PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Royler Gracie (ranked 4174 p4p, 423 weight class) and Kyo Yodachai (ranked 4472 p4p, 443 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Olha a Explosão. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Yodachai

171 cm
25
162 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
166 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Royler Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kyo Yodachai!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, David Hoff and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Yodachai sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Yodachai tries to clinch up.
Yodachai closes the distance looking to clinch

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Yodachai!
Yodachai looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yodachai has escaped the position, nice work there.
Gracie has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Yodachai gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yodachai trying to control but Gracie postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Yodachai defends it.
Gracie sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Yodachai sees it coming and defends easily.
Yodachai is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Yodachai is defending it quite comfortably.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.

That's two 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 seems to be looking for submissions.
Yodachai wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracie works his way into side control.
Gracie takes a little break here. Yodachai wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie gets to mount! Yodachai was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Gracie fails to take his opponent's back.
Gracie controlling from mount.

Gracie is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Yodachai is surviving well by controlling Gracie's body position as best he can.

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.
Yodachai is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.
Yodachai is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gracie trying to control but Yodachai is having none of it.
Yodachai is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie tries to control but Yodachai wriggling away.
Gracie content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royler Gracie dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gracie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yodachai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Yodachai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yodachai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Yodachai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a straight left.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Yodachai napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yodachai is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie takes a little break here. Yodachai wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yodachai has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two 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.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Yodachai manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Gracie.
Yodachai wants to sweep but no luck.
Yodachai keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie controlling from the top position.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Yodachai is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Yodachai has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Yodachai from controlling successfully.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Yodachai defends easily.
Gracie wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's four 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 controls Yodachai momentarily but Yodachai frees himself.
Gracie looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Yodachai controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie keeping full guard, as Yodachai tries to pass.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royler Gracie dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Yodachai slips under a jab from Gracie.
Gracie swings for the body but Yodachai moves out of range.
Gracie swings for the body but Yodachai moves out of range.
Yodachai is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Yodachai displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Yodachai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yodachai wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Royler Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yodachai trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie passes Yodachai's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yodachai is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Yodachai is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Yodachai is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Still in half guard, Gracie seems content to control.
Gracie working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Yodachai's thigh. Yodachai counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Yodachai looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gracie works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.

Yodachai is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
Gracie sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yodachai trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gracie content to control rather than advance.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Gracie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yodachai can do to turn this around?
Yodachai fails in his attempt to clinch.
Royler Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
A big left from Gracie misses.

Yodachai pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Yodachai lands an elbow just above Gracie 's eye.

It looks like Royler Gracie has been cut.
Yodachai is looking to control Gracie's arms but Gracie gets an underhook and turns him. Now Yodachai has his back to the cage.
Yodachai throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gracie blocks it with crossed arms.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Yodachai to keep the fight standing.
Yodachai unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Yodachai looking to stall.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yodachai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gracie.
Kyo Yodachai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yodachai comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

And that's the end of the fight!
Royler Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Royler Gracie!
During a confident post fight interview, Royler Gracie thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.