PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paco Pequina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rickson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Chemical Brothers - Saturate. Rickson Gracie will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Pequina
vs
Gracie

170 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paco Pequina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rickson Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie checks a leg kick nicely.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Pequina sprawls well.

Pequina rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Pequina with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pequina holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Pequina gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pequina wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Pequina is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie is staying active underneath Pequina, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pequina tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Gracie.
Gracie slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Pequina wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Pequina trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pequina wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pequina swinging wilding here.
Pequina lands with a nice combination. Gracie backs away looking to recover.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pequina as he jumps to the side.
Paco Pequina has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rickson Gracie.
Pequina pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie throws a combination that misses

and Pequina counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Pequina pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie looks gassed!
Gracie scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.

Pequina decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gracie, up you get!

Pequina closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Pequina breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt

and Pequina counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gracie won't be happy with that.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
Pequina is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pequina wants to stand but Gracie has his arm trapped.
Pequina is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie prevents Pequina from moving into mount.
Pequina is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Pequina decides to take the fight back to the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paco Pequina dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rickson Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Pequina throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Pequina scoring well with a low kick there.
Pequina misses with a series of wild punches.
Rickson Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pequina shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Pequina wanted to stand there but Gracie had control of the position.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Pequina pushes his legs off easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gracie is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie prevents Pequina from getting back to his feet.
Gracie postures up.
Pequina is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie advances position into side control!
Gracie working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Pequina might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pequina struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pequina is looking for a sweep.
Pequina struggling a bit here.
Pequina is looking for a sweep.
Gracie tries to move into full mount but can't pass Pequina's legs.
You can see the frustration on Pequina's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracie is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Pequina scores with a leg kick.
Gracie takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Pequina scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Pequina has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Good leg kick by Pequina there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Pequina closes the distance and clinches.
Pequina stalling against the cage.
Nice body punch from Pequina - that landed with a thud.
Pequina tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paco Pequina dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rickson Gracie's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Pequina clinches up against the cage.

Pequina gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Gracie throws his legs up looking for a submission but Pequina uses it to pass to side control.
Pequina tries to move into full mount but can't pass Gracie's legs.
Pequina taking a break here but Gracie is having none of it and regains half guard.
Pequina trying to control from half guard but Gracie is working away.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pequina wants to pass the guard but Gracie is defending well.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Pequina wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from Pequina.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pequina.

Pequina pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie managing to block the knees to the body from Pequina.

Pequina manages to break the clinch.
Pequina lands with a right hand.

Pequina looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pequina prevents Gracie from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pequina is tying to control. Gracie wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Pequina is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gracie is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
It looks like Pequina is going to stand back up.
Gracie trying to control but Pequina postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gracie is staying active underneath Pequina, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pequina wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pequina tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.

Pequina instigates a clinch.
Pequina tries to land a knee to the head but Gracie blocks with his arms.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie is pressed up against the cage. Pequina has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gracie down to the mat. Gracie avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pequina throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Rickson Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pequina fails in his attempt to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paco Pequina showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pequina has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paco Pequina!