PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jartsa Raatis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, 9pm (Till I Come). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Gracie
vs
Raatis

172 cm
19
157 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Dangerous GnP
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Thiago Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jartsa Raatis!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Paul Aken and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Raatis.
Gracie connects with a body shot.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Thiago Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Raatis.
Gracie takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gracie lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Gracie cracks Raatis with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
The crowd cheers as Gracie lands an impressive looking overhand right. Raatis doesn't seem phased though.
Gracie lands a jab.
Gracie looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Raatis napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
Raatis is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Raatis knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Raatis holding on.
You can see the frustration on Raatis's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Raatis is looking for a sweep.
Raatis sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie is keen to just control but Raatis is a slippery customer.
Raatis works his way to full guard. Good work.

Raatis had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gracie defends it easily.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Raatis is proving hard to escape from.
Gracie won't allow Raatis to sweep him here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control but Raatis is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Raatis fails to land with a series of punches.

Gracie fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Raatis to the ground. Gracie is now in Raatis's guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Raatis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie passes into half guard.
Raatis slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Raatis 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.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Raatis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gracie is on top in guard.

Raatis is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Raatis has his foot on Gracie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gracie works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Raatis is keeping the position for now.

Raatis is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Gracie dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gracie scores with a takedown into Raatis's guard.
Raatis wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Raatis wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Gracie sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raatis keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thiago Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Raatis is trying to keep Gracie in close.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Gracie tests Raatis's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Raatis throws a low kick, looking for Gracie's leg but Gracie calmly moves out of range.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Raatis circles away.
Raatis checks a leg kick.
Gracie cracks Raatis with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Raatis manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Raatis is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Raatis keeps moving.
Raatis 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.
Gracie postures up.
Raatis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Gracie is trying to maintain the position but Raatis is very close to passing his half guard.
Raatis trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raatis prevents Gracie from improving his position.
Gracie wants to control but Raatis is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Raatis trying to mount his opponent but Gracie defends it.
Raatis controlling the action here.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Raatis working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Gracie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Raatis can do to turn this around?
Gracie has hold of Raatis's hands but Raatis slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

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.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Raatis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Raatis wants to pass to mount but Gracie is defending the position.
Raatis seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Raatis trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Raatis is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Gracie dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A jab lands there for Gracie.
Raatis walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Raatis moves out of range as Gracie throws a body kick.
Gracie connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Gracie gets a takedown into half guard.
Raatis is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Raatis trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Raatis keeps working.
Gracie stalling away here and it's allowed Raatis to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Raatis holds on and takes a little breather.
Raatis trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Raatis can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Jartsa Raatis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Gracie trying to control the action but Raatis is working from the bottom.
Raatis trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.
Raatis tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Raatis is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Raatis manages to get to full guard.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Thiago Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie working away.
Raatis is looking for a sweep.
Gracie tries to stand but Raatis is controlling his head.
Gracie controls the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A cross from Gracie lands.
Gracie takes a swing at Raatis's ribcage but misses.
Raatis tries to clinch but Gracie moves away

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Raatis didn't expect that.
Raatis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raatis working the head and body with strikes.
Raatis is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
Raatis not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.
Raatis is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Gracie trying to control but Raatis postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Gracie!
A victorious Thiago Gracie thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.