PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and vitor belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by orion. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gracie
vs
belfort

185 cm
25
194 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

225 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, vitor belfort!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
belfort looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
belfort throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gracie!

It looks like vitor belfort has been cut.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from belfort.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
belfort misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for belfort, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around belfort's waist but belfort gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
belfort throws a right and a left that both miss.
belfort misses with a combination
and Gracie counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. belfort is lucky that one didn't land flush.
belfort throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Gracie is on the wrong end of a nice combination from belfort.
belfort throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
belfort throws a combination. Gracie tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
vitor belfort is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
belfort throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
belfort throws a right and a left that both miss.
belfort throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
belfort will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
belfort throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie shoots in but belfort avoids the takedown attempt easily.
vitor belfort seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A punch combination from belfort misses.
belfort misses with a double jab.
belfort misses with a double jab.
belfort misses with a wild combination.
belfort lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

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.
belfort throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
belfort is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
belfort looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
belfort works over Gracie's head and body with a nice combination.

belfort gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
belfort wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Gracie manages to pass to side control.

belfort kicks Gracie off and gets back to his feet.
belfort moves out of range of the body kick.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts belfort as he jumps to the side.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but belfort shows good takedown defense.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from belfort.
belfort pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
belfort is working the combinations to good effect here.
belfort closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Gracie has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
belfort uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
belfort throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but belfort manages to avoid it.
belfort throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
A right-left combo lands from belfort.
belfort scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
belfort rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
belfort keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
belfort throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. belfort sprawls well.
belfort scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
belfort looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
belfort swinging wildly here.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from belfort.
belfort looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
belfort lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gracie circles away quickly and effectively.
belfort will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gracie misses with a two punch combination.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
belfort misses with a few strikes there.
belfort throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie blocks a leg kick.
Gracie misses with the combination.
Some wild striking there from belfort.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from belfort.
belfort misses with a low kick.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. belfort sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
belfort lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
belfort misses with a double jab.
belfort connects with a nice looking jab.
belfort misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

vitor belfort dominated that round.
The cut man is working on vitor belfort's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

belfort misses with a double jab.
belfort fails to land with a series of punches.
Royce Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
belfort displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from belfort.
Gracie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and belfort counters with a lovely straight right hand!
belfort scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
belfort keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
belfort dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gracie. That did some damage!
belfort misses with a double jab.
belfort scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
belfort is trying to stand.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Gracie tries to pass the half guard into mount. belfort knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
belfort looks like he's trying to stand up.

belfort kicks off Gracie and gets to his feet.
belfort misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie misses with the combination.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from belfort.

Gracie decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
belfort is trying to stand.
belfort is breathing heavily.

Gracie is working for a kimura but belfort is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
belfort is looking to escape.

belfort has one foot on Gracie's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
belfort swinging wildly here.
Good work by belfort as he checks the leg kick.
belfort misses with a double jab.
Gracie looks for a takedown but belfort sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
belfort misses with a double jab.
belfort throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
belfort throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
belfort scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Gracie shoots in but belfort avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gracie takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
belfort misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie has his takedown stuffed
and belfort counters with a nice uppercut.
belfort throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
belfort misses with the combination.
belfort scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gracie is looking to land body kicks.
belfort lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
belfort looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but belfort swivels and escapes.
belfort throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
belfort misses with a wild combination.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from belfort - that will leave a mark!
Some wild striking there from belfort.
belfort tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
belfort throws a leg kick that misses.

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
belfort is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him
belfort is trying to escape back to his feet but Gracie uses the scramble to pass into side control.
belfort wants to get back to his feet but Gracie drags him back down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Royce Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on vitor belfort's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

belfort is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Gracie.
belfort fails to land with a series of punches.
belfort scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Gracie looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from belfort, right into the meat.

Gracie looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
belfort is trying to stand.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

belfort is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
belfort looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

belfort is kicking away at Gracie from the bottom - trying to push off and stand up. Gracie grabs hold of a leg and drops back for a hell hook! The two fighters roll across the mat, with belfort trying to push Gracie off... belfort taps! He's tapped! This one is all over! A throwback to the old Pancrase there with an infrequently seen submission hold! Nice work.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Heel Hook). Royce Gracie!