PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roger Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Marchione (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Marchione

188 cm
25
185 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

177 cm
21
175 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roger Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alex Marchione!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie throws a leg kick which misses Marchione's front leg but catches the back leg as Marchione tries to avoid it.
Gracie slips a jab from Marchione.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Marchione manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Gracie throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Alex Marchione has been cut.
Marchione throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Marchione misses with a wild combination.
Gracie thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Marchione if he has to take too many more of those.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gracie lands a leg kick that knocks Marchione off balance momentarily.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Marchione.
Gracie scores with a leg kick.
Alex Marchione seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marchione throws a sloppy head kick
and Gracie counters with a thumping low kick.
Marchione misses with a head kick.
Marchione misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Marchione as he avoids it easily.
A jab from Marchione misses.
Marchione misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Gracie lands a big head kick that sends Marchione tumbling to the mat! Gracie takes a step backwards and waves Marchione back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Marchione is rocked!
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Marchione's waist but Marchione gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Marchione is still on wobbly legs! Can Gracie finish him?
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Marchione shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Marchione.
Gracie connects with a solid leg kick.
Marchione seems to have recovered his senses.
Marchione throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A big right from Marchione misses.
Marchione misses with the body kick
and Gracie counters with an inside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Marchione 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marchione wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Gracie uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Gracie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Marchione's guard.
Gracie passes into half guard.
Marchione won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gracie prevents Marchione from improving his position.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Marchione is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
You get the feeling that Marchione really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Gracie is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Marchione is surviving well by controlling Gracie's body position as best he can.

Gracie looking to secure an arm triangle but Marchione defends it well.
Gracie is looking to work his way around to Marchione's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Gracie looking to control but Marchione is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Marchione is looking to get to half guard.
Marchione wants to get back to his feet.
Gracie works his way to his opponent's back.
Marchione looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Gracie has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Marchione tries to escape but Gracie has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alex Marchione's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Marchione misses with a few strikes there.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Marchione tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Marchione manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Gracie gets caught flat footed, as Marchione shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Gracie has his foot on Marchione's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Marchione works his way back into a safe position though.

Marchione stands up from Gracie's guard - Marchione perhaps looking for a knockout.
Marchione throws a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marchione throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gracie on the side of the head.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Marchione misses with a few strikes there.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Marchione gets a takedown into half guard.
Marchione with the ground and pound but Gracie uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Gracie tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Marchione wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marchione looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Marchione controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Gracie trying to control but Marchione is working from the bottom.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Marchione pulls Gracie in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie stops Marchione from standing up.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Marchione keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Marchione is looking to stand up but Gracie isn't so interested in that idea.
Marchione keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Gracie is stalling in the full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Marchione. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Marchione has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Gracie moves out of range of the body kick from Marchione.
Marchione slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie throws a leg kick

and Marchione counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Marchione seems to be looking for submissions.
Marchione wants to stand up but Gracie is controlling the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Marchione stands up and beckons Gracie to join him on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Marchione showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alex Marchione's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Marchione throws a right and a left that both miss.

Marchione closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Marchione 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.
Gracie gets back to half guard.
Marchione is trying to control. Gracie wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Marchione is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gracie manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Marchione must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Marchione stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Marchione wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Marchione takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie stops Marchione from standing up.
Marchione not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Marchione is keeping the position for now.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Marchione's guard.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Marchione is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie works his way into side control.
Gracie trying to control the action but Marchione is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Marchione wants to get back to his feet but Gracie drags him back down.
Gracie trying to control the action but Marchione is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Marchione knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Marchione rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Marchione!
Marchione missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Marchione wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Gracie's closed guard. He's half up but Gracie has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Gracie pivots and extends the arm, Marchione falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Gracie! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Roger Gracie!