PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Diego Neves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rolando Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rolando Gracie acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Neves
vs
Gracie

170 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
139 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Diego Neves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rolando Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksandr Martynov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Neves tries to bench press Gracie off him but Gracie keeps the position.
Neves can't do much from the bottom here.
Neves tries to buck Gracie off but Gracie is having none of it.
Neves is working hard here to advance position.
Neves is trying to escape the position but Gracie is controlling the position.
Gracie has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Neves!
Neves sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie not doing much here.
Neves wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neves looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gracie controlling the pace.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Neves is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neves works his way to full guard. Good work.
Gracie's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Neves looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Neves is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neves is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Gracie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Neves has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gracie has managed to get both his arms back between Neves's legs - danger averted.
Gracie trying to control but Neves is working from the bottom.
Neves wants to sweep but no luck.

Neves looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie passes Neves's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Neves moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neves working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Neves is breathing heavily.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Neves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Neves.
Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Neves throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Neves looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Neves has wrist control.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Neves.

Neves looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie with a nice head shot there.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Neves keeps moving.
Neves lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rolando 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.

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

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Neves doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Neves manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Neves avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neves advances to half guard.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Neves pulls his head out easily.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.
Rolando Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neves tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gracie knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gracie is trying to stand back up but Neves is controlling him
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.

Neves is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Neves is controlling the pace.

Neves wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two 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.
Neves is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
Neves is really struggling to control Gracie but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Neves pulls his head out easily.
Neves is pressing down on Gracie's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gracie is holding on for now.

Neves is looking for a kimura here.
Neves is pressing down on Gracie's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gracie is holding on for now.
Gracie gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neves looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Neves keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gracie is pushing down on Neves's leg trying to pass to half guard. Neves is fighting to maintain full guard but Gracie has managed to sneak the leg through.
Neves trying to control from the bottom.
Neves is trying to get back to full guard.
Neves gets back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Neves tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gracie is in close to Neves's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Neves's guard.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Neves is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Gracie wants to stand up but Neves has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Gracie prevents Neves from improving his position.

Neves is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gracie trying to control the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rolando Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Neves's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

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

Gracie bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Gracie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Neves is looking for a sweep.
Gracie has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Neves working to try and regain half guard.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Gracie works his way to his opponent's back.
Gracie looking to soften up his opponent with punches.

Gracie has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neves can't escape the position.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Gracie's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Neves breaks Gracie's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Neves tries to pass.
Neves prevents Gracie from getting back to his feet.
Neves seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Neves drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gracie dives on top into guard.

Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neves tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Neves has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Neves wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie scoring with punches to the head and body.
Gracie working some strikes from top position.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neves escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Gracie stands up and waves to Neves to follow him.

Neves shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Gracie kicks off Neves and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Gracie has hold of one of Neves's legs. Neves is fighting the takedown attempt but Gracie gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Neves 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.
Neves can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Neves is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Neves is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Neves gets full guard.

Neves is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rolando Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight for Rolando Gracie!
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Rolando Gracie!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Rolando Gracie!

Rolando Gracie wins by unanimous decision!