PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damian Grabowski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Heke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Damian Grabowski has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Grabowski
vs
Heke

225 cm
25
300 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

208 cm
25
290 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent knees
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Damian Grabowski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jake Heke!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Valeri Chadov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grabowski shoots in for a takedown but Heke shows good takedown defense.
Grabowski looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Heke moves into the clinch.
We've been hearing reports that Grabowski has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Heke is struggling to control the position.

Heke wants the takedown. Grabowski is fighting it off but Heke persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Grabowski's guard against the cage.
Heke engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that Heke has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Heke sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Grabowski's guard.
Heke perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
It looks like Heke might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jake Heke wasn't active enough on the ground.

Grabowski fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Heke, pushing him back against the cage.
Heke trying to land knees to the body.
Grabowski goes for a takedown attempt but Heke pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Grabowski with a poor takedown

and Heke counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damian Grabowski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heke lands a knee to the body.
Heke throws a knee to the head but misses.
Heke crunches a lovely knee into Grabowski's ribcage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Heke putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grabowski in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Grabowski managing to block the knees to the body from Heke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Heke gets control of Grabowski's arms and successfully pulls guard. Heke will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Grabowski stopping the sweep attempt from Heke.
Grabowski is looking to stand up but Heke won't let him.
Heke is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Grabowski stopping the sweep attempt from Heke.
Heke looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Grabowski won't allow Heke to sweep him here.

Jake Heke has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Heke shoots for a double leg takedown but Grabowski sprawls well. He's pushed Heke's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Heke moves away from the strike by Grabowski.
Heke shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Grabowski misses with a few strikes there.
Heke dives in for a single leg takedown but Grabowski sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Heke gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Heke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Grabowski is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heke slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Grabowski keeping moving, preventing Heke from controlling successfully.
Heke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Grabowski is keeping the position for now.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Grabowski is looking to stand up but Heke isn't so interested in that idea.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jake Heke hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Heke gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Heke dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Grabowski stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Grabowski wants it to stay on the feet.

Heke has closed the distance and engaged Grabowski in a clinch.
Grabowski avoiding damage as Heke throws knees to the body.
Heke tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Grabowski avoids it.
Heke throws a knee to the head but misses.

Heke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Grabowski dives in and scores a takedown into Heke's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Heke holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heke has momentary wrist control but Grabowski slips an elbow through the middle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Heke is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Jake Heke has got the better of the ground game so far.
Grabowski stopping the sweep attempt from Heke.
Heke controls Grabowski momentarily but Grabowski frees himself.
Heke is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heke trying to keep a closed guard but Grabowski is proving a slippery customer.
Grabowski wants to get up but he can't break Heke's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Grabowski trying to control but Heke is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jake Heke was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Grabowski tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Heke connects with an inside leg kick.
Heke keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Heke gets a clinch.
Heke is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Grabowski is defending well for now.
Heke scores a nice knee to the body.
Grabowski on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Heke lands a knee to the body.
Heke tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Heke has Grabowski pressed against the cage.
Grabowski tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heke tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Grabowski avoids it.
Grabowski tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damian Grabowski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A knee to the head by Heke.
Heke with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Heke obliges.
Heke throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Grabowski blocks it with crossed arms.
Heke misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Grabowski.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Heke breaks the clinch.
Heke shoots in but Grabowski avoids the takedown attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Heke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Heke stuffs the takedown.

Heke has Grabowski up against the cage in a clinch.
Heke misses with a knee strike.
Heke looking to throw knees to the head but Grabowski is blocking nicely.
Heke utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Jake Heke seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Heke unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Heke utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Heke closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Grabowski actively working from the bottom here.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Heke moves into full mount! Grabowski won't be happy about that!
Heke is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Grabowski avoids a series of strikes thrown by Heke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heke controlling the position easily from mount.
Grabowski looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
What can Grabowski do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

Grabowski fending off the submission attempt from Heke.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Heke keeps control of the position as Grabowski tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Heke has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for Grabowski! Can he survive? No! He's out! Heke gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Jake Heke!