PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Helio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Javier Xavier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Javier Xavier is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Gracie
vs
Xavier

182 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

MMA's Best Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight 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, Helio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Xavier!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xavier shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Xavier closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Xavier wants to pass to mount but Gracie is defending the position.
Gracie trying to control from the bottom.

Xavier is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Gracie has managed to free his arm - good work.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie is pressing down on Xavier's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Xavier pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is looking to control Xavier's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gracie avoid being mounted?

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Xavier pulls his head out easily.
Xavier works his way into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xavier tries to advance to mount but Gracie denies him.
Gracie is trying to work for a sweep but Xavier has mounted him!
Gracie tries to lock up and control but Xavier gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Xavier swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Gracie is now in Xavier's guard. A big mistake from Xavier there, giving up the dominant position!
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Xavier keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Xavier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Xavier looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gracie has picked Xavier up and slammed him! Xavier can't keep hold of the triangle and Gracie manages to pass to side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Xavier looks gassed!
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Xavier keeps working.

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.
Xavier tries to improve position but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Xavier tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Xavier, who protects the arm well.
Xavier is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Xavier gets back to half guard.
Xavier wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

Xavier manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Xavier clinches.
Xavier tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Xavier works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Xavier manages to get himself to full guard.
Xavier looking for a sweep. Not yet Xavier, not yet.

Xavier looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gracie passes into side control.
Xavier sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Xavier tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Xavier works his way to full guard. Good work.
Gracie passes into half guard.
Gracie thows a huge punch but Xavier dodges it nicely.

Xavier is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands with a punch from half guard.
Xavier wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Gracie frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Xavier is wriggling around trying to escape.
Xavier sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Xavier looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Xavier gets back to full guard.

Xavier looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Javier Xavier will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Xavier gets the takedown into side control.

Xavier has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Gracie misses with a takedown

and Xavier counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Gracie trying to hold on to Xavier's head to control him but Xavier postures up.
Xavier wants to pass to mount but Gracie is defending the position.

Xavier is working for a submission of some sort.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie won't allow Xavier to pass to mount.

Xavier is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Xavier with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gracie won't allow Xavier to sweep him here.

Xavier 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.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Xavier keeps moving.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Xavier looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Xavier looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.

Xavier looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Xavier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Xavier manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Xavier has control of Gracie's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Gracie regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Gracie is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

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

Xavier thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Gracie sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Xavier is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Xavier is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gracie is just riding it out for now. Xavier eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Xavier pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gracie manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Javier Xavier has got the better of the ground game so far.
Xavier wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Gracie is trying to keep Xavier in close.
Xavier looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javier Xavier showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A nice combination there by Xavier.
Gracie shoots and misses
and Xavier counters with a nice body kick.
Xavier tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Xavier closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie wants to get back to striking at distance but Xavier won't allow it.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Xavier just stands there and leans against the cage.
Gracie has Xavier pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Xavier manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Helio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie tries to stall but Xavier uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Xavier smiles and moves away.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Xavier.
Xavier with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Xavier keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Xavier looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracie in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Xavier has his foot on Gracie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gracie works his way back into a safe position though.
Xavier keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Xavier gets the takedown into side control.

Xavier working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Xavier is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gracie has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie sneaks back into half guard.
Gracie moves into full guard.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Xavier drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gracie looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gracie looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gracie!
Xavier gets back to half guard.
Xavier is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gracie's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gracie's back!
Xavier is trying to stick to Gracie's back but Gracie is turning into Xavier. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Xavier's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Gracie.

Xavier working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
Xavier wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie passes Xavier's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gracie has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Gracie looking to control but Xavier is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Xavier can't escape the position.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Xavier is looking to escape.
Xavier is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.
Xavier is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Gracie has hold of Xavier's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Xavier manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Gracie lands a big elbow.
Gracie looking to control but Xavier is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Xavier is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Gracie working for a guillotine from mount but Xavier is in no mood to give up.
Xavier keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Helio Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gracie is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Xavier has managed to escape the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Helio Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Xavier 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Javier Xavier!