PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nauj Zerep (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rogerio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Gracie's choice of entrance music: Amazing entrance! with the theme FORT BATTLE from The Last of the Mohicans. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zerep
vs
Gracie

183 cm
25
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
176 lbs
10 - 0 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Good elbows
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nauj Zerep!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Rogerio Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zerep throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Zerep didn't expect that.
Gracie stands and throws Zerep's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Zerep is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

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!
Zerep is looking for a sweep.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Zerep is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zerep manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gracie's best efforts.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Zerep is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Zerep is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gracie works his way into full mount!
Gracie looking to control and managing it successfully.
Gracie lands a nice shot to the head.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zerep is looking to escape.

Zerep is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Gracie locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Zerep is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:04 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rogerio Gracie! Rogerio Gracie retains his welterweight title!