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TWGC 41 (170lbs, D1): Los Angeles Qualifier - Round 2 PBP Commentary |
Co-main event
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This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the welterweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of Las Vegas, with a TWGC record of 33 wins and 23 losses; Ikemba Okoye! And in the blue corner, fighting out of Montreal, with a TWGC record of 28 wins and 37 losses; Darian Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.
Let's get this grappling contest under way! Who will be victorious?
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.#CL#
Okoye clinches up with Cruz and pushes him back against the cage.#TD#
Okoye has picked Cruz up - he's going for a ride! Okoye dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Okoye (2) vs (0) Cruz#SUB#
Okoye wants to work for an arm triangle but Cruz is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cruz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Okoye looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
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.#T1#
Okoye sitting in guard here, content to control.
Cruz pulls Okoye in close to his closed guard and prevents Okoye from doing any damage or advancing position.
Okoye controlling from the top position.
Cruz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
#T2#
Cruz wants to sweep here but Okoye controlling him for the moment.
Okoye tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
Cruz trying to control the position.
Okoye not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up. #SUB2#
Cruz looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Okoye has picked Cruz up and slammed him! Cruz can't keep hold of the triangle and Okoye manages to pass to side control! Score +3 for passing guard: Okoye (5) vs (0) Cruz#T3#
Okoye taking a breather here.
Cruz is trying to control Okoye's posture but Okoye avoids it.
Cruz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Okoye wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Okoye controlling the position.
Cruz is positioning himself to get back to half guard. #T4##SUB#
Okoye is trying to get an arm triangle but Cruz is defending well.
Cruz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Okoye wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Okoye content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Okoye tries to advance position but instead Cruz slips a leg back in to half guard. #T5#
Okoye controlling the action here.
Cruz keeping control of the position.
Cruz is pressing down on Okoye's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Okoye has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.#T6#
Cruz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Okoye's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Okoye (5) vs (2) Cruz
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cruz preventing the sweep.
Okoye is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.#T7#
Okoye is pulling down on Cruz's head. It's preventing any offense from Cruz, at least for the moment.
Okoye is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cruz is stalling in the full guard. #T8#
Cruz's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz trying to control but Okoye is working from the bottom.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard. #T9#
Okoye keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Okoye working a defensive guard but Cruz passes into half guard.
#T10#
Okoye won't allow Cruz to pass to mount.
Cruz is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Okoye reverses the position - he's now on top in Cruz's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Okoye (7) vs (2) Cruz
Okoye tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cruz is on top in guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Okoye (7) vs (4) Cruz
My spies in HELLCADEMY inform me that Cruz has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Cruz is fighting to break Okoye's control of his arms but Okoye is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up. #T11#
Okoye can't keep his opponent in guard - Cruz advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Cruz moves into full mount! Okoye won't be happy about that! Score +3 for passing guard: Okoye (7) vs (7) Cruz
Cruz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Okoye is wriggling around trying to escape.
#T12#
Okoye is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz trying to control but Okoye is having none of it.
Cruz controlling from mount.
Cruz wants to take Okoye's back but he can't do it this time. #T13#
Okoye keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Okoye is working hard here to advance position.
Okoye sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Okoye keeps working. #T14#
Okoye desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Cruz working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Okoye's thigh. Okoye counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Okoye wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cruz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that's the end of the fight!
As we have tied on points, we go to a tie breaker and Okoye gets a bonus point for attempting more subs.
Okoye takes the fight on points by 8 to 7.
Ikemba Okoye decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well. |
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Main event
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This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the welterweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of London, with a TWGC record of 51 wins and 47 losses; Helio Gracias! And in the blue corner, fighting out of Montreal, with a TWGC record of 32 wins and 56 losses; Vartan Esteves!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Percy O'Donnell.
The official calls the fighters to the middle and the contest is under way.#TD2#
Esteves drives through with a takedown into Gracias's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Gracias (0) vs (2) Esteves
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Esteves wants to control from the top but Gracias keeps moving.
Esteves stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracias swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracias wants to hit a sweep here but Esteves passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Gracias there! Score +3 for passing guard: Gracias (0) vs (5) Esteves#SUB2#
Esteves goes for an armbar but Gracias turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Gracias. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Gracias (2) vs (5) Esteves
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracias content to stall in guard here.
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.#T1#
Esteves not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
#T2#
Gracias preventing the sweep.
Gracias is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gracias trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Esteves is trying to keep Gracias in close.
Esteves has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall. #T3#
Gracias not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Esteves working a defensive guard here.
Esteves is looking to sweep but instead, Gracias has passed into half guard.
Esteves is trying is best to control the position here. #T4#
Gracias controlling the action here.
Esteves keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Well, if Gracias is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
#T5#
Esteves wants to get back to full guard but Gracias has passed into side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Gracias (5) vs (5) Esteves
Esteves wants to control but Gracias postures up.#T6#
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Esteves is trying to work for a sweep but Gracias has mounted him! Score +2 for reaching mount: Gracias (7) vs (5) Esteves
Gracias avoids the attempt from Esteves to control.
Esteves is trying to escape the mount.
#T7#
Esteves is still trying to improve position.
Esteves slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gracias seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Gracias prevents Esteves from improving his position.
Esteves trying to control here.
#T8#
Esteves might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gracias haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Esteves is looking for a sweep. Gracias is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Esteves keeping control of the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.#T9#
Gracias perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there. #T10#
Gracias trying to mount his opponent but Esteves defends it.
Gracias content to control rather than advance.
Esteves trying to control but Gracias postures up.
#T11#
Gracias controlling the action here.
Gracias is looking to take a break and control but Esteves is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom. #T12#
Esteves wants to control but Gracias is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracias slows the pace down in half guard.
Esteves controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Esteves regains full guard. Nicely done. #T13#
Gracias is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Esteves wants to sweep here but Gracias controlling him for the moment.
Esteves lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Gracias (7) vs (7) Esteves
Gracias controlling Esteves's posture.
Gracias bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Esteves's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Gracias (9) vs (7) Esteves#T14#
Gracias 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.
Esteves wants to improve his position but instead Gracias has moved into half guard.
Esteves is looking for a sweep. Gracias is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Esteves is concentrating on defense, preventing Gracias from advancing position.
And that's the end of the fight!
Gracias takes the fight on points by 9 to 7.
A relieved looking Helio Gracias thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it. |
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