PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kurt Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and vinny souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
souza

167 cm
22
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
21
203 lbs
4 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kurt Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, vinny souza!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie closes the distance and pushes souza back into the cage.
souza has Gracie pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gracie manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gracie goes for a takedown in the clinch but souza prevents it.
souza wants a takedown but no success here.

Gracie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics souza uses from the top position.
souza wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
souza is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
Gracie throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Gracie wriggles free and stands up.

souza looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Gracie!
Gracie is trying desperately to improve position.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
souza misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Gracie gets back to half guard.
Gracie is looking to control souza's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gracie avoid being mounted?
Gracie is trying to stand up here but souza is controlling him well.
Gracie might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. souza is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie works his way to full guard. Good work.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for souza!
Gracie could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
souza is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
souza regains half guard.
Gracie is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
souza wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.

souza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Gracie is controlling the pace.

That's four 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.
Gracie wants to stand up but souza is controlling the position.
souza has a hand on Gracie's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Gracie takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
souza looks gassed!
souza tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Gracie dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gracie closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. souza did well to prevent Gracie getting side control.
souza has hold of Gracie's hands but Gracie slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

souza looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie slows the pace down in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
souza blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gracie.
souza is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
souza wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
souza is looking to improve his position.
souza trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
souza tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily

so Gracie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed souza's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Kurt Gracie just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.

souza has an active guard here but Gracie has managed to pass into half guard.

souza looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
souza is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Gracie performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Gracie looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Gracie 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.
Gracie passes into side control, despite souza's attempt to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Gracie dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gracie has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gracie taking a breather.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.
souza gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for souza!
Gracie is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. souza can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
souza tries to lock up and control but Gracie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
BOOM! Gracie connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Gracie looking to control and managing it successfully.
souza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gracie's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
souza working to try and regain half guard.
Gracie controlling from the full mount.

That's two 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 avoids the attempt from souza to control.

Gracie working for a guillotine from mount but souza is in no mood to give up.
Gracie prevents souza from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
souza taking shots to the head.
Gracie tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Gracie punishing his opponent with strikes.
Gracie postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. souza looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gracie has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Kurt Gracie just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Gracie has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches souza napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Gracie decides to stand up, so the ref orders souza to his feet.
Kurt Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kurt Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has souza pinned against the cage. souza gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurt Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:26
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:26
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurt Gracie!