PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Sams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Sams
vs
Gracie

188 cm
21
219 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

180 cm
23
203 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Battalion Athletics

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Sams!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ryan Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Sams or perhaps it was just good defense by Gracie which made him look bad.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Sams.
Sams throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Sams looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sams misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination
and Sams counters with a nice uppercut.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sams throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gracie connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sams fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Sams on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Sams misses with an uppercut.
Gracie moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gracie misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Sams.
Sams shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sams throws a combination. Gracie tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Ryan Gracie has been cut.
Sams throws a combination that misses
and Gracie counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sams misses with a body punch
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sams.
Sams swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Gracie counters with a left and a right that stings Sams.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sams swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
A swing and a miss from Sams.
Gracie walks into a stiff left hand from Sams.
Sams tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gracie swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Sams. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sams takes one to the chin there.
Matt Sams seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gracie scores with a one two! Sams had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Gracie throws the left hand but Sams avoids the punch easily.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sams manages to avoid it.
Gracie misses with a kick to the body.
Gracie looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A big right from Sams misses.
Sams throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sams fails with a takedown attempt.
Sams throws a sloppy body shot
and Sams takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sams misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Matt Sams has been cut.
Sams is breathing heavily.
Sams misses with a jab to the body
and Gracie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sams tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Sams moves out of range.
Sams throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
Gracie throws a right and a left that Sams avoids nicely.
Ryan Gracie is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sams scores with a punch to the head.
Sams swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gracie scores with a one two! Sams had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sams misses with a looping left.
Sams throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Sams swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination
and Sams counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sams.
Gracie tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Gracie.
Gracie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Sams throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gracie lands a body shot.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Gracie gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sams wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sams looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Gracie dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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 smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Sams moves out of range of the body kick.
Sams wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Sams fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Sams lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Sams is just out of range.
Sams bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Gracie's head.
Sams goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sams with a poor takedown
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Gracie stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gracie wants it to stay on the feet.
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sams was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ryan Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie misses with a hook.
Gracie throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sams throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie moves forwards but Sams connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sams scores with a jab. Gracie acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Sams throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Gracie counters with a solid body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sams throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gracie counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sams swings away with a body shot that misses
and Gracie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sams throws a hook but Gracie blocks it.
Sams throws a sloppy body shot
and Gracie counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sams keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie.
Gracie displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sams.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Sams. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie digs a good hook to Sams's body.
Gracie throws a shot to the body.
Sams checks a leg kick nicely.
Gracie bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Sams's head backwards.
Gracie lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Gracie moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Gracie connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sams momentarily.
Gracie with a hook.
Gracie looks to land a body kick but Sams moved away.
Gracie's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Gracie duly obliges.
Ryan Gracie seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Sams fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
Sams misses with a body shot
and Gracie counters with a three punch combo that has Sams backing up. Sams nods at Gracie to acknowledge the strikes.
Sams rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sams bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Sams's hands.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Sams moved out of range nicely.
Gracie throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Sams bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Gracie scores with a nice right hand.
Gracie scores with a sloppy right hand. Sams should have avoided that one.
Gracie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Sams falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gracie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sams crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Gracie - the referee stops the clock and Sams gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Gracie. Sams manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Gracie cracks Sams with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Sams is rocked!
Gracie swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Sams.
Oh Sams is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gracie ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gracie grits his teeth and throws a big right-left combo! Sams takes both shots clean on the chin and is out cold! Gracie cracks him once more on his way down, as the crowd goes wild! They enjoyed that one!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Ryan Gracie!