PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jess Liaudin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Liaudin might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Jump Around. Gracie comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Sirius kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Liaudin
vs
Gracie

175 cm
23
155 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

181 cm
25
153 lbs
7 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Steel Penn's Laundry 93%

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jess Liaudin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Jeff Smith and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie tries to clinch

and Liaudin counters with a single leg into guard. Gracie didn't expect that.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Gracie wants to stand up but Liaudin is controlling him.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Liaudin from controlling successfully.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Liaudin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Liaudin has gone for a leg lock! Gracie slips out almost immediately though and dives into Liaudin's guard.

Liaudin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gracie defends it easily.
Gracie won't allow Liaudin to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Liaudin's head.
Liaudin has a closed guard, preventing Gracie from standing up.
Gracie working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Liaudin's head.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Liaudin is on top in guard.
Gracie throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Liaudin trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liaudin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liaudin throws a strike but Gracie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Liaudin keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Liaudin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gracie.

Liaudin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Liaudin has his foot on Gracie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gracie works his way back into a safe position though.
Gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liaudin wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Liaudin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liaudin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Gracie won't allow Liaudin to sweep him here.

Liaudin looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Liaudin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Liaudin looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liaudin with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Gracie can't handle though.

Liaudin is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
Gracie wants to stand but Liaudin is controlling his posture from full guard.
Liaudin keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

Liaudin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jess Liaudin dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gracie moves to clinch but Liaudin breaks away

and Liaudin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Liaudin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Liaudin is trying to work for a kimura but Gracie is defending well.

Liaudin is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Gracie still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Gracie has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Liaudin regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liaudin is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Liaudin trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.
Liaudin tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Liaudin is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Liaudin is working away.
Gracie passes to full mount!
Liaudin is in a horrible position here. Gracie smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gracie fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Gracie landing punches.
Gracie controlling the pace for now.
Liaudin regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Liaudin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Liaudin trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.
Gracie blocks the strikes from Liaudin.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Liaudin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.

Liaudin actively working from the bottom here.

Liaudin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Gracie is going to stand back up.
Gracie thows a huge punch but Liaudin dodges it nicely.
Liaudin tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Liaudin is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Liaudin wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

Liaudin actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Liaudin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Liaudin tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Liaudin moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Liaudin looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.

Liaudin working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.

Gracie gets to his feet - Liaudin follows without any prompting.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Liaudin which made him look bad.
Liaudin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jess Liaudin dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gracie throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Liaudin.
Liaudin shoots for a takedown but Gracie saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Liaudin as he avoids it easily.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Liaudin sprawls well.

Liaudin looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Liaudin prevents Gracie from getting back to his feet.
Liaudin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Liaudin from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to stand up but Liaudin isn't so interested in that idea.
Jess Liaudin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Liaudin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Jess Liaudin has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gracie wants to clinch.
Jess Liaudin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Liaudin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jess Liaudin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Gracie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liaudin slips under a jab.
Liaudin swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie moves to clinch but Liaudin breaks away

and Liaudin counters with a single leg into guard. Gracie didn't expect that.
Liaudin trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Liaudin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liaudin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Liaudin is stalling in the full guard.
Liaudin is in close to Gracie's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Matt Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Liaudin drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gracie looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gracie looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gracie!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Liaudin manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Liaudin is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is defending against the submission attempts here by Liaudin.

Liaudin seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt.

Liaudin is looking for a kimura here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Liaudin is looking for a kimura but Gracie is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Liaudin to get the leverage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jess Liaudin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Liaudin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jess Liaudin!