PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eliz Gracie (ranked 3256 p4p, 360 weight class) and Edward Tonu (ranked 3909 p4p, 407 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Tonu

180 cm
28
190 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

182 cm
27
185 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Eliz Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Edward Tonu!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tonu closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tonu controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Tonu avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tonu doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tonu manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Tonu tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Tonu scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Gracie has his foot on Tonu's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tonu works his way back into a safe position though.

Gracie isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Tonu stacks Gracie on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Tonu!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tonu trying to control the position but Gracie is working away.
Gracie manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tonu manages to get to full guard.
Our spies down at at whitey's gym inform us that Tonu has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Tonu has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Tonu wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Tonu looking for a sweep. Not yet Tonu, not yet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tonu can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Tonu looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.

Tonu has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gracie slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Gracie is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Tonu is trying to escape and Gracie transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Tonu is forced to tap! Nice work there by Gracie! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:50 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Eliz Gracie!
Eliz Gracie decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.