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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ernest Graves (ranked 2134 p4p, 1532 weight class) and Roy Whitaker (ranked 240 p4p, 181 weight class). Ernest Graves could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Roy Whitaker 's chin.
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| 172 cm
31
160
20 - 21 - 1 |
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177 cm
31
160
19 - 9 - 0 |
Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Ernest Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Roy Whitaker !
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Fujiwara.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitaker jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Whitaker with a jab.
Graves gets the takedown into side control.
Graves is trying to move to mount but Whitaker reverses beautifully and ends up in Graves's guard.
Whitaker wanted to stand there but Graves had control of the position.
Graves is looking to sweep but instead, Whitaker has passed into half guard.
Graves wants to improve his position but Whitaker is controlling well.
Graves is working hard here to advance position.
Graves trying to hold on to Whitaker 's head to control him but Whitaker postures up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves wants to get back to full guard.
Graves is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Whitaker pulls his head out easily.
Graves works his way to full guard. Good work.
Graves escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Whitaker gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Graves wants to sweep here but Whitaker controlling him for the moment.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Whitaker tries to stand but Graves is controlling from the bottom.
Graves has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Whitaker is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Graves.
Whitaker decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Graves decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Graves is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Graves is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Whitaker has managed to free his arm - good work.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker is holding on to half guard well.
Graves is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Graves works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Graves missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Whitaker manages to get to full guard.
Graves wants to control from the top but Whitaker keeps moving.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Whitaker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Graves is one step ahead there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graves trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Ernest Graves dominated that round.
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.
Graves keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Whitaker .
Whitaker misses with a hook.
Whitaker uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Graves has time to react.
Graves closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Whitaker 's guard.
Whitaker tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Graves pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Whitaker is keeping the position for now.
Graves looking to sit in guard and control but Whitaker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Graves tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Whitaker must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker stands and steps away. Graves gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Graves closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Whitaker 's guard.
Graves pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Whitaker is keeping the position for now.
Whitaker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graves lands a couple of elbows.
Graves stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Whitaker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Whitaker keeping moving, preventing Graves from controlling successfully.
Graves wants to pass the guard but Whitaker is keeping the position.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker controlling the position.
Graves tries to free his leg and advance position but Whitaker is retaining full guard.
Graves preventing the sweep.
Whitaker seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Graves trying to control but Whitaker is working from the bottom.
The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Roy Whitaker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Graves is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Whitaker 's half guard.
Graves throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Graves has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Graves trying to control but Whitaker is having none of it.
Whitaker blocking the ground and pound.
Graves fails to move to back control.
Graves misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Graves can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Whitaker is looking to escape.
Whitaker 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.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves wants to pass to mount but Whitaker is defending the position.
Graves throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Graves tries to pass to full mount but Whitaker defends it.
Graves throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Graves lands strikes from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graves is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Whitaker defends it well.
Whitaker keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Ernest Graves dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!
Graves moves forwards but Whitaker connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A momentary lapse in concentration from Whitaker enables Graves to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Whitaker manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Graves trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Graves with a flurry of punches that miss.
Graves trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Whitaker manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Whitaker stopping the sweep attempt from Graves.
Graves is trying to keep Whitaker in close.
Graves looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Whitaker puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graves is looking for a sweep. Whitaker is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Whitaker is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Graves wants to get back to full guard but Whitaker has mounted him!
That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves regains half guard.
Graves is trying to get back to full guard.
Whitaker tries to stand but can't do so whilst Graves controls his leg.
Graves is looking to get back to full guard here but Whitaker has managed to pass to side control instead.
A control attempt from Graves but he's now mounted!
Graves gets back to half guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves tries to roll over but Whitaker keeps him under control.
Whitaker tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Graves.
Graves tries to get to full guard but Whitaker has control of the leg.
Whitaker escapes and gets back to his feet.
Graves feints and as Whitaker raises his hands in defense, Graves changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Graves is looking to pass into half guard but Whitaker pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Whitaker is in guard.
Graves looking to hit a scissor sweep but Whitaker is one step ahead there.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Whitaker tries to stand but Graves is controlling from the bottom.
Graves tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Graves bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Whitaker 's guard.
Graves trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Graves trying to control but Whitaker is working from the bottom.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Graves wants to pass the guard but Whitaker is keeping the position.
Graves advances position into side control!
Graves trying to control the action but Whitaker is working from the bottom.
Graves creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Whitaker sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Whitaker trying to control but Graves flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Roy Whitaker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ernest Graves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Whitaker is in bad spot here.
And that's the end of the fight!
Ernest Graves showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Graves, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ernest Graves!
Ernest Graves spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
32% |
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