PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Gracio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Studdard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracio
vs
Studdard

190 cm
25
230 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

200 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Antonio Gracio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brandon Studdard!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Skip Squint and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Studdard rushes Gracio and presses him up against the cage.
Studdard drops down looking for an ankle pick but Gracio pulls his leg out and moves away.
Studdard lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Studdard tries to clinch but Gracio moves out of range.
Studdard moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Studdard throws a sloppy head kick and Gracio moves out of range easily.
Studdard with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gracio counters with a nice double leg into side control. Studdard won't be happy with that.
Studdard is looking for a sweep.
Studdard is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gracio is controlling him well.
Gracio working the strikes but Studdard uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Studdard has his hands clasped together around Gracio's back. He's all about the action.
Gracio wants to take a breather but Studdard is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Studdard wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Studdard is not content to let Gracio control the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Studdard actively working from the bottom here.
Gracio stops Studdard from getting back to his feet.
Studdard trying to control but Gracio postures up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gracio in particular looking to stall.
Studdard gets full guard.
Studdard looks gassed!

That's two 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.
Studdard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Studdard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracio manages to get himself to full guard.

Gracio looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracio can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Studdard controls the pace.

Studdard decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gracio, up you get!

Studdard gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gracio to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Studdard wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracio gets to his feet - Studdard follows without any prompting.

Gracio tries to sprawl but Studdard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Gracio is looking to escape.
Studdard performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Studdard is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gracio has managed to free his arm - good work.
Studdard is trying to control the action in half guard but Gracio is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Studdard trying to mount his opponent but Gracio defends it.
Gracio trying to hold on to Studdard's head to control him but Studdard postures up.
Studdard wants to take a breather but Gracio is having none of it.
Studdard trying to mount his opponent but Gracio defends it.
Gracio has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Studdard is working away from the top position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Studdard fails to land the takedown.
Antonio Gracio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brandon Studdard.
Gracio looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Studdard is fending him off so far but Gracio persists. Nope, Studdard circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Studdard scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Gracio tries to buck Studdard off but Studdard is having none of it.

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

Gracio throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Studdard shoots and misses

and Gracio moves into the clinch.
Gracio fails to pull guard.

Studdard jumps guard.
Studdard tries to strike from the bottom.
Gracio prevents Studdard from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracio trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Studdard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracio is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracio wants to control from the top but Studdard keeps moving.

Studdard is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Studdard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Brandon Studdard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Studdard wants to sweep but no luck.
Studdard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gracio has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gracio trying to control but Studdard is working from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Studdard preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Studdard is trying to control the position from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A head kick misses from Gracio.
Gracio closes this distance looking for a takedown but Studdard circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Studdard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Studdard keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Gracio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Studdard moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gracio displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Studdard.
Studdard shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gracio sprawls well. Gracio wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Studdard gets slowly back to his feet.

Gracio scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Gracio throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gracio throwing shots but Studdard is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Studdard gets back to full guard.
Studdard has control of Gracio's left arm, preventing Gracio from doing any damage.
Studdard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracio throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Studdard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gracio postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Studdard is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gracio is aware though and is defending well.
Studdard looking for a sweep. Not yet Studdard, not yet.

Studdard has his foot on Gracio's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gracio works his way back into a safe position though.
Studdard looking to control but Gracio passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Studdard 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!

Studdard shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Studdard wants to control but Gracio is keeping him busy.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Studdard in particular looking to stall.
Gracio wants to control but Studdard is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Studdard stalling.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Brandon Studdard was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Studdard finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracio changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Studdard tries to avoid it but Gracio manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Studdard to the ground. Studdard escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Studdard tries to clinch there but Gracio circles away.
Gracio gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Studdard counters with a series of strikes. Gracio will be more careful next time no doubt.

It looks like Antonio Gracio has been cut.

Studdard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Studdard preventing the sweep.
Studdard postures up.
Studdard's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Studdard is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Gracio is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Gracio has escaped and now he's on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Studdard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracio stopping the sweep attempt from Studdard.
Studdard tries to strike from the bottom.
Studdard working a defensive guard here.

Studdard has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Gracio off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracio shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Studdard's guard.
Studdard lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracio!
Gracio really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Studdard takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Antonio Gracio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracio is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracio tries to hold on but Studdard pushes him away.
Studdard connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Studdard is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Studdard lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Gracio hang on?
Studdard controlling from mount.
Studdard avoids the attempt from Gracio to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brandon Studdard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Studdard has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Studdard!