PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Baru Damdin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Graga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Graga has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Damdin
vs
Graga

194 cm
25
276 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
258 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Baru Damdin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Graga!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damdin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Graga circles away.
Damdin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Graga wants to clinch up but Damdin keeps it at a distance.

Damdin gets a takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Damdin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Graga's head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Damdin lands a nice short elbow.
Graga blocking the ground and pound attempt from Damdin.
Damdin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Damdin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Graga should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Damdin thows a huge punch but Graga dodges it nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Damdin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Damdin missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Damdin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Graga is trying to stand up here but Damdin is controlling him well.
Damdin working Graga over with strikes.
Graga has hold of Damdin's hands but Damdin slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Graga regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Damdin.
Damdin postures up in Graga's guard and throws a big left but Graga blocks it.
Graga avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Damdin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damdin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Graga preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Damdin is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Damdin slips nicely into half guard.
Damdin working the head and body with strikes.
Damdin takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Damdin connects with a nice short shot to Graga's temple.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graga taking some punishment here, with Damdin in his half guard.
Damdin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Damdin looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damdin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Graga's head.
Damdin scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Damdin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Graga defending well though.
Damdin throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Graga to regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damdin throws a big right hand that misses.
Graga preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Damdin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Graga works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Damdin chips away with some ground and pound.
Graga has momentary wrist control but Damdin slips an elbow through the middle.
Damdin tries to free his leg and advance position but Graga is retaining full guard.
Damdin lands a couple of digs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Damdin drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Graga manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Damdin has Graga in his guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Damdin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Baru Damdin dominated that round.
That's time! Damdin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Damdin tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Graga swivels and escapes.
Graga is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Graga stuffs the takedown attempt from Damdin. Damdin gets slowly back to his feet.
John Graga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Graga fails in his attempt to clinch.
Graga scores with a head kick.
Damdin misses with a takedown attempt - Graga sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Baru Damdin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Damdin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Damdin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A left lands for Graga.
The fight stays on the outside here - Graga looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Damdin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Graga tries to avoid it but Damdin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Graga to the ground. Graga escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Graga doesn't manage to clinch there - Damdin circles away.
Graga fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graga tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Graga gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Graga throws a knee to the head but misses.
Graga with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Damdin has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Graga after a bit of a struggle.
Graga misses with a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Graga.
Damdin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Graga gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Damdin takes an elbow to the temple.
Graga misses with an elbow over the top.
Damdin is looking for a takedown.
Damdin takes an elbow to the temple.
Graga with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Graga connects with a nasty looking knee right to Damdin's face.
Graga with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Graga tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Graga.
Graga throws an elbow that misses.
Damdin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Graga obliges.
Damdin is looking for a takedown.
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!
Graga comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Damdin managing to block the knees to the body from Graga.
Graga landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Graga with a knee to the head.
Damdin tries for a takedown but Graga manages to get underhooks.
Graga throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Graga lands an elbow that stopped Damdin in his tracks for a moment.
Nice elbow from Graga.
Damdin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Graga prevents a takedown attempt there.
Damdin takes an elbow to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Graga.
Damdin can't get the takedown.
Graga connects with a knee to the head.
Graga landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Graga is pressed up against the cage. Damdin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Graga down to the mat. Graga avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Graga throws a series of strikes that have Damdin backpedaling.
Baru Damdin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Damdin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Graga tries to close the distance and clinch up but Damdin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Damdin keeps the fight on the outside.
Graga tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Damdin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Damdin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Graga as he jumps to the side.
Graga tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Damdin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Damdin fails with a takedown attempt.
Graga scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graga misses with a series of wild punches.
Damdin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Damdin fails with a takedown attempt.
Graga tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Damdin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Damdin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Graga wants to clinch up but Damdin keeps it at a distance.
John Graga is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Damdin looks for a takedown but Graga sprawls well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Graga tries to clinch there but Damdin circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Damdin avoids the head kick by Graga.
Nice sprawl there from Graga as Damdin shoots in.
Graga lands a high kick!
Graga fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Graga showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Graga fails with an attempt to clinch.
Damdin shoots for a takedown but Graga saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Graga instigates a clinch.
Damdin managing to block the knees to the body from Graga.
Damdin has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Graga is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Graga tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Damdin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Graga misses with a knee strike.
Graga throws an elbow but it misses.
Damdin avoids a wild elbow strike from Graga.

Graga is fighting off a takedown attempt but Damdin is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Graga to the mat. Graga regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Damdin throws an elbow that misses. Graga uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Damdin's guard. Nice move by Graga!

Damdin is working an open guard so Graga takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Graga tries to clinch up but Damdin circles away and keeps his distance.

Graga clinches up with Damdin and pushes him back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Graga using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Damdin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graga misses with a knee strike.

Damdin has clasped his hands together around Graga's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Baru Damdin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The ground and pound from Damdin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Damdin working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Damdin tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Graga regains half guard, as Damdin was trying to land strikes.
Graga on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damdin scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Graga is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Damdin scores with a couple of nice shots.

Graga kicks off Damdin and gets to his feet.
John Graga seems to be getting the better of the standup.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damdin tries for a takedown but Graga sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Baru Damdin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Damdin shoots in but Graga avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Graga tests Damdin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Graga fails with an attempt to clinch.
Graga tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Damdin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graga fails with an attempt to clinch.
Damdin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Graga tries to clinch up but Damdin circles away and keeps his distance.
Graga wants to clinch.

Damdin changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Graga looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Damdin in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Damdin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Damdin throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Graga avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Damdin.
Damdin in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Damdin's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Damdin prevents Graga from escaping the position.

Damdin working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sloppy strikes there by Damdin.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graga takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

And that's the end of the fight!
Baru Damdin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Damdin 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Baru Damdin!
During a confident post fight interview, Baru Damdin thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.