PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chone Key (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralph Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ralph Gracie told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Key
vs
Gracie

168 cm
24
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Chone Key!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ralph Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Key closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.
Key scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Gracie to see if he's OK.

Key decides to take the fight back to the feet.
A punch combination from Key misses.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
A combination from Key does no damage.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Key.
Key lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gracie circles away quickly and effectively.
Key is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Key pivots, looking for a leg kick but Gracie is out of range and Key settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Key fails with the takedown

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Key fights it but they end up in guard.
Key keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie is standing up over Key. Key looks to escape but Gracie dives into side control.
Gracie takes a little break here. Key wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Key is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Key knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Key is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Key is breathing heavily.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Key keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Key is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Key misses with a takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Key's guard now.
Key knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie chips away with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Key is defending well.
Key keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Key actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Gracie dominated that 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.

Key misses with a takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.
Key is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Gracie taking a breather here.
Key wants to get back to his feet but Gracie drags him back down.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Key prevents Gracie from moving into mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Key rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Key!
Key trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gracie's guard.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Key passes into half guard.
Gracie trying to control from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Key looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gracie gets full guard.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Key has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Key postures up.
Key wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.
Key wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Gracie slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ralph Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Key being controlled for a moment.
Key is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Key sprawls well. Key wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Key circles away.
Key misses with a takedown

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Key didn't expect that.
Gracie won't allow Key to get back to his feet.

Key wriggles free and stands up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Key tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Key.
Key looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
Key doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gracie passes the guard and advances to mount!
Gracie tries to control but Key wriggling away.
Gracie forces the positional change into back control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Key hold on?!
Gracie wants to control but Key is keeping busy.
Gracie lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Gracie.
Gracie lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Key.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Gracie is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Key. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands strikes to the head.
Gracie is hanging on to Key's back as he tries to escape.
Gracie cracks Key with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Key from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Key trying to control the action but Gracie just sinks the hooks in.
Gracie lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Key hold on?!
Gracie gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

Gracie looking for the choke from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Gracie controlling from the back.
Chone Key has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gracie has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Key is in real trouble here. Gracie gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Key is tapping out! Gracie wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ralph Gracie!