PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George StPierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Royce Gracie has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Gracie
vs
StPierre

183 cm
25
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
170 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Decent wrestler
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, George StPierre!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksandr Martynov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
StPierre shoots in and drives through. Gracie sprawls well.
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as StPierre shoots in.
StPierre with a lazy takedown attempt
and Gracie counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Royce Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George StPierre.

Gracie throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. StPierre tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Gracie is in StPierre's guard.
Gracie stands and throws StPierre's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but can't.
Gracie tries to stand but StPierre is controlling his head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Gracie misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie tries to advance position but instead StPierre slips a leg back in to half guard.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gracie is taking a breather. StPierre 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.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if StPierre can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. StPierre defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie works his way into side control.
Gracie landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by StPierre, who protects the arm well.
StPierre tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but StPierre is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie working the ground and pound but StPierre is defending the strikes.
StPierre prevents Gracie from moving into mount.
Gracie throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Gracie stands up and beckons StPierre to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie defends well against a solid takedown attempt from StPierre.
StPierre stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gracie.
No luck with that takedown attempt from StPierre.
George StPierre seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
StPierre looks winded!
StPierre shoots in and drives through. Gracie sprawls well.

StPierre gets caught napping as Gracie dives in and scores a takedown. StPierre manages to retain guard.
StPierre can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracie controls the pace.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Gracie wants to control from the top but StPierre keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

StPierre shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gracie pinned against the cage. Gracie gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

StPierre forces Gracie back against the cage and clinches.

Gracie pulls guard.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
StPierre throws a big right hand that misses.
Gracie throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Royce Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
StPierre cracks Gracie with a solid left hand.
StPierre scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
StPierre passes Gracie's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
StPierre lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
StPierre thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.
StPierre lands strikes from half guard.

StPierre is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
StPierre wants to pass to mount but Gracie is defending the position.
StPierre is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
StPierre missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

StPierre is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gracie is just riding it out for now. StPierre eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
StPierre is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.
StPierre thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gracie wants to improve his position but StPierre is controlling well.
Gracie wants to control but StPierre is keeping busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

StPierre wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
StPierre working over Gracie with some ground and pound. Gracie looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
StPierre seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
StPierre tries to pass to full mount but Gracie defends it.
StPierre is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
Gracie flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Gracie has hold of StPierre's hands but StPierre slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
StPierre working the head and body with strikes.
StPierre is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
StPierre thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.
StPierre lands strikes from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
StPierre is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
StPierre with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
StPierre is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. StPierre lands a nice short elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. StPierre is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
StPierre is nestled in close to Gracie, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
StPierre seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
StPierre drops an elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
StPierre looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
StPierre not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George StPierre showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

StPierre shoots in and drives through. Gracie sprawls well.
Gracie stuffs the takedown.
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as StPierre shoots in.
Royce Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George StPierre.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Gracie decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Gracie moves into the clinch.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Royce Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. StPierre manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
StPierre tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
StPierre shoots for a double leg takedown but Gracie sprawls well. He's pushed StPierre's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gracie showed some decent athleticism there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
StPierre looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
StPierre tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
StPierre is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but StPierre is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Royce Gracie.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
StPierre wants a takedown but no success here.

Gracie has dropped down and is working for a takedown. StPierre is trying to keep an underhook but Gracie manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Gracie escapes and gets back to his feet.

Gracie shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
StPierre is doing well to control the position and prevent Gracie from advancing to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
StPierre is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
StPierre won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Gracie wants to stand but StPierre has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

StPierre shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
StPierre scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
You can see the frustration on Gracie's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
StPierre lands a decent elbow from side control.
StPierre cracks Gracie with a big elbow.
Gracie takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
StPierre scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Gracie to see if he's OK.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie wants to control but StPierre postures up.
StPierre lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Royce Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gracie has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Royce Gracie!