PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hickson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Spike Spiegel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Spike Spiegel has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Spiegel

185 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

195 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hickson Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Spike Spiegel!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Spiegel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Spiegel.
Spiegel moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Spiegel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Gracie drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Gracie works to advance to full mount. Spiegel defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Spiegel defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gracie.

Gracie is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Spiegel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spiegel misses with a body shot.
Spiegel fails in his attempt to clinch.
A head kick misses from Spiegel.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Spiegel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Spiegel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Gracie feints and as Spiegel raises his hands in defense, Gracie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Spiegel pushes Gracie off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Gracie ducks right into an uppercut from Spiegel.
Spiegel looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to clinch up but Spiegel circles away and keeps his distance.
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Spiegel pushes him off.
Spiegel has his takedown stuffed

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Spiegel didn't expect that.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Gracie gets to his feet - Spiegel follows without any prompting.
Spiegel swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Spiegel swivels and escapes.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Spiegel throws a sloppy head kick

and Gracie moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spiegel is trying to break free.
Gracie can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hickson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Spiegel wants to break free but Gracie has control.
Spiegel digs a right hand into Gracie's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gracie's gas tank.
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gracie has Spiegel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Spiegel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Spiegel is trying to break free.
Spiegel wants to get back to striking at distance but Gracie won't allow it.
Spiegel has had enough of the clinch but Gracie keeps him there for the moment.
A shot in the inside from Spiegel.
Spiegel wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gracie jumps guard but Spiegel stands there with Gracie around his waist. Gracie gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Spiegel is pressed up against the cage. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Spiegel down to the mat. Spiegel avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Spiegel moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Spiegel fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gracie, pushing him back against the cage.
Gracie has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Spiegel is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Spiegel wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gracie has him pressed against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Spiegel.
Spiegel is trying to break free.
Gracie is working for takedown but Spiegel is calmly controlling the position for now.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Spiegel.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hickson 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 takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Spiegel throws a body kick that misses.
Nice takedown defense from Gracie. No joy for Spiegel on that attempt.
Spiegel throws a series of strikes that have Gracie backpedaling.
Spiegel lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gracie clinches but Spiegel breaks the clinch
letting Spiegel counter with a right hand.
A punch combination from Spiegel misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Spiegel is trying to stand.
Spiegel tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spiegel is trying to control but can't.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Spiegel defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Spiegel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Spiegel fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Some wild striking there from Spiegel.
Spiegel connects with a body shot.
Spiegel lands a jab-cross combination.
Spiegel misses with a leg kick

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Spiegel fights it but they end up in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Spiegel manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Spiegel controlling the position easily from mount.
Spiegel looking to control but Gracie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Spiegel controlling the pace for now.
Spiegel's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Gracie throwing hammer fists to the chest of Spiegel. What's that going to do exactly?
Spiegel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Spiegel wants to control the pace but Gracie is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Spike Spiegel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gracie shoots in and bounces Spiegel off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gracie trying to control but Spiegel is working from the bottom.
Gracie advances to half guard.
Spiegel pushes Gracie off looking to stand but Gracie dives back in and keeps control.
Spiegel won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie is thwarting Spiegel's attempts to control the position.
Spiegel tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spiegel wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Gracie frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Gracie has control of Spiegel's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Spiegel regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Spiegel working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Spiegel is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Gracie pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.

Gracie goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Spiegel is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spiegel wanted to stand there but Gracie had control of the position.
Gracie on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Gracie tries to get out of the position.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.

Spiegel stands up and waves to Gracie to follow him.
Spiegel changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gracie tries to avoid it but Spiegel manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gracie to the ground. Gracie escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Spiegel ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Hickson Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Spiegel cracks a nice hook into Gracie's ribs.
Spiegel is looking to land body kicks.
Spiegel works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
Spiegel misses with a head kick.
A lazy body kick from Spiegel

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Spiegel won't be happy with that.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hickson Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:28

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