PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alvaro Salazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salazar has chosen Don Omar ft Tego Calderon - Bandolero as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gracie
vs
Salazar

175 cm
24
182 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

180 cm
24
201 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI
BioPharm Nutrition

FinnFighter Nutrition (Only 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ricardo Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alvaro Salazar!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie jabs Salazar right on the nose. Salazar blinks but takes it well.
Salazar tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gracie sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salazar somewhat.
Salazar fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Salazar tries to move into range but Gracie moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Salazar takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gracie looks to land a body kick but Salazar moved away.
Salazar misses with a takedown
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ricardo Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alvaro Salazar.
Salazar takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Salazar takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gracie stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gracie wants it to stay on the feet.
Salazar takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Gracie dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
The fighters circling - Gracie throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Salazar has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Gracie finds it's way round the side to connect with Salazar's head.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Salazar moved out of range nicely.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Salazar has his takedown stuffed
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
Gracie throws out a powerful jab.
Salazar throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Gracie loads up on a big right hand but Salazar slips the punch.
Salazar shoots for a double leg takedown but Gracie sprawls well. He's pushed Salazar's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Salazar quickly recovers to half guard.
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.

Gracie 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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie wants to pass to mount but Salazar is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Gracie prevents Salazar from improving his position.

Salazar looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Salazar trying to control from the bottom.
Gracie scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Salazar is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Salazar is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Salazar moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie lands a couple of digs.

Salazar throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gracie escapes and throws Salazar's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Salazar keeps working.
Salazar is looking to reverse the position.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Salazar manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Gracie.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie lands a couple of digs.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Salazar keeps moving.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Salazar looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Salazar trying to control the position.
Salazar keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie preventing the sweep.
Gracie chips away with some ground and pound.
Gracie trying to control but Salazar is working from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Salazar manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.
Salazar throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Gracie dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Salazar.
Salazar has his takedown stuffed
and Gracie makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A cross from Gracie lands.
Salazar takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

It looks like Alvaro Salazar has been cut.
Salazar tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
Ricardo Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alvaro Salazar.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Salazar is just out of range.
Salazar fails with the takedown
and Gracie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Salazar shoots in for a double leg but Gracie sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Salazar is breathing heavily.
Gracie wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Gracie. Beautiful body shot.
Salazar is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Salazar fails with the takedown
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie works Salazar's body with a nice hook.

Salazar tries to sprawl but Gracie drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Gracie moves into full mount! Salazar won't be happy about that!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gracie is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Salazar is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Salazar flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Gracie anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Salazar and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Gracie slips an arm under Salazar chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Gracie has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Gracie is squeezing on Salazar like an anaconda would it's prey. Salazar fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ricardo Gracie!
Ricardo Gracie thanked the fans post fight for their support.