PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hans Richter (ranked 2144 p4p, 2069 weight class) and Mateus Gracie (ranked 235 p4p, 226 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Richter
vs
Gracie

179 cm
27
154
9 - 9 - 1

163 cm
28
153
7 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 1, fighting out of New York, Hans Richter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mateus Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richter looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Richter lands with a straight right. Gracie didn't see that one coming.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Richter.
Richter is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Richter is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Gracie swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Gracie scores with a leg kick.

Gracie gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Richter dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Richter looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie misses with a hook to the ribs.
Richter misses with a short punch on the inside.
Richter has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Richter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richter tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Richter.
Richter moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Gracie! But no joy.
Gracie misses with a looping right.
Gracie attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Gracie lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Richter throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Richter definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Gracie misses with a looping right.
Richter was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A leg kick checked by Richter.
Richter doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Richter manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hans Richter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Richter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richter leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Richter throws a combination that misses

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Richter has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Gracie is on him like a limpet, forcing Richter back against the cage.
Richter tries a body shot but Gracie blocks it.

Richter's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
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.
A big right from Richter misses.
Gracie is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Gracie pushes Richter up against the cage in a clinch.
Richter misses with the head strike.
Richter throws a head punch that misses.
A bit of stalling here from Gracie.
A shot in the inside from Gracie.
Richter scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Gracie creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Richter working hard to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richter stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Gracie throws a head punch that misses.
Gracie has Richter pushed against the cage.
Richter misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gracie.
Gracie controlling the action here for a moment.

Richter manages to break the clinch.
Richter fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie throws a nice outside leg kick.
Hans Richter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Richter throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie with the inside leg kick.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Richter sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hans Richter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mateus Gracie.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Richter rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Richter looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Richter lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gracie blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gracie lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Gracie stalling against the cage.
Gracie softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Richter wants to break free but Gracie has control.
Richter tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Richter is trying to stall.
A hook to the body from Gracie.
Richter can't find room to land a body shot as Gracie controls the action.
A short right from Gracie.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Richter throws a head punch that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mateus Gracie will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Richter clinches.
Richter trying to stall but Gracie improves his position.
Mateus Gracie seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Gracie lands a left hand that snaps the head of Richter backwards.
Gracie scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Richter fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Richter working hard to break the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Gracie fails to land.
Richter misses with the head strike.

Richter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Richter lunges at Gracie with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gracie's hand.
Richter tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.

Gracie gets tackled into the cage by Richter. Richter maintains the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richter swings wildly with an uppercut but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Richter is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Richter throws a punch but it's blocked by Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee calls for Gracie to work.
Gracie is trying to stall.
Richter misses with a hook from the clinch.
Richter lands a right hand that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
Richter misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie lands a hook to the side of the head.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Richter throws a punch but it's blocked by Gracie.

Richter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gracie slips a jab from Richter.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Richter was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Richter ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Good work by Richter as he checks the leg kick.
Richter doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Gracie is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Richter throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a straight right.
Richter looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
Gracie takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Gracie avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

Richter clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Richter pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Gracie looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Richter!

Richter explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
A little jabbing left from Gracie on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Gracie misses with a straight left.
Richter throws out a powerful jab.
A jab lands there for Gracie.
A telegraphed right hand from Richter misses the target.
Gracie throws a counter combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gracie.
Richter misses with a kick to the body.
Richter fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Richter.
Gracie flicks out a counter leg kick but Richter steps away.
Richter moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
It seemed like Gracie was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Gracie 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.
Richter throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Richter moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Richter lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Richter.
Richter tries to clinch up
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Richter scores with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richter lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Richter.
Richter moves out of range as Gracie strikes.
Richter avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Gracie misses the target.
Gracie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Richter.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Richter misses with an uppercut.
Richter lands a glancing blow to the side of Gracie's head.
Gracie scores with a nice right hand.
Richter bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Richter is looking to score with low kicks.
Gracie looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gracie misses with a head kick.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Richter.
Richter dips to his left and cracks Gracie with an uppercut!

Richter clinches up against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hans Richter dominated that second round.
That's time! Richter's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Richter scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gracie throws a quick inside leg kick.
Richter moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
A jab lands there for Gracie.
Hans Richter is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie throws a head kick but Richter moves out of range.
Richter is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Richter throws a head kick that misses
and Gracie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gracie scores with a jab. Richter acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Gracie misses with a straight left.
Richter tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Richter lands a jab.
Richter swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Richter throws a hook but Gracie blocks it.
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!
Richter lands a lovely overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richter lands a nice shot that snaps Gracie's head back.
Gracie lands a jab to the nose.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from Richter.
A combination from Richter does no damage.
Gracie tries a quick counter leg kick but Richter is wise to it.
Gracie punishes Richter's body with a nice straight punch.
Richter misses with a wild combination.
Richter misses the jab.
Richter connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gracie throws the left hand but Richter avoids the punch easily.
Richter changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A head kick misses from Gracie.
Gracie scores with a jab to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie walks into a stiff left hand from Richter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richter tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Richter tries to clinch but Gracie moves away
and Gracie counters with a straight right hand.
Richter swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Donk. Gracie catches Richter right on the button with a cross.

Richter is rocked!
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Richter.
Oh Richter is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Richter throws an off balance right hand
and Gracie scores with a counter punch that sends Richter to the canvas! Gracie smells blood - he's punishing Richter with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Richter has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mateus Gracie!