PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Reinaldo Gracie (ranked 664 p4p, 1728 weight class) and Marek Cervenka (ranked 71 p4p, 186 weight class). Gracie's entrance music is Apaga Mas Não Bate. A fine choice. Reinaldo Gracie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Cervenka

175 cm
22
155
5 - 1 - 0

176 cm
21
152
5 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Fast

Urban Fighter
New Standard

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Reinaldo Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marek Cervenka!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Alyssa Summers and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cervenka waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
As Cervenka tries to get set, Gracie tries to push him back and clinch up but Cervenka manages to avoid the attempt.
Gracie takes one to the chin there.

Cervenka shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Gracie is trying to defend but Cervenka finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gracie makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gracie.
Cervenka wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Cervenka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cervenka can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cervenka controlling from the top position.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gracie has Cervenka pulled in close to control his posture.
Cervenka is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cervenka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cervenka postures up.
Cervenka throws a big right hand that misses.
Cervenka's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cervenka is fighting to break Gracie's control of his arms but Gracie is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cervenka controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cervenka trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Marek Cervenka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cervenka takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Cervenka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gracie jumps guard but Cervenka turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cervenka fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cervenka has a couple of punches blocked by Gracie.

Gracie decides to pull guard.
Cervenka content to stall in guard here.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Cervenka slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The referee asks Cervenka politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Cervenka prefers to stall for the moment though.
Cervenka trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Cervenka is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Gracie regains half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Cervenka is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cervenka.
Gracie drops down looking for a counter takedown but Cervenka sprawls and moves away.

Cervenka gets a double leg takedown into Gracie's guard.
Cervenka stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Cervenka from controlling successfully.
Gracie is pulling down on Cervenka's head to control his posture.
Cervenka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
Cervenka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Cervenka from controlling successfully.
Cervenka stands up over Gracie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gracie looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cervenka got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cervenka has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Gracie pulls Cervenka in to control the position.
Gracie looking to control.
Cervenka showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cervenka trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cervenka is stalling in the full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two 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.
A telegraphed right hand from Cervenka misses the target.
Gracie wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Gracie walks into a stiff left hand from Cervenka.

Cervenka drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.

Gracie pulls guard successfully.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Cervenka from controlling successfully.

Gracie has his foot on Cervenka's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cervenka works his way back into a safe position though.
Marek Cervenka has got the better of the ground game so far.

Gracie working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Cervenka has passed into half guard!
Cervenka controlling the action here.
Cervenka seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cervenka missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Cervenka wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cervenka throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cervenka pulls his head out easily.
Gracie is staying active underneath Cervenka, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cervenka thows a huge punch but Gracie dodges it nicely.

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.
Cervenka is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cervenka in particular looking to stall.
Cervenka wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Cervenka shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Cervenka was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cervenka controls the position from side control.
Cervenka working away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cervenka wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marek Cervenka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A telegraphed right hand from Cervenka misses the target.
Cervenka throws a body shot but no joy.
Gracie tries to counter with a takedown but Cervenka is quick to defend against it.
Gracie seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
A decent looking cross lands there for Gracie.
Gracie throws a body punch but Cervenka moves out of range.
Cervenka swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.

Cervenka has Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A body shot lands from Gracie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie struggles to land a body shot inside as Cervenka controls his hands.
A right hand to the body from Gracie.
Cervenka tries to throw a body punch but Gracie avoids it by throwing Cervenka back against the cage.
Gracie effectively controlling the action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cervenka.
Cervenka misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cervenka just stands there and leans against the cage.
Cervenka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gracie is trying to stall.
Cervenka working aggressively here.
Gracie lands a right hand.
Cervenka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A shot in the inside from Gracie.
A right handed body shot lands from Gracie.
Gracie lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cervenka backwards.
Gracie softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gracie lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cervenka misses with the head strike.
Reinaldo Gracie has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Cervenka has hold of one of Gracie's legs. Gracie is fighting the takedown attempt but Cervenka gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cervenka is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Gracie working for a triangle but Cervenka defends it easily.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cervenka can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Reinaldo Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cervenka trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie has Cervenka pulled in close to control his posture.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Cervenka from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Cervenka wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Cervenka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Marek Cervenka is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cervenka tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Cervenka's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cervenka doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cervenka manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Cervenka from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gracie looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Cervenka is defending well. Gracie quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Cervenka has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Gracie celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Reinaldo Gracie!
Our winner, Reinaldo Gracie, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.