PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Royler Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antonio Santos is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Gracie
vs
Santos

225 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
300 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Royler Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Santos!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie darts in looking for a takedown but Santos gets double underhooks and turns Gracie into the cage.

Gracie gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Santos wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Santos is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Gracie connects with a nice short shot to Santos's temple.
Santos won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Still in half guard, Gracie seems content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
Gracie controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Royler Gracie wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Santos throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gracie's waist but Gracie gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Santos off to one side.
Santos looks winded!
Gracie throws a sloppy head kick and Santos moves out of range easily.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gracie not doing much here.
Santos tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Santos wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracie is trying to control. Santos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Gracie uses his free foot to push down on Santos's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Santos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Santos's face.
Santos tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Gracie raining down hammerfists from mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Gracie cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Gracie content just to control the position here.
Gracie working the ground and pound effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos throwing hammer fists to the chest of Gracie. What's that going to do exactly?
Gracie controlling from mount.
Gracie landing shots from mount.
Gracie controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royler Gracie dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Santos is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Santos circles away and we're back to standing.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Royler Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santos misses with a takedown

and Gracie moves into the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Gracie has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Santos after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royler Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos is struggling to control the position.
Santos is breathing heavily.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Gracie pulls guard effortlessly.
Gracie trying to control the position.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gracie holds on and takes a little breather.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santos is one step ahead there.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie 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.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gracie pulls Santos in close to prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Royler Gracie just wasn't active enough.
Gracie throws a nice looking combination but Santos bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gracie just content to control the position.
Santos takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Santos dodges the ground and pound from Gracie.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santos keeps working.
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 four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Gracie misses with a combination

and Santos holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Santos is pressed up against the cage. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Santos down to the mat. Santos avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gracie tries to clinch but Santos is having none of it.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Santos circles away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie throws a push kick but Santos slaps the foot to one side.
Gracie throws a leg kick but Santos sees it coming and moves out of range.
Gracie throws a right and a left that Santos avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royler Gracie dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gracie has managed to clinch.
Gracie goes for a takedown in the clinch but Santos prevents it.

Gracie jumps into guard, dragging Santos to the mat.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Santos postures up.
Gracie throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Gracie pushes Santos off and gets back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Gracie. No joy for Santos on that attempt.
Some wild striking there from Gracie.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gracie sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Gracie throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Santos was covering up waiting for the punch and Gracie finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gracie would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Gracie trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Gracie is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Royler Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santos has a closed guard, preventing Gracie from standing up.
Gracie scoring with some ground and pound.
Gracie postures up and lands a big shot to Santos's brow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Santos is keeping the position.

Gracie stands up and waves to Santos to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Santos can do to turn this around?

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.
Gracie pushing down on Santos's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Gracie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Santos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gracie throwing shots but Santos is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Santos actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santos blocks a head kick by Gracie.
Antonio Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Royler Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santos throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.

And that's the end of the fight!
Royler 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

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