PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Robert Gracie (ranked 1870 p4p, 1330 weight class) and Phil Sprintin (ranked 167 p4p, 129 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Sprintin's choice of entrance music: Disturbed - Bad Man. Robert Gracie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Sprintin

160 cm
21
135
5 - 0 - 0

168 cm
21
135
6 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Champion Apparel

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Phil Sprintin!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sprintin looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Sprintin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sprintin throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Sprintin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Gracie doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gracie taking a breather.
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gracie misses with a punch to the body.
Sprintin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Gracie decides to pull guard.
Sprintin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Sprintin pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie managing to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sprintin controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie has his foot on Sprintin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sprintin works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sprintin stays in close to Gracie's body and controls the position.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sprintin tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Sprintin controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sprintin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sprintin sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Sprintin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
Sprintin looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Sprintin tries to pass to full mount but Gracie defends it.
Sprintin is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Sprintin sits in half guard.
Gracie is trying to maintain the position but Sprintin is very close to passing his half guard.
Sprintin is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sprintin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sprintin. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Phil Sprintin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Gracie darts in and clinches Sprintin up against the cage.
Sprintin tries to work over Gracie's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Sprintin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sprintin misses the jab.
Gracie throws a leg kick but Sprintin sees it coming and moves out of range.
Gracie looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
The crowd cheers as Sprintin lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gracie seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Sprintin throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sprintin.
Sprintin looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.

Gracie clinches with his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie blocks a body shot from Sprintin.
Sprintin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gracie's elbow.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sprintin just stands there and leans against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Sprintin dominated that round.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sprintin loads up on a big right hand but Gracie slips the punch.
Gracie wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Sprintin misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
Gracie defending well as Sprintin loads up on a big left hand.
Sprintin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gracie throws a solid leg kick but Sprintin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Gracie.
Sprintin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sprintin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sprintin throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Sprintin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sprintin fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
Sprintin misses with a hook.
Sprintin jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sprintin scores with the left hand. Gracie knows he should have avoided that one.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sprintin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Sprintin.

Gracie is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sprintin's half guard.
Sprintin wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sprintin is controlling Gracie's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Sprintin is looking to improve his position.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Sprintin is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie passes to side control.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sprintin is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
Sprintin is looking for a sweep.
Robert Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Sprintin is defending well.
Sprintin is trying to improve his position.
Sprintin keeps trying to improve his position.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Sprintin is defending well.
Sprintin is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sprintin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Sprintin gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Sprintin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Sprintin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sprintin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sprintin controlling the position.
Gracie won't allow Sprintin to sweep him here.
Gracie passes Sprintin's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sprintin tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Phil Sprintin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sprintin misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sprintin throws a combination that misses

and Gracie counters by moving into the clinch.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Sprintin holds him up against the cage and eventually Gracie drops back down to his feet.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sprintin smiles and moves away.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Sprintin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A punch combination from Sprintin misses.
Gracie drops down looking for a counter takedown but Sprintin sprawls and moves away.
Sprintin scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gracie doesn't seem bothered though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sprintin blocks a head kick by Gracie.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Sprintin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sprintin throws out a counter right but Gracie avoids it with no problem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sprintin keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sprintin blocks a jab.
A nice side step and Sprintin releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Sprintin drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Sprintin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sprintin misses with a looping right.
Gracie wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Sprintin punishes Gracie's body with a nice straight punch.
Gracie walks into a straight right hand from Sprintin.
Sprintin throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Gracie feinted with a counter takedown.
Sprintin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Robert Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie throws a right hand that misses
and Sprintin counters with a straight right hand.
Sprintin throws an off balance right hand

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.
Sprintin felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sprintin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Gracie prevents Sprintin from improving his position.
Sprintin gets full guard.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sprintin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sprintin keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin controlling Gracie's posture.
Let's hope that Sprintin 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.
Sprintin manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.

A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gracie holds on and takes a little breather.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sprintin defends well.
Sprintin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four 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.
Sprintin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sprintin sitting in guard here, content to control.

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

Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sprintin is aware though and is defending well.
Sprintin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Sprintin is continuing to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sprintin trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Phil Sprintin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sprintin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phil Sprintin!
A relieved looking Phil Sprintin thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.