PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Matthews
vs
Gracie

176 cm
25
184 lbs
15 - 4 - 0

185 cm
29
178 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Royce Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matthews fails with the takedown
and Gracie counters with a series of strikes. Matthews will be more careful next time no doubt.
Matthews fails with the takedown
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Gracie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Matthews.

Matthews closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gracie to the mat! Gracie manages to get full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Matthews preventing the sweep.
Matthews controlling from the top position.
Matthews wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie controls Matthews momentarily but Matthews frees himself.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Matthews postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews preventing the sweep.
Matthews showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Chris Matthews just wasn't active enough.
Matthews shoots and misses
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Matthews. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Matthews tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.

Matthews drives through with a takedown into Gracie's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Matthews forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matthews content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Matthews jumps into side control!
Gracie is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie struggling a bit here.
Gracie is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gracie struggling a bit here.
Matthews just content to control the position.
Gracie tries to bench press Matthews off him but Matthews keeps the position.
Gracie manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gracie prevents Matthews from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie with the ground and pound but Matthews uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Matthews keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Matthews lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracie!
Matthews prevents Gracie from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matthews controlling his opponent.
Gracie is working to get back to half guard.
Matthews takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Royce Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Chris Matthews's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie throws a right hand that misses

and Matthews counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Matthews.
Gracie wants to improve his position but instead Matthews has moved into half guard.
Matthews perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Matthews tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Gracie.
Gracie tries to get to full guard but Matthews has control of the leg.
Matthews tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Gracie.
Matthews controlling the action here.

Matthews decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Matthews counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Matthews postures up.
Gracie being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Chris Matthews just wasn't active enough.
Gracie fails to land with a series of punches.

Matthews shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Matthews controlling the position easily from mount.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matthews is pulling down on Gracie's head to control his posture.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matthews is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gracie is controlling him.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matthews is keeping the position for now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Matthews manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Matthews gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Matthews controlling from the top position.
Gracie looking to control.
Matthews looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Matthews wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Gracie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Matthews closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gracie circles away.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Gracie tries to sprawl but Matthews drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Matthews is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Matthews dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chris Matthews's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gracie slaps away a takedown attempt from Matthews, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Matthews shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie slaps away a takedown attempt from Matthews, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Matthews. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matthews has his takedown stuffed
and Gracie counters with a right hand to the body.
Gracie swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Matthews shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Gracie defends it nicely.
Matthews gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Gracie counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gracie scores with a decent looking hook.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sloppy strikes there by Gracie.
Matthews tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Gracie working the ground and pound but Matthews is defending the strikes.
Matthews can't do much from the bottom here.
Matthews sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Gracie seems to be working for a kimura but Matthews defends the submission attempt.
Matthews is not content to let Gracie control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Matthews manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matthews is keeping the position for now.
Gracie stops Matthews from standing up.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Matthews lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracie!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews controlling from mount.
Gracie is working to get back to half guard.
Matthews looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Chris Matthews has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gracie throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Matthews shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Matthews showed some decent athleticism there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matthews is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Royce Gracie.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!