PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Irons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fernando Gracias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fernando Gracias is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Irons
vs
Gracias

194 cm
21
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
29
190 lbs
1 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 Helsinki, James Irons!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Fernando Gracias!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Irons shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracias but Gracias pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracias looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Gracias keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Irons shoots in but Gracias avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Irons. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Irons fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gracias checks it well.

Gracias gets tackled into the cage by Irons. Irons maintains the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracias tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Irons smiles and moves away.

Gracias tries to keep at a distance but Irons has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracias has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Irons is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gracias wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gracias told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Irons is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gracias is defending well for now.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Irons takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Gracias is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Irons pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Gracias jumps into guard, dragging Irons to the mat.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Gracias can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Irons controls the pace.
Irons throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Irons stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Irons closes the distance and pushes Gracias back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irons is working Gracias over against the cage.
Irons throws an elbow that misses.
Gracias prevents a takedown attempt there.
Irons is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Irons content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Irons will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Gracias up against the cage.
Irons tries a knee to the head but Gracias blocks it.
Irons stops a takedown attempt from Gracias.
Irons wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gracias has him pressed against the cage.
Gracias on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Irons decides to pull guard.
Irons looking for a sweep. Not yet Irons, not yet.
Irons pulls Gracias in close to his closed guard and prevents Gracias from doing any damage or advancing position.
Irons looking for a sweep. Not yet Irons, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Irons wants to stand up but Gracias is controlling him.
Irons looking for a sweep. Not yet Irons, not yet.
Irons is pulling down on Gracias's head to control his posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Irons looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gracias is fending him off so far but Irons persists. Nope, Gracias circles away and we're back to standing.
A nice combination there by Irons.

Irons forces Gracias back against the cage and clinches.
Irons drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracias stops a takedown attempt from Irons.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Irons 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.

Irons fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And Gracias tries to counter it with a takedown but Irons pushes his down on his head and steps out.
James Irons is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Irons closes the distance and clinches.
Gracias tries to score a body lock takedown but Irons shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gracias trying to control the position but instead, Irons has worked for underhooks and has pushed Gracias into the cage.
Gracias can't break the clinch.

Irons pulls guard successfully.
Irons managing to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Irons's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracias is breathing heavily.
Gracias trying to control but Irons is working from the bottom.

Irons kicks Gracias off and gets to his feet.
Irons misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Irons looks for the body kick but Gracias saw that one coming.
Gracias is looking for the big counter here.
Irons shoots for a double leg takedown but Gracias sprawls well. He's pushed Irons's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Irons rushes Gracias and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gracias misses with some punches.
Irons drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gracias gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Irons leaning against his opponent.
Irons is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gracias gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Irons. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Irons goes for a takedown in the clinch but Gracias prevents it.
Irons is pressed up against the cage. Gracias has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Irons down to the mat. Irons avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Irons clinches.
Gracias blocks an elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irons tries to circle away but Gracias has him pinned against the cage.
Gracias is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Irons is keeping busy.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Irons wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gracias has him pressed against the cage.
Irons drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gracias tries to score a body lock takedown but Irons shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Irons pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gracias is looking to control Irons's arms but Irons gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gracias has his back to the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Irons.
Gracias keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Irons's efforts to push away.
Irons has had enough of the clinch but Gracias keeps him there for the moment.
Irons is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gracias gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Irons tries to break free but Gracias pushes him back against the cage.
Irons wants a takedown but no success here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Irons is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gracias gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Irons jumps into guard, dragging Gracias to the mat.

Irons has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gracias is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Irons.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Irons dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Irons tries to clinch there but Gracias circles away.

Irons has closed the distance and engaged Gracias in a clinch.

Irons ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Irons no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Irons controlling the position.
Irons throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Gracias takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Irons keeping moving, preventing Gracias from controlling successfully.
Gracias advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irons wants to improve his position but Gracias is controlling well.
Gracias is trying to control the action in half guard but Irons is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Irons moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gracias won't allow Irons to sweep him here.

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.

Irons looking for a guillotine here but Gracias defends easily.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Irons fails with the takedown.
Gracias fails with a takedown attempt.
Irons lands a two punch combo.
Irons misses with a takedown attempt - Gracias sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irons dives in and grabs Gracias's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gracias pushes down on Irons's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Irons. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Irons fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gracias avoids it really well and circles away.
Gracias shoots in looking for a takedown but Irons manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracias's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Irons clinches up against the cage.
Fernando Gracias has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Irons is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Gracias is defending well.
Irons wants to break free but Gracias has control.
Irons is trying to pull guard but Gracias turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Gracias has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Irons after a bit of a struggle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracias has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Irons avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Irons pushes Gracias back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Irons tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracias just stands there and leans against the cage.

Irons pulls guard.
Irons keeping moving, preventing Gracias from controlling successfully.

Irons is looking for a triangle here but Gracias uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
James Irons overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gracias has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Irons is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Gracias yanks on the arm and Irons is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Gracias.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Fernando Gracias!