PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mamed Khalidovic (ranked 209 p4p, 617 weight class) and Renoa Gracie (ranked 19 p4p, 56 weight class). Khalidovic comes to the cage accompanied by Зима-мама 25/17. The crowd seem to be enjoying Gracie's choice of entrance music: Apaga Mas Não Bate. Renoa Gracie has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mamed Khalidovic's chin.

Khalidovic
vs
Gracie

183 cm
29
146
17 - 7 - 1

166 cm
32
145
18 - 7 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

The Pharmacy Phuket
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Conviction
© Trap House

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 17 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Mamed Khalidovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Renoa Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Steven Brown and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khalidovic misses with a double jab.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Khalidovic moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Khalidovic is looking to get back to is feet but Gracie passes into side control.
Gracie misses with the ground and pound.
Gracie tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Gracie in side control lands a decent elbow.
Khalidovic struggling a bit here.
Khalidovic tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalidovic regains half guard, as Gracie was trying to land strikes.
Khalidovic is looking to improve his position.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Khalidovic defending well though.
Khalidovic keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Khalidovic has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Khalidovic really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Khalidovic wants to get back to full guard.
Khalidovic wants to get back to his feet.
Khalidovic is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gracie lands a nice short elbow.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gracie lands a nice short elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Khalidovic looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Khalidovic actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie trying to control the action but Khalidovic is working from the bottom.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Khalidovic is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gracie's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gracie's back!
Gracie wants to escape the position.
Gracie rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Khalidovic tries to stand but can't do so whilst Gracie controls his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Khalidovic is working away from the top position though.
Khalidovic is trying to control the action in half guard but Gracie is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Khalidovic not doing much here.
Gracie is not content to let Khalidovic control the position.
Khalidovic will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.

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.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Khalidovic in particular looking to stall.
Khalidovic wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Khalidovic prevents Gracie from improving his position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Khalidovic displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Khalidovic stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Khalidovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Khalidovic defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Khalidovic moved out of range nicely.
A good leg kick by Khalidovic.
Gracie has a takedown stuffed.
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 Mamed Khalidovic will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Khalidovic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Gracie has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Khalidovic turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Khalidovic is just out of range.
Khalidovic fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Gracie has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Khalidovic.
Nice straight punches there by Gracie. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gracie.

It looks like Mamed Khalidovic has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Khalidovic does a little dance to reset his feet.
Khalidovic was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Khalidovic sprawls well.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Mamed Khalidovic is winning the standup battle so far.
Khalidovic slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalidovic scores with a shot to the body.
Khalidovic ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Khalidovic is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Gracie working his ground and pound in the gym.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khalidovic manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Khalidovic is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gracie is just riding it out for now. Khalidovic eventually gives up the hold.
Khalidovic content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Khalidovic seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Khalidovic is trying to control. Gracie wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie is staying active underneath Khalidovic, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Khalidovic is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.

Khalidovic is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gracie has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gracie wants to control but Khalidovic is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalidovic is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Khalidovic moves nicely into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gracie tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Khalidovic wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Khalidovic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Khalidovic tries to advance to mount but can't.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Khalidovic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Gracie has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Khalidovic cracks Gracie with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Khalidovic fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gracie looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Khalidovic manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mamed Khalidovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renoa Gracie.
Khalidovic lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A cross from Khalidovic lands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mamed Khalidovic dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mamed Khalidovic's cut.
That's time! Khalidovic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gracie throws an off balance right hand
letting Khalidovic counter with a right hand.
Khalidovic lets loose with a powerful body kick. Gracie will feel that in the morning.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Khalidovic misses with the combination.
Gracie takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Gracie tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Khalidovic defends well and Gracie ends up having to push Khalidovic into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Khalidovic appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.

Gracie drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Gracie working the head with strikes.
Khalidovic takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie working away.
Khalidovic tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalidovic takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Gracie lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Gracie misses with the ground and pound.
Gracie is putting a hurting on Khalidovic here, landing some big shots from side control.
Gracie lands a decent elbow from side control.
Gracie in side control lands a decent elbow.
Gracie trying to control the position but Khalidovic is working away.
Khalidovic is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Gracie's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Khalidovic has his hands clasped together around Gracie's back. He's all about the action.
Renoa Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mamed Khalidovic is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Khalidovic moves into full guard.
Gracie in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Renoa Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Khalidovic trying to control the position.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalidovic controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Khalidovic has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Gracie throws an elbow that misses. Khalidovic uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gracie's guard. Nice move by Khalidovic!

Khalidovic sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four 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.
Khalidovic stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Khalidovic looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Khalidovic keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Khalidovic looking to control.
Khalidovic keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Khalidovic seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Renoa Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Khalidovic has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mamed Khalidovic!
A victorious Mamed Khalidovic thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.