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SSG 365 Soderberg vs Gabenagus PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the middleweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of Tokyo, with a TWGC record of 17 wins and 16 losses; Stix Itinya! And in the blue corner, fighting out of London, with a TWGC record of 65 wins and 55 losses; Helio Gracias!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, William Peck and Gregory Folan.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Gracias tries for a takedown but Itinya sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Itinya rushes Gracias and presses him up against the cage.
Itinya gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Itinya (2) vs (0) Gracias
Gracias controlling the position.
Itinya stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracias swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracias wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Itinya tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracias is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Itinya stays in close to Gracias's body and controls the position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracias is adopting a defensive guard.
Itinya won't allow Gracias to sweep him here.
Itinya being controlled here momentarily.
Gracias looking to hit a scissor sweep but Itinya is one step ahead there.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Itinya not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gracias looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Itinya wants to control from the top but Gracias keeps moving.
Gracias is trying to control the position but Itinya postures up.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Itinya is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gracias has his hands on Itinya's head, controlling the position.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Itinya sitting in guard here, content to control.
Gracias controlling the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Itinya's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Itinya's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Itinya trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Gracias seems keen to control Itinya's posture.
Itinya seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Gracias controlling Itinya's posture.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Gracias is trying to keep Itinya in close.
Itinya stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracias swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Itinya seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Gracias controls Itinya momentarily but Itinya frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Itinya stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracias swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Itinya showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Itinya passes Gracias's left leg - he's now in half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Itinya wants to pass the guard but Gracias is defending well.
Itinya perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Itinya is stalling here. Gracias is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Itinya seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Gracias has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work. Score +4 for clean sweep to past guard: Itinya (2) vs (4) Gracias
Itinya is looking for a sweep.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Itinya is working hard here to advance position.
Gracias taking a breather here.
Gracias's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Itinya is looking for a sweep.
Itinya is trying to control Gracias's posture but Gracias avoids it.
A control attempt from Itinya but he's now mounted! Score +2 for reaching mount: Itinya (2) vs (6) Gracias
Gracias controlling the pace for now.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Itinya is trying to escape the mount.
Itinya regains half guard.
Gracias perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Itinya is trying to control but Gracias passes into side control!
Score +3 for passing guard: Itinya (2) vs (9) Gracias
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Itinya's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracias controls the position from side control.
Itinya struggling a bit here.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Itinya is trying to get back to half guard.
A control attempt from Itinya but he's now mounted! Score +2 for reaching mount: Itinya (2) vs (11) Gracias
Itinya gets back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracias wants to free his trapped foot but Itinya is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Gracias with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
And that's the end of the fight!
Gracias wins on points by 11 to 2.
After winning the bout, Helio Gracias thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility. |
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