PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tanjiro Namikaze (ranked 2116 p4p, 2250 weight class) and Robert Gracie (ranked 182 p4p, 187 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Namikaze
vs
Gracie

172 cm
24
145
4 - 2 - 0

160 cm
22
135
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tanjiro Namikaze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Namikaze shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Namikaze controlling the position from side mount.
Namikaze will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gracie is trying to get back to half guard.
We've been hearing that Namikaze has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Namikaze just content to control the position.
Gracie tries to bench press Namikaze off him but Namikaze keeps the position.
Namikaze takes a little break here. Gracie wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Gracie struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Namikaze takes a little break here. Gracie wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
Namikaze controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Namikaze looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gracie is letting Namikaze control him for a moment.
Namikaze working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
Gracie is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Namikaze remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is not content to let Namikaze control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Namikaze is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Namikaze wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.
Namikaze trying to control the position but Gracie is working away.
Namikaze content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Gracie is trying to get back to half guard.
Gracie is not content to let Namikaze control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Namikaze wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Namikaze goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Gracie rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Namikaze's guard! Nice work there by Gracie!
Namikaze is adopting a defensive guard.
Namikaze wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Gracie trying to control but Namikaze is working from the bottom.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Namikaze's guard.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Namikaze is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Namikaze is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Gracie is thwarting Namikaze's attempts to control the position.
Namikaze is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie is trying to control. Namikaze wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Namikaze is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Namikaze controlling the position for now.
Gracie is thwarting Namikaze's attempts to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Namikaze is defending well.
Namikaze keeping hold of Gracie's head, controlling as best he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Namikaze dives in and scores a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Namikaze slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Namikaze stands and throws Gracie's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Namikaze wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Namikaze content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gracie makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is pulling down on Namikaze's head. It's preventing any offense from Namikaze, at least for the moment.
Namikaze chips away with some ground and pound.
Namikaze looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Namikaze defends easily.
Namikaze engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

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.
Namikaze is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Namikaze wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Namikaze pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie being controlled here, momentarily.
Gracie controls Namikaze momentarily but Namikaze frees himself.
Namikaze has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Namikaze avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Namikaze defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Namikaze showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Namikaze seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gracie for as long as he can get away with.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Namikaze defends well.
Gracie looking to control.
Namikaze stays in close to Gracie's body and controls the position.
Namikaze postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.

Namikaze 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.

Gracie working for a triangle but Namikaze defends it easily.
Namikaze showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Namikaze is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tanjiro Namikaze dominated that second 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. And we move into the final round!

Namikaze shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Namikaze showed some decent athleticism there.
Namikaze controlling the pace.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Namikaze is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.
Namikaze looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Namikaze trying to mount his opponent but Gracie defends it.
Namikaze is taking a breather. Gracie says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Namikaze looking to pass the guard.

Gracie has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Namikaze should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Gracie has tightened it up now! Namikaze should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Robert Gracie!
During a confident post fight interview, Robert Gracie thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.