PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Gracia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Devin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gracia
vs
Devin

160 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

162 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jorge Gracia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Devin!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Devin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gracia's waist but Gracia gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Devin off to one side.
Jorge Gracia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gracia rushes Devin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gracia comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Gracia jumps guard.
Devin stands up over Gracia, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Devin lands a couple of elbows.
Devin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Devin trying to control but Gracia is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Devin prevents Gracia from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Devin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracia keeping moving, preventing Devin from controlling successfully.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Matt Devin hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gracia moves in looking to clinch but Devin pushes him off.
Gracia tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Devin swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracia.
Devin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracia stuffs the takedown.
Devin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Jorge Gracia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Devin.
Devin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Gracia has managed to clinch.
Devin takes a shot to the head.
Gracia jumps guard but Devin stands there with Gracia around his waist. Gracia gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Gracia presses Devin against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Devin has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Gracia after a bit of a struggle.

Gracia pulls guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracia managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Devin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gracia avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Devin trying to control but Gracia is working from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Devin leaves Gracia with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Devin or perhaps it was just good defense by Gracia which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracia leaves Devin with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Gracia clinches.
Nice elbow from Gracia.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gracia.
Gracia prevents a takedown attempt there.
Gracia throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Devins head.
Devin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gracia pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Gracia ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gracia no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Devin tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracia is retaining full guard.
Devin is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorge Gracia dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Devin swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracia.
Gracia moves in looking to clinch but Devin pushes him off.
Devin takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Gracia clinches with his opponent.
Gracia presses Devin against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Devin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Devin is working for takedown but Gracia is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gracia unloads a knee to the mid-section. Devin lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Devin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Jorge Gracia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Devin.
Gracia slowing the pace effectively.

Gracia pulls Devin into guard.
Devin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Devin trying to control but Gracia is working from the bottom.
Gracia on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Gracia tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracia is pulling down on Devin's head to control his posture.
Gracia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracia keeping moving, preventing Devin from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jorge Gracia wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Gracia is looking to clinch but Devin is avoiding it.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gracia enables Devin to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gracia manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Devin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Devin wants to pass the guard but Gracia is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Devin won't allow Gracia to get back to his feet.
Devin is pushing down on Gracia's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gracia is fighting to maintain full guard but Devin has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracia is trying to control but can't.
Devin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracia defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Devin frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Matt Devin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Devin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gracia?
Gracia is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Devin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gracia looks a forlorn figure.
Gracia working to try and regain half guard.
Devin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Devin with good strikes from the mount here!
Devin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Devin with good strikes from the mount here!
Gracia tries to hold on but Devin pushes him away.
Devin throws some wild stikes that Gracia manages to avoid easily.
Devin tries to control but Gracia wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Devin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gracia looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Devin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Devin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracia wants to clinch up but Devin keeps it at a distance.
Devin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Devin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Devin wants it to stay on the feet.

Gracia moves into the clinch successfully.
Devin wants a takedown but no success here.

Gracia jumps guard.
Gracia wants to improve his position but instead Devin has moved into half guard.
Devin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Gracia is trying to stand back up but Devin is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracia trying to control here.
Devin working over Gracia with some ground and pound. Gracia looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Gracia is refusing to be controlled, as Devin sits in half guard.
Devin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Devin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Gracia trying to hold on to Devin's head to control him but Devin postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Devin thows a huge punch but Gracia dodges it nicely.
Devin passes into side control, despite Gracia's attempt to control the position.
Gracia taking punishment in the form of punches.
Gracia is trying to control Devin's posture but Devin avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Devin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracia keeps working.
Devin misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Gracia knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Devin on the ground.
Devin slows the pace down.
Devin working away.
Devin cracks Gracia with a big right hand but Gracia just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Devin looks up at the clock and then as Gracia takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Devin smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Devin lands an elbow.
Devin trying to control the position but Gracia is working away.
Devin lands an elbow.
Gracia manages to work his way to half guard, despite Devin's best efforts.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracia tries to kick Devin off but Devin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Devin works his way into full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Devin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Devin has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Matt Devin!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Jorge Gracia!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Matt Devin!

Matt Devin wins by split decision!