PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Whatts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chris Whatts has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Whatts
vs
Gracie

225 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Improved boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chris Whatts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lyoto Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie clinches.
Whatts has Gracie pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gracie manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Whatts changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gracie fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Whatts shoots in but Gracie avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Whatts. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Whatts shoots in for a takedown but Gracie shows good takedown defense.
Whatts changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gracie tries to avoid it but Whatts manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gracie to the ground. Gracie escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Whatts shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Whatts.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Whatts is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.

Gracie has control of Whatts's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Whatts regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whatts can't escape the position.
Whatts sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Whatts tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Whatts is working hard here to advance position.
Whatts is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Whatts is having none of it.
Gracie winds up and cracks Whatts with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Whatts tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Gracie takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Whatts punching from the bottom.
Whatts tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whatts has a hand on Gracie's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Gracie takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Gracie cracks Whatts with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gracie looking to control but Whatts is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Whatts is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.
Gracie trying to control but Whatts is having none of it.
Whatts has given up his back. Will we see Gracie going for some submissions?
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Whatts is trying to break free.

Gracie is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Whatts defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Gracie looks gassed!
Whatts tries to roll but Gracie sticks to his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie doesn't have the hooks in and Whatts manages to turn into his guard.
Gracie controls Whatts momentarily but Whatts frees himself.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Whatts tries to pass.
Whatts thows a big elbow that misses.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Whatts is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Gracie Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Whatts's back instead.
Gracie controlling well, preventing Whatts from escaping the position.
Gracie not allowing Whatts to control his hands.
Whatts tries to escape the position.

That's four 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 doesn't have the hooks in and Whatts manages to turn into his guard.
Whatts has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Whatts scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Whatts paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Whatts with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gracie counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Gracie.
Whatts prevents the takedown attempt.
Whatts is pressed up against the cage. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Whatts down to the mat. Whatts avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Whatts swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Whatts shoots and misses

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gracie perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Whatts is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gracie moves nicely into side control.
Whatts is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Gracie dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Whatts scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Whatts lands an elbow.
You can see the frustration on Gracie's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Whatts wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Whatts lands an elbow.
Gracie is working to avoid the ground and pound but Whatts connects with a decent elbow.

Gracie is rocked!
Whatts will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gracie is not content to let Whatts control the position.
Whatts lands a few punches from side control.
Gracie is still in real trouble! Can Whatts finish him?
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Whatts landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Whatts tries to move into full mount but can't pass Gracie's legs.
Gracie sneaks back into half guard.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Whatts lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whatts seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Whatts is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Whatts trying to pass the guard but Gracie defending well.
Whatts lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Chris Whatts overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Whatts landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gracie seems to have recovered his senses.
Whatts wants to free his trapped foot but Gracie is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Whatts really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Whatts looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gracie with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Whatts throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Whatts working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whatts scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Whatts lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Gracie taking some punishment here, with Whatts in his half guard.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.
Gracie won't allow Whatts to pass to mount.
Nice strikes from Whatts there.
Whatts is nestled in close to Gracie, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Whatts passes the guard and advances to mount!
Gracie is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gracie tries to hold on but Whatts pushes him away.
Gracie is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whatts working Gracie over with strikes here.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gracie wanted to stand there but Whatts had control of the position.

Gracie gets to his feet - Whatts follows without any prompting.
Gracie with a poor takedown

and Whatts counters with a shoot takedown. Gracie fights it but they end up in guard.

Gracie has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Whatts should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Gracie has tightened it up now! Whatts should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Lyoto Gracie!