PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ernest Graves (ranked 564 p4p, 1594 weight class) and Travis Copeland (ranked 75 p4p, 207 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Graves
vs
Copeland

172 cm
34
160
27 - 25 - 2

175 cm
31
165
19 - 20 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 27 - 25 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Ernest Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Travis Copeland!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Radbod Blank and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Copeland tries to close the distance and clinch but Graves swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Graves fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Copeland looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Graves feints and as Copeland raises his hands in defense, Graves changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Copeland bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Graves's guard.

Graves seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Graves wants to sweep here but Copeland controlling him for the moment.

Graves looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Graves wants to sweep here but Copeland controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Graves is trying to keep Copeland in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graves wants to sweep here but Copeland controlling him for the moment.
Graves can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Copeland controls the pace.
Graves avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Copeland with a flurry of punches that miss.

Graves looking for a guillotine here but Copeland defends easily.
Graves 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.
Copeland tries to free his leg and advance position but Graves is retaining full guard.
Graves is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Copeland trying to control the position from guard on top but Graves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Copeland preventing the sweep.
Copeland throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Graves works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Graves is looking for a triangle but Copeland pushes his legs off easily.
Copeland slips nicely into half guard.
Copeland is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Graves is looking for a sweep. Copeland is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Copeland throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Graves looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Copeland is working for a kimura but Graves is defending it quite comfortably.
Copeland is looking to advance position but Graves won't allow it.
Copeland thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Graves's head.
Graves keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Graves looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Copeland has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Graves tries to reverse the position but Copeland maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Copeland is looking to take a break and control but Graves is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Copeland looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Graves is trying to control but can't.

Copeland gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Graves listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Copeland throws a jab but it's blocked by Graves.
Copeland is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Copeland pushes Graves up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Graves.
Copeland is trying to stall.
Graves blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Graves escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Copeland is looking to clinch but Graves is avoiding it.
Graves drops down looking for a counter takedown but Copeland sprawls and moves away.
Graves swats away the attempt to clinch by Copeland.
Copeland tries to clinch there but Graves circles away.
Graves throws a hook to the side of Copeland's head but Copeland sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Copeland misses the jab.
Copeland ducks under a wild hook from Graves.
Graves uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Copeland has time to react.
Copeland moves in looking to clinch but Graves pushes him off.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ernest Graves will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Copeland tries to close the distance and clinch but Graves swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Graves misses with a wild body shot.
Copeland fails with an attempt to clinch.
Graves throwing a counter right hand but Copeland manages to avoid it.
Graves swats away the attempt to clinch by Copeland.

Copeland closes the distance and clinches.
Graves fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Graves scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Graves on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Graves lands with a short punch from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Copeland working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Graves turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Graves wants to lay and pray for a moment but Copeland keeps working.
Copeland tries to bench press Graves off him but Graves keeps the position.

Graves is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Copeland is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Copeland on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Graves lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Copeland down.
Copeland regains half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Copeland manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Graves wants to pass the guard but Copeland is keeping the position.
Graves is working hard here to advance position.
Graves won't allow Copeland to sweep him here.
Copeland is still trying to improve position.

Copeland is looking for a triangle but Graves pushes his legs off easily.
Graves passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Graves in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Copeland tries to improve position but can't.
Copeland is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Copeland is not content to let Graves control the position.
Graves lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Copeland down.
Copeland is looking for a sweep.
Graves lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Copeland is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Copeland wants to get back to full guard.
Graves working Copeland over with strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Graves is looking to advance position but Copeland won't allow it.
Copeland wants to control but Graves is keeping busy.
Graves wants to control but Copeland is keeping him busy.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Graves lands a nice short elbow.
Copeland regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Copeland keeping moving, preventing Graves from controlling successfully.
Graves tries to free his leg and advance position but Copeland is retaining full guard.
Graves working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Copeland's head.
Copeland keeping moving, preventing Graves from controlling successfully.
Graves with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Graves stopping the sweep attempt from Copeland.
Graves passes Copeland's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Copeland is trying to get back to full guard.
Copeland keeps trying to improve his position.
Graves is looking to take a break and control but Copeland is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Copeland tries to kick Graves off but Graves keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Copeland regains full guard. Nicely done.

Copeland had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Graves defends it easily.
Copeland is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Graves makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Graves.

Graves is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Graves working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Copeland doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Copeland manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Copeland stopping the sweep attempt from Graves.
Copeland slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Graves tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ernest Graves dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Copeland tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Graves manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Copeland is looking to clinch.
Graves circles away from the clinch attempt.
Graves throwing a counter right hand but Copeland manages to avoid it.
Graves throws a series of punches but Copeland avoids them all with ease.
Copeland is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Copeland tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Graves paws at him with a jab and circles away.
It looked like Graves wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Copeland tries to clinch up but Graves circles away and keeps his distance.
Graves keeps the fight on the outside.
Copeland tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Graves throws a big counter combination but Copeland scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Copeland tries to clinch there but Graves circles away.
Graves scores with a jab to the jaw.

Copeland has managed to clinch.
Copeland misses with the head strike.
Copeland throws a punch but it's blocked by Graves.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Graves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Graves scores with a hook.
Graves on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Copeland tries to close the distance and clinch but Graves swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Graves clobbers Copeland with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Graves throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Despite the aggression on Copeland's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Copeland slips a jab from Graves.
Graves misses with a jab, cross combination.
A right-left combo lands from Graves.

Copeland drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Copeland keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Graves's head.
Graves lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ernest Graves overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Copeland manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Graves manages to get himself to full guard.

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Graves is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Copeland has his foot on Graves's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Graves works his way back into a safe position though.
Graves slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Graves wants to control but Copeland is keeping him busy.
Graves is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Copeland can do to turn this around?
Copeland is looking to reverse the position.

Graves is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Copeland has escaped the position, nice work there.
Graves tries to move into full mount but can't pass Copeland's legs.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Copeland tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Copeland is not content to let Graves control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Copeland tries to improve position but can't.
Copeland is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Graves off and has taken his back!
Graves rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Copeland is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Copeland is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Graves tries to roll over but Copeland keeps him under control.
Graves slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Copeland passes into half guard.
Copeland landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Copeland's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Copeland's back!
Graves lands an elbow to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Graves throwing damaging strikes from the back! Copeland could be in trouble here!
Graves lands shots from the back.
Graves is hanging on to Copeland's back as he tries to escape.

Graves looking for the choke from the back.
Graves scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Copeland is looking for a way out.
Graves is trying to stick to Copeland's back but Copeland is turning into Graves. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Graves's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Copeland.
Copeland preventing the sweep.
Graves lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Graves stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Copeland swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Graves postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ernest Graves!
A victorious Ernest Graves thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
Travis Copeland was interviewed post fight and said 'No one likes seeing their opponent's hand raised, but that just means that they were the better man today. My team at 3Band MMA and I will break down this match and make the proper changes for my next camp.'.