PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gerard Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tong Po (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Po

185 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gerard Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tong Po!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Ren Mimura and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Po is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Po throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Po tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
Po tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Gracie feints and as Po raises his hands in defense, Gracie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gracie passes into half guard.
Po is trying to get back to full guard.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Po is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is tying to control. Po wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Po won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Gracie stops Po from getting back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Po shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Po keeps moving.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Po is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Po manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Po's guard.
Gracie trying to control but Po is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Po is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gracie, into his guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Po from controlling successfully.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Po passes into side control.

Po tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Gracie gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gracie has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Po is working away from the top position though.

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 is looking for a sweep. Po is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Po pulls his head out easily.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Po pulls his head out easily.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Po pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is trying to control but Po manages to pass to mount!
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerard Gracie dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

The fight stays on the outside here - Po looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

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

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie trying to control the action but Po is working from the bottom.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Po knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Po is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Po tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie looking to control but instead Po has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Gracie controlling the pace.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

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.
Gracie passes to full mount!

Gracie working for a submission but Po is keeping him at bay.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Poor strikes thrown by Gracie there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Po tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Po defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gracie.
Po is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Po has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Po!

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Po pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.

Po avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie is looking for a triangle here but Po uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Gerard Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.
Po wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his arm.
Gracie tries to bench press Po off him but Po keeps the position.
Po gets to mount! Gracie was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Gracie is working to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerard Gracie dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Po tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Po tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.

Gracie has hold of Po's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Po tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Gracie cranks the arm and Po screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Po, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Gerard Gracie!