PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sakazuki Akainu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Wayne Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie has chosen Thriller by Michael Jackson as his entrance music. Sakazuki Akainu has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Akainu
vs
Wayne Gracie

188 cm
24
280 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

194 cm
24
270 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sakazuki Akainu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Wayne Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Phil Schofield and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akainu lands a really nice looking cross but Gracie seems unphased.
Akainu scores with a jab. Gracie acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A low kick from Akainu misses
and Gracie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Akainu has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Gracie scores with a nice right hand.
Akainu throws a big shot that misses.
Akainu turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Akainu connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Akainu connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Gracie takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Akainu takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie throws a low kick but Akainu moves out of range easily.
Gracie connects with a crisp jab.
Some bone on bone action there as Gracie checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Gracie lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Gracie moves out of range of the body kick.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Good work by Gracie as he checks the leg kick.
Akainu avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Akainu takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Akainu misses with a leg kick.
Akainu staying out of range there.
Gracie lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Akainu ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Akainu throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
The crowd cheers as Akainu lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Akainu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gracie. That did some damage!
Akainu checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Akainu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Akainu connects with a looping right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Akainu throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
A bone on bone clash there as Gracie blocks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Akainu.
Gracie tests Akainu's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Akainu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Akainu with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Gracie checks a low kick from Akainu.
A head kick misses from Akainu.
Gracie chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Akainu tries to land a leg kick but Gracie saw it coming and moves away.
Akainu does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Sakazuki Akainu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Akainu misses with a low kick as Gracie jumps back.
A big left from Gracie misses.
Akainu looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
Akainu throws a low kick but it's checked well by Gracie.
Akainu lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Gracie digs a good hook to Akainu's body.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akainu misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Gracie is trying to control. Akainu wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Akainu has his hands clasped together around Gracie's back. He's all about the action.

Akainu has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Gracie escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Gracie!

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Akainu, who protects the arm well.

That's four 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 tries to move into full mount but can't pass Akainu's legs.
Akainu striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Akainu is trying to improve his position.
Akainu takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Akainu manages to get back to half guard.
Gracie slows the pace down in half guard.
Nice strikes from Gracie there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Wayne Gracie will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gracie lands an overhand right.
Akainu tries to land a leg kick but Gracie saw it coming and moves away.
Nice shot by Akainu.
Akainu throws a leg kick that misses.
Gracie tries a quick counter leg kick but Akainu is wise to it.
Sakazuki Akainu is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Akainu manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Gracie lands with a nice body punch.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Akainu uses good head movement to avoid it.
A swing and a miss from Gracie.
Gracie pivots, looking for a leg kick but Akainu is out of range and Gracie settles back down.
Akainu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gracie connects with a body shot that sends Akainu's belly button to the back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akainu motions for Gracie to come forward. Akainu throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Akainu stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Gracie bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Akainu's head.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Akainu sees it coming and avoids it easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Akainu throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Akainu takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akainu cracks Gracie with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Akainu is looking to chop away at Gracie's legs.
And Gracie tries to counter it with a takedown but Akainu pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Akainu tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Gracie is able to avoid easily.
Akainu walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Gracie checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Akainu throws a leg kick but Gracie checks it.
Akainu throws a sloppy head kick
and Gracie counters with a nice leg kick.
Akainu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Akainu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Akainu keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Akainu appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Gracie connects with a solid leg kick.
Akainu jabs Gracie right on the nose. Gracie blinks but takes it well.
Gracie goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Donk. Gracie catches Akainu right on the button with a cross.
Gracie feints and then cracks Akainu's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Akainu down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Akainu.
Gracie follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Jab by Gracie.
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!
Gracie connects with a looping right hand.
Akainu rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gracie counters with a nice kick to the body.
Sakazuki Akainu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie scores with a jab to the jaw.
Akainu walks into a left hand.
Akainu throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Akainu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gracie is trying to counter with his kicks.
Gracie throws a looping overhand right but Akainu ducks down to avoid it.
Akainu checks a leg kick.
Gracie feints a jab promting Akainu to slip. Gracie then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Akainu slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Akainu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie throws a body punch but Akainu moves out of range.

Gracie shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Akainu manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Akainu manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akainu wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Akainu defends well.
Akainu chips away with some ground and pound.
Gracie lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gracie trying to control but Akainu is working from the bottom.

Akainu working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Akainu looking for subs off his back but Gracie has passed one foot through into half guard.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Wayne Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Akainu is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Akainu lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gracie's sensitive parts.
Akainu lands a jab.
Akainu's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gracie under the eye.
Akainu throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Gracie connects with a body shot that sends Akainu's belly button to the back.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Akainu sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akainu moves out of range as Gracie strikes.
Gracie tries a low kick but Akainu avoids it.
As Gracie backs away, Akainu returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Akainu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Akainu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gracie's corner calls for a 1-2. Gracie obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Akainu.
Akainu misses with a kick to the body
and Gracie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Akainu throws a nice head kick!
Akainu smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A big left from Akainu misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Akainu.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Akainu, right into the meat.
Gracie wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Akainu wants to land a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Akainu steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Akainu takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Sakazuki Akainu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Gracie finds it's target.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
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!
A punch lands to the side of Akainu 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Akainu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gracie. That did some damage!
Akainu staying out of range there.
Akainu listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Akainu throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Akainu throws a poor cross that misses
and Akainu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Akainu to the mat! Akainu manages to get full guard.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.
John Wayne Gracie is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Still in half guard, Gracie seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akainu wants to get back to full guard.
Akainu has a hand on Gracie's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Gracie takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Akainu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akainu is working to get back to half guard.
Gracie controlling from the full mount.
Gracie is continuing to stall.
Akainu is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Wayne 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Wayne Gracie!
John Wayne Gracie seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Sakazuki Akainu spoke after the fight, saying 'Fuck you!'.