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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Gracie (ranked 3973 p4p, 3953 weight class) and Leonard Messi (ranked 293 p4p, 290 weight class). Rafael Gracie has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.
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| 175 cm
21
145
4 - 0 - 0 |
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165 cm
23
145
4 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin |
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Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin |
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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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Leonard Messi!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Messi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gracie sprawls well initially but Messi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Gracie looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Messi controlling the pace.
Messi 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.
Messi landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gracie is trying to maintain the position but Messi is very close to passing his half guard.
Messi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gracie with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Messi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie has hold of Messi's hands but Messi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Messi controlling the action here.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control but Messi is keeping busy.
Messi slips a nice elbow through Gracie's hands, connecting with Gracie's forehead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Messi content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Messi wants to stand up but Gracie has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Messi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Messi looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Gracie wants to improve his position but Messi is controlling well.
Messi tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Messi looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Messi wants to stand but Gracie has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi moves into the clinch successfully.
Messi breaks the clinch.
Messi throws out a powerful jab.
Messi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gracie is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Bigfoot BJJ, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Gracie is letting Messi control him for a moment.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Messi controls the position from side control.
Messi lands a decent elbow from side control.
Messi controlling the position from side mount.
Gracie is trying to work for a sweep but Messi has mounted him!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Messi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We've been informed that Messi has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Messi landing strikes from the mount and Gracie is in trouble!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Leonard Messi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!
Messi jabs at Gracie's body.
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Messi moves into the clinch.
Messi digs a right hand underneath Gracie's ribcage. Gracie let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Gracie avoiding damage as Messi throws knees to the body.
Messi works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Messi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Messi wants to get up but he can't break Gracie's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Messi postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Messi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Messi works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie taking some punishment here, with Messi in his half guard.
Messi not doing much here.
Messi trying to pass the guard but Gracie defending well.
Nice strikes from Messi there.
Messi stalling.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Messi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gracie knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Messi seems to be looking for submissions.
Messi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Messi 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.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Gracie taking some punishment here, with Messi in his half guard.
Messi tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Gracie taking some punishment here, with Messi in his half guard.
Messi 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. Messi eventually gives up the hold.
Messi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
That's four 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.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Messi scores with a hook to the body. Gracie takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Messi lands a slapping body shot.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Messi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Messi wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gracie, who protects the arm well.
Messi staying calm.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Leonard Messi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!
Messi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Messi controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Messi trying to pass the guard but Gracie defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Messi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi working over Gracie with some ground and pound. Gracie looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Messi content to control rather than advance.
Messi is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Gracie in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Messi looking to secure an arm triangle but Gracie defends it well.
Messi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Messi is landing with some decent strikes but Gracie is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Messi controlling from the full mount.
Let's hope that Messi 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.
Gracie tries to hold on but Messi pushes him away.
Messi is working for a guillotine from mount but Gracie frees his head quite easily.
Messi looking to control and managing it successfully.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi stands up from mount. Strange move.
Messi moves into the clinch.
Messi drags the fight down to the ground.
Messi wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Messi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Messi lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Messi controls from within his opponent's guard.
Messi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi passes Gracie's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Messi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
And that's the end of the fight!
Leonard Messi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Messi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 24:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 24:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 24:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonard Messi!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
29% |
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