PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Cope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Revan Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cope comes to the cage accompanied by Let's Go. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Cope
vs
Gracie

176 cm
35
147 lbs
27 - 9 - 0

170 cm
35
147 lbs
20 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 27 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Cope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Revan Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cope was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Cope connects with an inside leg kick.
Gracie throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cope fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Gracie throws a body punch but Cope moves out of range.

Cope tries to sprawl but Gracie drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Cope is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cope is pressing down on Gracie's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Cope keeps moving.

Cope working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
Cope working a defensive guard but Gracie manages to pass into side control anyway.
Cope is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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!
Cope struggling a bit here.
Cope sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Cope is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cope is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Cope is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.

Cope looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cope is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cope makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cope.
Gracie told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Gracie works a leg free and moves into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gracie is trying to control. Cope wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Cope is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cope is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Cope is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Cope looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cope tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Cope is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Cope looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.
Gracie works his way into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cope is looking to get to half guard.

Gracie is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Cope to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Cope shrugs it off.
The referee warns Cope that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Cope is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cope slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie winds up and cracks Cope with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Gracie is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Cope tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.
Cope is bucking up trying to escape but Gracie cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cope takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Gracie's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Cope connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gracie scrambles back to his feet.
Cope fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
Cope lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Cope lands a head shot.
Cope looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cope moves away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cope. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie walks into a jab.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Cope sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Cope dives on top into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cope sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Gracie drops an elbow to the side of Cope's head.
Cope wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

Cope is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Gracie keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Revan Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cope wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
Gracie is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cope wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cope is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Gracie scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Cope is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cope slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Cope is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Cope looking for a sweep. Not yet Cope, not yet.

Cope looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracie postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Cope keeps moving.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cope is keeping the position for now.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is working Cope over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Gracie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cope has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gracie has managed to get both his arms back between Cope's legs - danger averted.
Gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
Gracie is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cope keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

Cope is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
Cope wants to improve his position but instead Gracie has moved into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Cope trying to control but Gracie postures up.
Gracie landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cope wants to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cope gets full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Revan Gracie will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie lands a nice hook to Cope's body. Cope takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cope fails to land with a series of punches.
Cope swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.
Cope lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Cope cracks a nice hook into Gracie's ribs.
Cope fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Gracie looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cope trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.
Cope is not content to let Gracie control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cope has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gracie is nestled in close to Cope, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Cope is having none of it.
Cope tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

Cope looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Cope looking for submissions off his back.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Cope is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Cope is defending well.

Cope is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Cope wants to get back to full guard but Gracie has passed into side control.
Gracie working the head with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cope 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 is looking to take a break and control but Cope is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie is working Cope over with some ground and pound from side control.
Revan Gracie is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gracie wants to control but Cope is keeping him busy.
Cope gets back to half guard.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Cope is working away.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ground and pound from Gracie.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cope is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cope avoid being mounted?
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cope keeps working.
Well, if Gracie is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cope keeps working.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cope is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mike Cope has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Revan Gracie was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cope takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Gracie is looking to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Revan Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gracie winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Revan Gracie!
Revan Gracie seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.