PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alex Houdini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Gracie's choice of entrance music: Bate pesadão. Alex Houdini has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Houdini
vs
Gracie

172 cm
23
152 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

177 cm
20
153 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

[MMABR]: TechNutri - Ensuring the quality

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Houdini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kevin Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gracie listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie stuffs the takedown attempt from Houdini. Houdini gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie lands the left hand.
Houdini shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gracie sprawls well. Gracie wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Houdini gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie sizes up Houdini with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Houdini shoots in for a takedown but Gracie shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Houdini. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Houdini pushes him off.
Gracie lands a nice shot to the body.

Gracie has taken the fight to the clinch.

Gracie wants the takedown. Houdini is fighting it off but Gracie persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Houdini's guard against the cage.

Houdini working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Houdini is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gracie, into his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houdini wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Houdini thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Houdini avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Houdini from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Houdini is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Houdini controlling him for the moment.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Houdini gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Houdini gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie looks gassed!
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Houdini!

Gracie goes for an armbar but Houdini turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Houdini.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Houdini drops back looking for a leg! Gracie is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gracie manages to kick Houdini off! Houdini jumps back into Gracie's guard.
Houdini is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gracie tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gracie wants to stand up but Houdini is controlling him.
Houdini advances position into side control!
Gracie is looking for a sweep.

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.

Houdini wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gracie, who protects the arm well.

Houdini wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gracie, who protects the arm well.
Gracie tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Houdini presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

Houdini looking for a guillotine from mount but Gracie is having none of it.

Houdini wants to finish this one by submission but Gracie is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Houdini.

Houdini is working for a guillotine from mount but Gracie frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kevin Gracie will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gracie looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Houdini wants to get back to full guard.

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.
Houdini manages to get to full guard.

Houdini has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Houdini dives on top into guard.
Houdini advances position into side control!
Gracie is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Houdini tries to move to mount but Gracie blocks the move with his legs.
Gracie tries to bench press Houdini off him but Houdini keeps the position.
Gracie is trying to work for a sweep but Houdini has mounted him!
Gracie really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

Houdini jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Gracie manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Houdini looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Houdini is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gracie is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Houdini wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Gracie tries to bench press Houdini off him but Houdini keeps the position.
Houdini is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Houdini thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Houdini is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Houdini off and has taken his back!

Houdini is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Gracie working for a choke but Houdini is defending well.

Gracie is persistently looking for the submission but Houdini is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie tightening his grip on Houdini, looking for the choke.
Houdini manages to reverse the position and now he's in Gracie's guard. Nice work there by Houdini.
Houdini pushes down on Gracie's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Houdini is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Houdini moves nicely into side control.
Gracie tries to buck Houdini off but Houdini is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Houdini dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Gracie misses with a looping left.
Alex Houdini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie takes a swing at Houdini's ribcage but misses.
Houdini doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gracie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Houdini with a lazy takedown attempt
and Gracie counters with a left to the body.

Houdini gets a takedown into half guard.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.

Houdini is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Gracie tries to get to full guard but Houdini has control of the leg.
Houdini is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houdini looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Alex Houdini overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Houdini wants to pass the guard but Gracie is defending well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie with a hook.
Gracie sizes up Houdini with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Houdini closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gracie scores with a nice right hand.
Houdini tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily
and Gracie counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Houdini. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Houdini walks into a left hand.
Gracie lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Gracie scores with a sloppy right hand. Houdini should have avoided that one.
Gracie bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Houdini's head.
Gracie smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands a jab to the head.
Gracie dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Houdini fails with the takedown
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie scores with the left hand. Houdini knows he should have avoided that one.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches.

Gracie ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gracie no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet but Houdini is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie throwing short punches from the bottom.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Houdini defends well.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Houdini controlling from the top position.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Houdini thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Houdini from controlling successfully.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Houdini works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Houdini works his foot free and advances to mount.
Gracie is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Gracie defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Houdini.
Gracie is working to get back to half guard.
Gracie throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Houdini has hold of Gracie's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Gracie manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Houdini maintains control.

Houdini is working for a guillotine from mount but Gracie frees his head quite easily.

Houdini goes for an armbar but Gracie turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Gracie.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kevin Gracie.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

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