PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Marchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato Gracie (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.

Marchi
vs
Gracie

182 cm
22
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Marchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Renato Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marchi throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.

Marchi shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Marchi showed some decent athleticism there.
Gracie tries to roll over but Marchi keeps him under control.
Marchi tries to pass to full mount but Gracie defends it.
Marchi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracie defending well though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Marchi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Marchi trying to control from half guard but Gracie is working away.
Gracie tries to roll over but Marchi keeps him under control.
Marchi is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie keeping control of the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Marchi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Marchi gets a clinch.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Marchi just stands there and leans against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Gracie gets control of Marchi's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gracie will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marchi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie wants to stand but Marchi is controlling the position.
Marchi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Marchi won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Marchi from standing up.
Marchi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Marchi throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Marchi.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
Marchi wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Gracie tries to escape but Marchi is in control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marchi tries to advance to mount but Gracie denies him.
Marchi misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gracie is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Marchi off and has taken his back!
What can Marchi do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

Marchi showing good submission defense here.
Gracie looks gassed!
Marchi trying to control the hands but Gracie won't let him.
Gracie throwing damaging strikes from the back! Marchi could be in trouble here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Marchi has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Gracie avoiding Marchi 's attempts to control his hands.
A lull in the action here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Marchi is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Thiago Marchi will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gracie with a poor takedown
and Marchi counters with a two punch combo.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Marchi circles away easily
and Marchi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Marchi takes the fight into the clinch.
Gracie looking for a takedown.
Thiago Marchi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renato Gracie.
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Marchi stalling against the cage.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Marchi holds him up against the cage and eventually Gracie drops back down to his feet.
Marchi trying to land knees to the body.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

Marchi manages to break the clinch.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marchi paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Marchi to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie thowing shots but they're missing.
Marchi wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Marchi wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.

That's two 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.

Gracie stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Marchi closes the distance looking to clinch

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Marchi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Marchi.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Gracie drops back, looking for a kneebar! Marchi looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Marchi looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Marchi!
Gracie tries to buck Marchi off but Marchi is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marchi working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Marchi is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie wants to control but Marchi postures up.
Gracie wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Marchi controlling the position.
Gracie is looking to regain half guard here but Marchi keeps moving and retains side control.

Marchi decides to stand back up. Marchi steps back and let's Gracie get back to his feet.
Marchi wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side

and Gracie counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Gracie.
Marchi content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Gracie stalling in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Renato Gracie will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Marchi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gracie with a poor takedown
and Marchi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gracie wants to clinch.
Marchi scoring well with a low kick there.

Marchi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Marchi.
Gracie is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gracie is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Marchi is keeping busy.

Marchi is fighting off a takedown attempt but Gracie is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Marchi to the mat. Marchi regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Marchi wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marchi controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Gracie is in close to Marchi's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Marchi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Marchi controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.

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

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marchi is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Gracie fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Marchi, pushing him back against the cage.
Gracie fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Marchi won't allow it.
Thiago Marchi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renato Gracie.

Marchi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marchi tries to clinch

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Marchi's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marchi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Marchi can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Marchi trying to control but Gracie postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marchi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie moves nicely into side control.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but can't.
Renato Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Marchi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Gracie has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Marchi wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side

and Gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Marchi!
Marchi wants to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Marchi is in a horrible position here. Gracie smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Marchi is trying desperately to improve position.
Gracie landing punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Gracie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Marchi blocking the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Renato Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

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