PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brett Gray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Mack (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gray comes to the ring accompanied by Pink Floyd - Any Color You Like. Xavier Mack told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Gray
vs
Mack

193 cm
31
264 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

195 cm
24
280 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Wolfpack Threadz

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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Brett Gray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Xavier Mack!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mack uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gray.
Gray looks to land a left hand but Mack moved out of range nicely.
Mack works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Gray thumps Mack with a low kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Mack.
Mack stuffs the takedown attempt from Gray. Gray gets slowly back to his feet.
Gray misses with a looping right.
Mack misses the shot to the body.
Gray tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mack sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gray somewhat.
A swing and a miss from Gray.
Mack attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Mack misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gray.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Gray gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Mack trying to control but Gray is working from the bottom.
Gray seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mack wants to control from the top but Gray keeps moving.

Gray working for a triangle but Mack defends it easily.
Gray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mack manages to get himself to full guard.
Mack tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gray throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mack is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Mack is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gray is defending against the submission attempts here by Mack.
Mack missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Mack is looking for a kimura but Gray is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mack to get the leverage.
Gray manages to get to full guard.
Gray keeping moving, preventing Mack from controlling successfully.
Gray trying to keep a closed guard but Mack is proving a slippery customer.
Mack must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray wants to stand and escape but Mack is having none of it.
Gray avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mack lands a couple of elbows.
Mack wants to control from the top but Gray keeps moving.
Mack is in close to Gray's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mack throws a big elbow that misses.
Mack won't allow Gray to get back to his feet.
Mack throws an elbow that misses. Gray uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mack's guard. Nice move by Gray!
Gray looking to sit in guard and control but Mack gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mack is working Gray over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mack trying to control but Gray is working from the bottom.
Gray looking to control.
Gray keeping moving, preventing Mack from controlling successfully.
Mack tries to free his leg and advance position but Gray is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mack in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Mack drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gray manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mack has Gray in his guard.

Mack had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gray defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Mack dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Gray keeps the fight on the outside.
Mack misses with a looping right.
Mack ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gray moves away.
Gray connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Mack's hands.
Mack uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gray.
Gray moves out of range as Mack strikes.
Mack lands a jab to Gray's midsection.
Mack staying out of range there.

Mack shoots in and bounces Gray off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Gray keeping moving, preventing Mack from controlling successfully.
Mack is in close to Gray's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gray working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray seems keen to control Mack's posture.
Mack engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Gray is pulling down on Mack's head. It's preventing any offense from Mack, at least for the moment.

Brett Gray has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Mack fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gray manages to avoid it.
Mack walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Mack darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mack throwing shots but Gray is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mack is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gray is just riding it out for now. Mack eventually gives up the hold.

Gray actively working from the bottom here.
Mack wants to advance to full mount but Gray doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Gray is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mack's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gray looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mack is one step ahead there.
Mack wants to pass the guard but Gray is keeping the position.
Mack throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mack postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gray utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mack throws an elbow that misses. Gray uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mack's guard. Nice move by Gray!
Mack tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mack had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gray defends it easily.
Gray wants to control from the top but Mack keeps moving.
Mack is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mack is looking for a triangle but Gray pushes his legs off easily.
Mack has momentary wrist control but Gray slips an elbow through the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Mack throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mack working a defensive guard here.
Gray lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Mack 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! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Mack throws the left hand but Gray avoids the punch easily.
Mack uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gray.
Gray avoids the head kick by Mack.
Mack throws a jab when Gray was well out of range.
Mack fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gray checks it well.
Brett Gray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gray fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gray enables Mack to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gray manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Gray looking for a sweep. Not yet Gray, not yet.
Gray keeping full guard, as Mack tries to pass.
Gray not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mack trying to control the position from guard on top but Gray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mack stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gray swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Mack drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gray looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gray looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gray!
Gray works to advance to full mount. Mack defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Gray looking for a guillotine from mount but Mack is having none of it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Mack in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Mack is squirming around, avoiding Gray's attempts to control the action.
Gray lands a nice shot to the head.
Brett Gray has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Xavier Mack is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray looking to ground and pound but Mack is blocking nicely.
Mack is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mack is trying desperately to improve position.
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!
Gray avoids the attempt from Mack to control.
Mack can't escape the position.
Gray lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mack hang on?
Mack is trying desperately to improve position.
Mack wants to control but Gray is having none of it.
Mack takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Gray wants to finish this one by submission but Mack is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Gray.
Mack tries to lock up and control but Gray gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray throwing strikes here but Mack is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Mack tries to hold on but Gray postures up.

Gray looking to secure an arm triangle but Mack defends it well.
Gray lands a nice shot to the head.
Gray landing punches.
The referee warns Mack that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gray throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Gray working the ground and pound effectively.
Mack is desperately trying to improve his position but Gray has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mack wants to hold on but Gray pushes him away.

Gray looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gray working Mack over with strikes here.
Mack takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Mack is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Brett Gray overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mack taking shots to the head.
Mack in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Gray drops a big elbow. That's hurt Mack! More shots from Gray and the ref steps in! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Brett Gray!
Brett Gray made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying '"I decided to cut some weight for this fight but unfortunately for Shane I didn't cut talent.Stockton! 209!I got jokes ALL DAY, I got chokes ALL DAY, and on Facebook I get pokes ALL DAY!"'.