PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damar Sulekov (ranked 2339 p4p, 3310 weight class) and Hector Gray (ranked 116 p4p, 158 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.

Sulekov
vs
Gray

190 cm
26
280
7 - 2 - 0

194 cm
29
275
10 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Fantasy Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Damar Sulekov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hector Gray!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sulekov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gray circles away quickly and effectively.

Gray feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sulekov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gray.
Sulekov has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Sulekov seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Sulekov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gray passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Sulekov tries to improve position but can't.
Sulekov wants to control but Gray postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sulekov tries to bench press Gray off him but Gray keeps the position.
Sulekov wants to control but Gray postures up.
Sulekov regains half guard.
Sulekov is looking to improve his position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Sulekov is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sulekov wants to improve his position but Gray is controlling well.
Sulekov wants to sweep but Gray has passed to side control!
Gray working away.
Gray wants to control but Sulekov is keeping him busy.
Sulekov struggling a bit here.
Gray is putting a hurting on Sulekov here, landing some big shots from side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Sulekov is letting Gray control him for a moment.
Gray has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Sulekov!
Gray is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gray has hold of Sulekov's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Sulekov manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Gray looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sulekov is looking to improve his position but Gray isn't that keen on the idea.
Sulekov tries to hold on but Gray postures up.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sulekov defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gray.
Gray working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sulekov is trying to escape the mount.
Gray trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sulekov wants to hold on but Gray pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray tries to control but Sulekov wriggling away.
Gray looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sulekov regains half guard.
Sulekov is pressing down on Gray's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sulekov is trying to keep Gray in close.
Gray keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sulekov's head.
Gray tries to free his leg and advance position but Sulekov is retaining full guard.
Sulekov is pulling down on Gray's head to control his posture.
Sulekov keeping moving, preventing Gray from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gray preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sulekov pulls Gray in to control the position.
Sulekov controls Gray momentarily but Gray frees himself.
Sulekov can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gray controls the pace.
Gray stopping the sweep attempt from Sulekov.
Gray throwing strikes but missing.
Gray pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sulekov is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sulekov is on top in guard.

Sulekov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gray has momentary wrist control but Sulekov slips an elbow through the middle.
Gray 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.
Gray preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hector Gray 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.

Gray dives in for a single leg takedown but Sulekov sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Gray shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sulekov's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sulekov lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gray is looking for a triangle but Sulekov pushes his legs off easily.
Sulekov throws a big elbow that misses.
Gray pulls Sulekov in close to prevent any damage.
Sulekov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gray has momentary wrist control but Sulekov slips an elbow through the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sulekov's guard.

Sulekov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gray pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sulekov is keeping the position for now.
Sulekov has Gray pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hector Gray has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sulekov pulls Gray in close to prevent any damage.
Sulekov working a defensive guard here.
Sulekov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sulekov working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gray regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sulekov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sulekov throws a big elbow that misses.
Gray looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sulekov is one step ahead there.
Sulekov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sulekov looking to pass the guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gray holds on and takes a little breather.
Sulekov throws a big right hand that misses.
Gray is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Gray working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sulekov.
Gray is pulling down on Sulekov's head. It's preventing any offense from Sulekov, at least for the moment.
Let's hope that Gray has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Sulekov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sulekov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sulekov won't allow Gray to sweep him here.
Sulekov stands up over Gray, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Gray working for a triangle but Sulekov defends it easily.
Gray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sulekov manages to get himself to full guard.

Sulekov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sulekov lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gray seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sulekov forces his way into half guard.
Gray wants to get back to full guard.
Gray trying to control here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gray wants to improve his position but Sulekov is controlling well.

Sulekov is looking for a kimura but Gray is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sulekov to get the leverage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Damar Sulekov dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gray is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sulekov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gray misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Gray fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sulekov to the ground. Gray is now in Sulekov's guard.
Sulekov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sulekov working a defensive guard here.
Gray is looking to work some ground and pound but Sulekov has wrist control.
Gray is looking to work some ground and pound but Sulekov has wrist control.
Sulekov has control of Gray's left arm, preventing Gray from doing any damage.
Gray postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray preventing the sweep.
Gray working some strikes from top position.
Sulekov controlling the position.
Gray forces his way into half guard.
Sulekov is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sulekov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gray is working away from the top position though.
Sulekov wants to get back to full guard.
Gray is keen to just control but Sulekov is a slippery customer.
Still in half guard, Gray seems content to control.
Sulekov regains full guard. Nicely done.
Gray working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sulekov pulls Gray in close to his closed guard and prevents Gray from doing any damage or advancing position.
Gray wants to control from the top but Sulekov keeps moving.
Gray is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

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.
Sulekov trying to strike off his back.

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

Gray closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gray lands in his opponent's guard.
Sulekov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gray pushing down on Sulekov's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sulekov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sulekov is not content to let Gray control the position.
Gray might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sulekov haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Sulekov is positioning himself well to prevent Gray advancing to mount.
Gray sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sulekov defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sulekov keeping hold of Gray's head, controlling as best he can.
Sulekov is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gray scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gray lands with a punch from half guard.
Gray thows a huge punch but Sulekov dodges it nicely.
Gray slips a nice elbow through Sulekov's hands, connecting with Sulekov's forehead.
Sulekov trying to control from the bottom.
Gray prevents Sulekov from improving his position.
Gray performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sulekov flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sulekov is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gray's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gray's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sulekov loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Gray hold on?
Gray breaks Sulekov's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Gray trying to control the position from guard on top but Sulekov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sulekov seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Gray trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sulekov trying to keep a closed guard but Gray is proving a slippery customer.
Gray trying to control the position from guard on top but Sulekov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sulekov is trying to keep Gray in close.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gray trying to control the position from guard on top but Sulekov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sulekov trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hector Gray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gray has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hector Gray!
Hector Gray decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.