's head.
Gracie frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Yago keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Helson Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Yago is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gracie controlling the position easily from mount.
Yago wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie fails to advance to Yago's back.
Helson Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling the position easily from mount.
Yago is trying to stand up.
Gracie controlling his opponent.
Yago stops Gracie from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yago is working to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Helson Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Helson Gracie!
A relieved looking Helson Gracie thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.