PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gennady Mikhasevich (ranked 494 p4p, 2132 weight class) and Royce Gracie (ranked 71 p4p, 316 weight class). Gracie has chosen Jiu Jitsu by Smoke Serpent as his entrance music. This should be a great matchup!

Mikhasevich
vs
Gracie

180 cm
35
187
30 - 22 - 0

185 cm
36
192
28 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gennady Mikhasevich!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Royce Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Mikhasevich scores with a jab.
Gracie misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Gracie shoots and misses
and Mikhasevich counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gennady Mikhasevich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Mikhasevich sprawls well.
Mikhasevich connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Gracie on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Mikhasevich. Mikhasevich obviously looking to wear him down.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
An attempted straight right counter from Mikhasevich misses the target.
Mikhasevich connects with a solid leg kick.
Mikhasevich misses with a double jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Mikhasevich working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
Mikhasevich looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Mikhasevich working for submissions but it's allowed Gracie to get to half guard.
Mikhasevich wants to get back to full guard but Gracie has passed into side control.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Mikhasevich is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mikhasevich is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Mikhasevich rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Mikhasevich!
Mikhasevich throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gracie is working an open guard so Mikhasevich takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gennady Mikhasevich dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie darts in looking for a takedown but Mikhasevich gets double underhooks and turns Gracie into the cage.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Gracie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mikhasevich gets back to half guard.

Mikhasevich kicks Gracie off and gets back to his feet.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Mikhasevich counters with a thumping low kick.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mikhasevich counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gennady Mikhasevich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
Gracie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Mikhasevich.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Mikhasevich counters with a straight right hand.
Royce Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Mikhasevich counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mikhasevich explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Royce Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Mikhasevich counters with a nice uppercut.
Mikhasevich scores with a punch to the head.

Mikhasevich steps into range and cracks Gracie with a monster punch that buckles his knees! Gracie flops backwards and Mikhasevich dives into his guard looking to finish!

Gracie is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mikhasevich makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gracie is still in real trouble! Can Mikhasevich finish him?
Mikhasevich cracks Gracie with a solid left hand.
Mikhasevich controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gennady Mikhasevich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mikhasevich working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
Mikhasevich postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Mikhasevich lands a couple of digs.
Mikhasevich working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
Mikhasevich scoring with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mikhasevich arches his back and unloads with a massive left and a right! Gracie's eyes roll back into his head, he's out cold! The ref dives in to stop the fight - wow, they were hard shots!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Gennady Mikhasevich!
Gennady Mikhasevich retains his middleweight title!
A victorious Gennady Mikhasevich thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.