PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Early Grayce (ranked 258 p4p, 40 weight class) and Dai Zexi (ranked 585 p4p, 83 weight class). Zexi has chosen BRADIO-Flyers as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Grayce
vs
Zexi

178 cm
25
222 lbs
16 - 4 - 0

175 cm
27
220 lbs
19 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Big Tree's Vintage Wear
Urban Fighter

Sportivité

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Early Grayce !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dai Zexi!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Paul Tew and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab by Grayce .

It looks like Dai Zexi has been cut.
Zexi throws a body shot but no joy.
Zexi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Grayce cracks a nice hook into Zexi's ribs.
Grayce displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zexi throws out the jab.
Zexi digs a good hook to Grayce 's body.
Grayce keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Zexi defending well as Grayce loads up on a big left hand.
Nice cross by Grayce .
We've been hearing reports that Grayce has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

Grayce shoots in and gets a takedown into Zexi'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!
Zexi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zexi has control of Grayce 's left arm, preventing Grayce from doing any damage.
Let's hope that Zexi has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Grayce pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zexi is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grayce throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zexi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Grayce slips nicely into half guard.
Zexi trying to control from the bottom.
Grayce lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Zexi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zexi wants to control but Grayce is keeping busy.
Zexi is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zexi looking for submissions off his back.
Grayce tries to pass to full mount but Zexi defends it.
Zexi is trying to control but can't.
Grayce stalling.
Zexi is looking for a sweep. Grayce is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Grayce is trying to control. Zexi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Zexi tries to roll over but Grayce keeps him under control.
Grayce passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Zexi!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zexi tries to reverse the position but Grayce maintains control.
Zexi taking shots to the head.
Zexi doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Zexi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Grayce is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Zexi can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zexi is working to get back to half guard.
Grayce landing strikes from the mount and Zexi is in trouble!
Grayce looking to control and managing it successfully.
Grayce raining down shots from the mount!
Grayce fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Grayce working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Grayce cracks Zexi with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Grayce avoids the attempt from Zexi to control.
Zexi sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Grayce scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Early Grayce dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dai Zexi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Grayce looks to land a left hand but Zexi moved out of range nicely.
Zexi looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Zexi connects with a nice looking jab.
Grayce gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

It looks like Early Grayce has been cut.
Zexi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Grayce .
Grayce swings for the body but Zexi moves out of range.
A nice side step and Zexi releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Good standup being displayed there by Grayce as he connects with a hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Zexi misses the target.
Grayce ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Zexi scores with a jab.
Zexi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Zexi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Grayce throws a jab but it's blocked by Zexi.
Zexi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Grayce tries to avoid it but Zexi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Grayce to the ground. Grayce escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Grayce attempts a counter takedown but Zexi avoids it well and moves away.
Zexi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grayce misses with a takedown attempt - Zexi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Grayce fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zexi scores with a punch to the head.
Zexi staying out of range there.
Zexi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Grayce looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Grayce misses with a looping left.
Zexi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Zexi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Zexi throws a lazy right hand but Grayce sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A jab from Zexi does it's job there.
Grayce loads up on a big right hand but Zexi slips the punch.
A little jabbing left from Zexi on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Grayce has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Early Grayce . That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zexi slips a straight right by Grayce .
Grayce waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zexi.
Zexi misses with a hook.
Grayce attempts a counter takedown but Zexi avoids it well and moves away.
Grayce with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Zexi counter with a right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zexi connects with a jab.

Zexi shoots in and bounces Grayce off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Zexi's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zexi keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Grayce 's head.
Grayce keeping moving, preventing Zexi from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zexi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Zexi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Grayce has his foot on Zexi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zexi works his way back into a safe position though.
Zexi lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Zexi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Grayce escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zexi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Grayce looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Zexi distracts Grayce with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zexi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zexi trying to control the position from guard on top but Grayce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grayce can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Zexi controls the pace.
Zexi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Zexi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Grayce has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Zexi has managed to get both his arms back between Grayce 's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dai Zexi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Grayce fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Zexi avoids it really well and circles away.
Grayce jabs at Zexi's body.
Zexi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Zexi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Grayce .
Zexi scores with a nice right hand.
Zexi has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grayce scores with a sloppy right hand. Zexi should have avoided that one.
Grayce works the jab nicely.
Grayce keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zexi lands a jab to Grayce 's midsection.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zexi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zexi thuds a left hand into Grayce 's body.
Grayce stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Zexi with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Zexi with a hook.
Grayce slips under a jab from Zexi.
Grayce uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Zexi.
Grayce swings widly with a right hand
and Zexi counters with a straight right hand.
Zexi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Zexi lands a body shot.
Zexi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Grayce at a distance.
Zexi misses with a hook. Grayce ducked under it nicely.
Zexi throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zexi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zexi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Zexi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Zexi working over Grayce with some ground and pound. Grayce looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Zexi is pressing down on Grayce 's thigh, looking to free his foot. Grayce is holding on for now.
Zexi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Zexi lands with a punch from half guard.
Grayce trying to control but Zexi postures up.

Grayce actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zexi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Grayce has hold of Zexi's hands but Zexi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Zexi trying to control the action but Grayce is working from the bottom.
Zexi lands strikes from half guard.
Grayce is trying to control but can't.
Grayce is looking to improve his position.
Zexi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Grayce manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Zexi tries to free his leg and advance position but Grayce is retaining full guard.
Zexi working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Grayce 's head.
Zexi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Zexi trying to control the position from guard on top but Grayce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zexi throwing strikes but missing.

Grayce has his foot on Zexi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zexi works his way back into a safe position though.
Grayce wants to improve his position but instead Zexi has moved into half guard.
Zexi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dai Zexi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zexi has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dai Zexi!
Dai Zexi took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Sportivité for their support in the buildup to the fight.