PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 1347 p4p, 1057 weight class) and Rico Cole (ranked 28 p4p, 26 weight class). Gracie's entrance music is Jiu Jitsu by Smoke Serpent. A fine choice. Cole has chosen Gerardo's Rico Suave as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Rico Cole enters the cage!

Gracie
vs
Cole

185 cm
33
192
25 - 12 - 0

182 cm
37
168
30 - 17 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rico Cole!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Cole misses the target.
We've been told by Gracie's head coaches at Rio Fight Academy that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Cole listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Cole.
Cole does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Cole throws a leg kick
and Gracie counters with a one-two to the body.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A slapping leg kick lands for Cole.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Cole misses.
Gracie went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Cole fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gracie checks it well.
Gracie appears to be looking for a big counter.
Cole lands a leg kick that knocks Gracie off balance momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Gracie is looking for a counter combo.
Cole throws a body shot but no joy.
Cole lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rico Cole seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cole will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fighters circling - Cole throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gracie throws a big counter combination but Cole scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Cole shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Gracie eats them both and turns towards Cole to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Cole has closed the distance and engaged Gracie in a clinch.
Cole on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Cole wants the takedown. Gracie is fighting it off but Cole persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Gracie's guard against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cole sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Cole 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.
Cole won't allow Gracie to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Cole wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cole throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Cole tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
Gracie slips a straight right by Cole.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Cole misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
Cole swinging wildly here.
Gracie appears to be looking for a big counter.
Cole misses with a low kick.
Gracie seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Cole tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
As Cole looks to move away, Gracie throws a big counter combo but Cole just gets out of the way.
Gracie gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cole thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cole lands with an uppercut that bounces Gracie off the cage and back into range.
Cole misses with a low kick.
Gracie seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Nice shot lands for Cole.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Cole dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cole tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
Cole rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gracie counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Cole closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cole lands in his opponent's guard.
Cole stays in close to Gracie's body and controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie wants to stand and escape but Cole is having none of it.
Cole sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cole throws a leg kick which misses Gracie's front leg but catches the back leg as Gracie tries to avoid it.
Cole finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
As Cole looks to move away, Gracie throws a big counter combo but Cole just gets out of the way.
Cole throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Cole thows a leg kick but Gracie checks it
and Gracie counters with a left and a right that stings Cole.
Gracie has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gracie there as he acknowledges the shot.
A head kick misses from Cole.
Gracie throws a big counter combination but Cole scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gracie swivels and escapes.
Gracie throws a big counter combination but Cole scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Cole connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Cole moves into the clinch.
Gracie misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cole.

Cole's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cole connects with a jab.
Cole lands with an uppercut that bounces Gracie off the cage and back into range.
Gracie checks the leg kick.
It looked like Gracie was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Cole lands with a nice combination. Gracie backs away looking to recover.

Gracie is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Royce Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A lazy left from Cole finds it's target.
Oh Gracie is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cole steps in with a hook that catches Gracie right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Cole follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Gracie looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:15 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rico Cole!
Rico Cole thanked the fans post fight for their support.