PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Affonso Montes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan 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.

Montes
vs
Gracie

188 cm
25
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Affonso Montes!
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, Ryan Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Montes fails with a takedown attempt.
Montes tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Montes dives in for a single leg takedown but Gracie sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Nice takedown defense from Gracie. No joy for Montes on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Affonso Montes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gracie looking to score a takedown here. Montes is defending well but Gracie drives through and ends up in Montes's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Montes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie throwing strikes from guard but Montes blocks nicely.
Gracie throws a strike but Montes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Montes pushes his legs off easily.
Montes slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Montes from controlling successfully.

Gracie is working an open guard so Montes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Montes.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into Montes's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Montes is keeping the position for now.
Montes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gracie.
Gracie advances to half guard.
Montes looks like he's trying to stand up.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montes tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.

Montes is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
Montes blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gracie.
Montes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Montes defending well.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Gracie looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Gracie seems to be working for a kimura but Montes defends the submission attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Montes tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Montes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gracie swivels and escapes.
Horrible takedown attempt by Montes or perhaps it was just good defense by Gracie, which made it look bad.
Montes is looking to clinch.
Gracie tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie slaps away a takedown attempt from Montes, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Affonso Montes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Montes tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Montes to the ground. Montes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice cross by Montes.

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Gracie seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Montes has recovered full guard.
Gracie postures up in Montes's guard and throws a big left but Montes blocks it.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Montes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Montes trying to control the position.

Montes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gracie in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie passes into half guard.
Montes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie winds up and cracks Montes with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Montes wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
Gracie scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Montes regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Gracie.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Montes.
Gracie won't allow Montes to get back to his feet.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gracie being controlled here momentarily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gracie stands and throws Montes's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Gracie working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Montes is trying to improve his position.

Gracie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Montes thuds a left hand into Gracie's body.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Montes quickly recovers to half guard.
Montes trying to control from the bottom.
Montes blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gracie.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Montes is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Montes wants to get back to full guard.
Montes manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Montes working a defensive guard here.

Gracie drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Montes manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Gracie has Montes in his guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two 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.
Montes wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Gracie throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Gracie goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Montes has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Gracie but great work by Montes.
Gracie manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Montes avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gracie.
Montes manages to get to full guard.
Montes trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montes fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Montes.
Montes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gracie swivels and escapes.
And Gracie tries to counter it with a takedown but Montes pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
Montes stuffs the takedown.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Montes explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montes wants to clinch.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Montes counters with a straight right hand.
Affonso Montes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Affonso Montes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Gracie.

Montes gets caught napping as Gracie dives in and scores a takedown. Montes manages to retain guard.

Montes scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Montes doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ryan Gracie.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30

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