PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Maki Kamiya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucas Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lucas Gracie struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 136.6lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Kamiya
vs
Gracie

179 cm
23
138 lbs
9 - 4 - 1

175 cm
18
149 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Maki Kamiya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Lucas Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Kamiya makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Kamiya circles away easily
and Kamiya counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Kamiya counters with a crisp one two that drops Gracie! Kamiya thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Gracie to his feet! Gracie is in big trouble!

Gracie is rocked!
Maki Kamiya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucas Gracie.

Kamiya gets caught flat footed, as Gracie shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gracie is still in real trouble! Can Kamiya finish him?
Kamiya bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gracie's guard.

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 is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kamiya stays in close to Gracie's body and controls the position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Kamiya has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Gracie seems to have recovered his senses.
Kamiya would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kamiya got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kamiya has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Kamiya wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Kamiya wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kamiya's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kamiya is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

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.
Kamiya tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Kamiya's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Kamiya is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie misses with a takedown
and Kamiya cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Kamiya counters with a nice leg kick.
Gracie misses with a takedown
and Kamiya counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gracie thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Kamiya circles away easily
and Kamiya counters with a nice leg kick.
Gracie looks winded!
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Kamiya counters with a stiff jab, followed by a cross and an uppercut! That's too much punishment for Gracie to take - he tumbles to the canvas, blood pouring from his nose, barely conscious. That's the end of the fight! Great knockout by Kamiya!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Maki Kamiya!
In his post fight interview, Maki Kamiya started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
Lucas Gracie was interviewed post fight and said 'I had a terrible weightcut leading up to this fight, and can only appologise to my opponent for not handling it properly. Sorry'.