PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Hall 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!

Gracie
vs
Hall

175 cm
25
218 lbs
9 - 4 - 1

189 cm
23
205 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Roberto Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Hall!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, John Mangel and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie lands a nice looking body shot.
Hall stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hall wants it to stay on the feet.
Ben Hall seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gracie shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hall's guard.
Hall wants to stand and escape but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Hall keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hall is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Hall is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie trying to control but Hall is working from the bottom.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Hall is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall stops Gracie from passing to mount.

Hall throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Hall throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hall swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Hall looks to land a left hand but Gracie moved out of range nicely.
Hall misses the shot to the body.
Hall wants to land a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.
Hall misses with a series of wild punches.
Hall jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hall throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two 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.
Hall throws a low kick but it's checked well by Gracie.

Gracie is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Hall's half guard.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hall defends it well.
Hall is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hall is trying to stand up here but Gracie is controlling him well.
Hall is not content to let Gracie control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Gracie content to control rather than advance.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Hall is defending well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hall throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
A punch combination from Hall misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gracie.
Hall tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Gracie is able to avoid easily.

That's four 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.
A punch combination from Hall misses.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hall sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roberto Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hall gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Gracie.
Hall misses with a wild body shot.
Hall misses with a series of wild punches.
Hall slips under a jab from Gracie.
Gracie displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hall throws out the jab.
Hall looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hall is looking to chop away at Gracie's legs.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Gracie is trying to get an arm triangle but Hall is defending well.
Gracie wants to control but Hall is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hall throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hall defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Hall misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
No joy there for Hall, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hall's corner calls for a 1-2. Hall obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Hall scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Hall decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Hall defending well as Gracie loads up on a big left hand.
Hall throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Hall throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Hall will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gracie slips under a jab from Hall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall tries to land a leg kick but Gracie saw it coming and moves away.
Hall misses with a low kick.
Hall works over Gracie's head and body with a nice combination.
Hall is breathing heavily.

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hall is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie trying to control the position but Hall is working away.

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

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hall keeps working.

Hall explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Hall displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roberto Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Hall sprawls well.
Hall throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hall fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Hall looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Hall lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hall.
Some bone on bone action there as Gracie checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Hall misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gracie needs to keep his hands up - Hall had a free shot at his head there.
Hall avoids a punch combination nicely.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gracie showed some decent athleticism there.
Hall is trying to stand up here but Gracie is controlling him well.
Hall is in trouble now - Gracie has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working for a guillotine from mount but Hall frees his head quite easily.
Hall is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Gracie working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Hall looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Gracie! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Roberto Gracie!