PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Belle Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Blow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Belle Gracie has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Gracie
vs
Blow

171 cm
26
136 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

165 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Belle Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Blow!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blow swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Blow tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gracie swivels and escapes.
Blow swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.

Gracie instigates a clinch.

Gracie breaks from the clinch.
Gracie wants to clinch.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
Gracie throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Blow defending against the ground and pound.
An elbow from Gracie crashes against the mat.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Blow is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blow wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Gracie is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Blow will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Blow tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie lands a few punches from side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Blow is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but Blow denies him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blow takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Gracie stands up.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Blow shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Blow is looking to land body kicks.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Blow.

Blow tries to keep at a distance but Gracie has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gracie goes for a takedown attempt but Blow pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Belle Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blow throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Gracie moves to clinch but Blow breaks away
and Blow makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Blow closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie trying to control from the bottom.
Blow wants to stand up but Gracie has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Blow blocks the strikes from Gracie.
Blow seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gracie tries to roll over but Blow keeps him under control.
Blow wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Blow is controlling the pace.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Joe Blow hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Blow throws a head kick that misses.
Blow pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Blow's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gracie under the eye.
Blow comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Blow tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Blow shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gracie's guard.
Blow must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Blow from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Belle Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Blow fails with the takedown.
A combination from Blow does no damage.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Blow's guard.
Blow trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Blow wants to stand up but Gracie is controlling him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Blow throws his legs up looking for a submission but Gracie uses it to pass to side control.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Blow is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throws a strike aimed at the side of Blow's head but Blow avoids it well.
Blow is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gracie is controlling him well.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blow keeps working.
Blow pushes Gracie away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Gracie gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Blow is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
Blow manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gracie's best efforts.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Blow is having none of it.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Belle Gracie just wasn't active enough.
Blow tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blow closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gracie circles away.

Blow drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Blow doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Blow manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Blow wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Blow postures up.
Blow looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blow trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Joe Blow wasn't active enough on the ground.
Blow moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blow connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Blow throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Belle Gracie dominated that second round.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Blow shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gracie is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Blow's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Gracie trying to hold on to Blow's head to control him but Blow postures up.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie is staying active underneath Blow, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Blow tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Blow is trying to control the action in half guard but Gracie is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Blow really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Joe Blow has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Blow throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and Blow counters with a good, hard body kick but Gracie shrugs it off.

Blow closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Gracie did well to prevent Blow getting side control.
Gracie wants to control but Blow is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Blow is taking a breather. Gracie says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Blow is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
Gracie pushes Blow off looking to stand but Blow dives back in and keeps control.
Gracie wants to control but Blow is keeping busy.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Blow sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joe Blow was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Gracie takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Blow lands a head kick. Gracie smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Blow.
Blow throws a shot to the body.
Blow is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gracie rather than just go for the knockout.
Nice straight punches there by Blow. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Blow.
Gracie stuffs the takedown attempt from Blow. Blow gets slowly back to his feet.
Blow catches Gracie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Blow tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blow tries a head kick but it misses.

Blow closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gracie is looking to escape.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Blow is trying to control. Gracie wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Blow is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Blow wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to get to full guard but Blow has control of the leg.
Gracie trying to control here.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Blow sits in half guard.
Joe Blow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie wants to improve his position but Blow is controlling well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Blow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Belle Gracie!