PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Niwa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Gracie
vs
Niwa

185 cm
26
178 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
170 lbs
7 - 3 - 1

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael Niwa!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Niwa.
Gracie dives in and grabs Niwa's left leg, looking for a takedown. Niwa pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Niwa changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gracie.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Niwa lunges at Gracie with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gracie's hand.
Gracie walks into a jab.
Niwa throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Niwa steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Niwa counters with a nice body shot.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Niwa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Niwa lands a nice hook to Gracie's body. Gracie takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Sloppy strikes from Gracie. Those never looked like landing.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and Niwa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gracie with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Niwa to score with a decent uppercut.
Royce Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a double jab
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Niwa throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Niwa.
Niwa stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Niwa lunges at Gracie with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gracie's hand.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Niwa.
Niwa throws a shot to the body.
Gracie blocks a jab.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Niwa as he avoids it easily.
Niwa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Niwa connects with a jab.
Niwa jabs at Gracie's body.
Niwa tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Niwa throws out a powerful jab.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Niwa sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niwa fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice shot by Niwa.
Gracie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Niwa circles away quickly and effectively.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and Niwa counters with a nice uppercut.
Niwa scores with a decent looking hook.
Nice uppercut lands for Niwa. That snapped Gracie's head back.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Niwa connects with a nice looking jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Niwa dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Niwa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie walks into a jab.
Niwa misses the shot to the body.
A jab from Niwa finds it's way through Gracie's defenses.
Gracie shoots and misses
letting Niwa counter with a right hand.
Michael Niwa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheers as Niwa lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Gracie lands a nice looking body shot.
Niwa works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Niwa lands the left hand.
Niwa lands a head shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Niwa throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice shot lands for Niwa.
Gracie slips a jab from Niwa.
Niwa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Niwa.
A telegraphed right hand from Niwa misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niwa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Niwa throws a good cross that connects.
Niwa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Gracie might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Niwa throws a hook to the side of Gracie's head but Gracie sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Good shot there by Niwa.
Gracie walks into a left hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Niwa tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Niwa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Niwa throws a hook to the side of Gracie's head but Gracie sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niwa lands a right hook to the body.
Niwa connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gracie. Gracie circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Niwa lands with a right hand.
Royce Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Niwa cracks Gracie with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Niwa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Niwa lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Niwa connects with a body shot that sends Gracie's belly button to the back.
Niwa stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Niwa finds it's way round the side to connect with Gracie's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Niwa misses.
Niwa tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gracie on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Michael Niwa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Niwa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Gracie. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Niwa with a jab.

Gracie is rocked!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gracie slips a jab from Niwa.
Niwa digs a good hook to Gracie's body.
Gracie shoots and misses
enabling Niwa to counter with a crisp jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Niwa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Nice uppercut lands for Niwa. That snapped Gracie's head back.
Niwa fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Niwa scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Niwa defends it nicely.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Niwa lands with a nice body punch.

Gracie shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Niwa manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Niwa kicks Gracie off and gets to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Niwa misses.
Niwa connects with a body shot that sends Gracie's belly button to the back.
Niwa thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Niwa sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Niwa misses with a straight right.
Gracie drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Niwa sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Niwa avoids it really well and circles away.
Gracie has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gracie there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots and misses
and Niwa counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Niwa dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Niwa lands the left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Niwa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jab from Niwa.
Gracie misses with a double jab
and Niwa counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niwa scores with a decent looking hook.
Gracie drops his hands momentarily and Niwa takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Niwa works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
Gracie doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Gracie takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Niwa connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gracie. Gracie circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Niwa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Niwa throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie ducks right into an uppercut from Niwa.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Niwa counters with a nice uppercut.
Oh Gracie is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Niwa scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gracie in his tracks.
Niwa scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gracie seems to have got his legs back now.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Niwa pinned against the cage. Niwa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Niwa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Niwa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Niwa!