PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Patrick Plo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralph Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Plo comes to the cage accompanied by ISIS - Grinning Mouths. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Plo
vs
Gracie

173 cm
30
150 lbs
24 - 12 - 1

181 cm
28
145 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

CEC Nutrition Q159 (*$75*)

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 24 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Patrick Plo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ralph Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie misses with a low kick.
Plo scores with a hook to the body. Gracie takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Gracie throws a hook but Plo avoids it easily.
Gracie misses with a right hand
and Plo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A jab lands there for Plo.
Plo moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Plo throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gracie stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gracie misses with a hook.
Gracie lands with a hook. Plo tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Gracie wants to slow Plo down by chopping away at his legs.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Plo tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Plo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Plo. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Plo tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Plo to the ground. Plo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Patrick Plo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Gracie.
A big left from Gracie misses.
Gracie comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Gracie is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Plo shoots in for a takedown but Gracie shows good takedown defense.
Plo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Plo moves away.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Plo sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gracie misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Gracie.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Plo's waist but Plo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Plo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gracie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Plo.
Plo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Plo lands a lovely overhand right.

It looks like Ralph Gracie has been cut.
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!
Gracie takes a swing at Plo's ribcage but misses.
Gracie slips a straight right by Plo.
A cross from Gracie lands.
Gracie lands with an uppercut that bounces Plo off the cage and back into range.
Gracie connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Plo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Plo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gracie looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gracie being controlled for a moment.
Gracie tries to buck Plo off but Plo is having none of it.
Gracie regains half guard.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie has hold of Plo's hands but Plo slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gracie is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Plo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Plo's back!
Gracie connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Plo to escape the position.
Gracie is looking to finish with some ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Plo is trapped and Gracie is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Plo is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Gracie throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Plo turns into Gracie and is now in his guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Plo from controlling successfully.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Plo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Plo throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ralph Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ralph Gracie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gracie swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Plo. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Plo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gracie.
Plo misses with a few strikes there.
Gracie connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gracie throws an overhand right that lands on Plo's shoulder, as Plo tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Plo moved out of range nicely.
Plo with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Ralph Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie slips a straight right by Plo.
Plo thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gracie fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gracie dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Plo. That did some damage!
The fighters circling - Gracie throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Plo jabs at Gracie's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Plo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Plo sprawls well.
Plo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gracie as he avoids it easily.
Gracie is looking to score with low kicks.
Plo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Plo was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.
Plo moves out of range of the strikes.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Plo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ralph Gracie seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The fighters circling - Gracie throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Gracie throws a chopping leg kick but Plo manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Patrick Plo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Gracie.
Gracie rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Plo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gracie thinking.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Plo makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Plo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Plo.
Plo ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Plo digs a good hook to Gracie's body.
Plo defending well as Gracie loads up on a big left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Plo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie looks to land a right hand but Plo moved out of range.
Gracie misses with a hook

and Plo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Plo.
Plo looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie throws a big elbow that misses.
Gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Plo is retaining full guard.
Plo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Plo has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Plo is retaining full guard.
Plo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Plo wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Gracie throws a strike but Plo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Gracie looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Plo has picked Gracie up and slammed him! Gracie can't keep hold of the triangle and Plo manages to pass to side control!
Gracie regains half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie wants to improve his position but Plo is controlling well.
Patrick Plo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ralph Gracie will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ralph Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Plo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Plo looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Plo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Plo with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Plo wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Plo defends easily.
Plo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plo lands a couple of elbows.
Plo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Plo is one step ahead there.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Plo trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Plo postures up.

Gracie working for a triangle but Plo defends it easily.

Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Plo is aware though and is defending well.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Plo from controlling successfully.
Plo stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Plo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Plo manages to get himself to full guard.
Plo trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Plo 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.
Gracie lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Plo throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Gracie stands up over Plo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Plo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie won't allow Plo to sweep him here.
Plo is trying to keep Gracie in close.
Plo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Patrick Plo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie throws a strike but Plo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Plo scoring with punches to the head and body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Plo wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Patrick Plo.
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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Ralph Gracie!