PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Francois Robert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robert has chosen Tandem - Hardcore 93 as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gracie
vs
Robert

186 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Francois Robert!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie fails with the takedown.

Robert looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Robert must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Robert postures up and lands a big shot to Gracie's brow.
Robert wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Robert postures up.
Robert 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.
Robert throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Robert looking to pass the guard.
Robert throwing strikes but missing.
Robert postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gracie jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Robert circles away easily

and Robert counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gracie won't be happy with that.

Robert stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Robert circles away easily

and Robert counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Robert won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Robert looking to pass the guard.
Gracie throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Robert won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
Robert looking to pass the guard.
Robert is stalling in the full guard.
Robert wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to keep Robert in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Robert drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.
Robert lands a right hand that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.

Robert gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Gracie regains guard.
Robert trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Robert from controlling successfully.
Robert really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Robert lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Robert stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Robert working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gracie's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Robert wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt

and Robert counters by clinching up.
Robert lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Robert successfully pulls guard.
Robert seems keen to control Gracie's posture.
Robert looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Robert keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie being controlled here momentarily.
Gracie pushing down on Robert's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Robert is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Gracie works his way into full mount!
Robert in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

It looks like Francois Robert has been cut.
Robert is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.
Robert keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Robert tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francois Robert dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Francois Robert's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Robert takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Gracie fails with the takedown

and Robert holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Robert has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Gracie regains guard immediately.
Robert wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Robert looking to pass the guard.
Robert stands up over Gracie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Robert is proving a slippery customer.
Robert trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Robert is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Robert counters with a single leg into guard. Gracie didn't expect that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Robert looking to pass the guard.
Robert trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Robert working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Robert looking to pass the guard.
Robert is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Robert postures up and lands a big shot to Gracie's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robert is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Robert wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Robert from standing up.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Robert from controlling successfully.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Robert can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Robert not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Francois Robert has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Robert controlling him for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt

and Robert counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gracie is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Robert frees his head nicely. Oh but Gracie has switched to an armbar! Robert is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Thiago Gracie!