PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vinny Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Russo comes to the cage accompanied by Volbeat - The Human Instrument. Vinny Russo had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Russo
vs
Gracie

181 cm
38
186 lbs
45 - 21 - 2

175 cm
32
178 lbs
26 - 8 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry
Devotion Energy Inc (Laundry)(Flights)

KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 45 - 21 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Vinny Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Ricardo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russo throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Russo throws a right hand that misses
and Gracie counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Russo throws a front kick aimed at Gracie's knee but Gracie avoids it well.
Gracie tries to land a front kick but Russo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Russo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Russo.
Russo misses with a body shot.
Russo throws a leg kick
and Gracie counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Russo has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Original Nemesis Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Gracie scores with a crisp jab that stopped Russo in his tracks.
Russo misses with a body shot.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Russo takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Russo walks into a straight right hand from Gracie.
Russo throws a lazy uppercut
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Russo missing with a left hand there. Gracie was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Russo moves into range and connects with a jab.
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!
Russo throws a head kick that half lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie scores with a spinning back kick!
A lazy left from Gracie finds it's target.
Russo walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Gracie checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Gracie feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Russo's calf.
Russo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gracie lands a slapping body shot.
Gracie scores with a head kick. Russo tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Vinny Russo has been cut.
Gracie throws a nice inside leg kick.
Russo takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
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!
Russo lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Russo misses with a straight right.
Gracie thumps Russo with a low kick.
Gracie plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Russo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Gracie counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeps Russo at a distance using the push kick.
Russo swings away with a body shot that misses
and Gracie makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Russo is breathing heavily.
Russo moves forwards but Gracie connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Gracie darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A bone on bone clash there as Gracie blocks the leg kick.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Russo is just out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Russo is defended easily by Gracie.
Gracie throws the left hand but Russo avoids the punch easily.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Gracie.
Russo misses with a double jab.
Gracie scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie tries a head kick but it misses.
Russo finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gracie. That's going to slow Russo down.
Gracie scores with a decent looking hook.
Gracie punishes Russo's body with a nice straight punch.
Gracie checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Russo.
Gracie throws a nice outside leg kick.
Russo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Gracie lands with a thumping leg kick.
Nice uppercut there from Gracie.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Russo.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Gracie dives in and scores a takedown into Russo's guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Russo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie advances position into side control!
Russo is looking to reverse the position.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Russo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Russo takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Russo taking punishment in the form of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vinny Russo's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gracie digs a good hook to Russo's body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gracie. That's going to slow Russo down.
A looping hook to the body misses from Russo. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie connects with a nice looking jab.
Russo misses with a head kick.
Russo throws a head kick that half lands.
Gracie throws a front kick that sends Russo stumbling back into the cage.
Russo is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Russo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Gracie connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Russo momentarily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Russo closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Russo throws a lazy uppercut
and Gracie counters with a nice leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Russo tries a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Russo with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gracie to score with a decent uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gracie feints and then cracks Russo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Russo down.
Gracie scores with a jab. Russo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Russo steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Gracie. That one must have hurt.
A thudding body kick lands there by Gracie!
Gracie lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Russo misses with the combination.
Gracie dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Russo looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie moves out of range as Russo strikes.
Russo takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Russo throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Gracie tries a head kick but it misses.
Russo walks into a straight right hand from Gracie.
Russo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
A big left from Russo misses.
Russo throws a sloppy body shot
and Gracie connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gracie connects with the punch.
Gracie getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gracie throws a leg kick which misses Russo's front leg but catches the back leg as Russo tries to avoid it.
Gracie lands a nice looking body kick.
Russo closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Russo's guard.
Gracie lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Russo controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Gracie postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Russo keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie postures up and lands a big shot to Russo's brow.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Russo keeps moving.
Gracie cracks Russo with a solid left hand.

Gracie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Russo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gracie has managed to get both his arms back between Russo's legs - danger averted.
Gracie scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ricardo Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Russo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Vinny Russo's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gracie cracks Russo with a right hand to the side of the head.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Russo.
Russo misses the shot to the body.
Gracie scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Jab, jab by Gracie - just one landing.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie lunges at Russo with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Russo's hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Russo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie scores with a spinning back kick!
Gracie throws a body punch but Russo moves out of range.
Russo will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Russo takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Russo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Russo.
Russo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gracie.
Russo misses with a low kick.
Gracie is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gracie takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Russo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gracie.
Gracie lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gracie looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gracie moves out of range as Russo throws a body kick.
Ricardo Gracie seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gracie moves out of range of the leg kick from Russo.
Russo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Russo.
Russo tries to score with a low kick but Gracie moves his leg out of the way.
Vinny Russo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Russo as he avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Russo.
Russo throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Gracie pushes Russo away with a front kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Russo takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Gracie, right into the meat.
Nice shot by Gracie.
Russo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vinny Russo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie throws a front kick that sends Russo stumbling back into the cage.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Russo.
Gracie throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Russo takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie scores with a jab.
Russo takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Good leg kick by Gracie there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Russo misses with a lunging right hand

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Russo keeps moving.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Russo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands a nice shot to the head.
Russo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Russo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Russo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Gracie winds up and cracks Russo with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Russo actively working from the bottom here.
Russo is not content to let Gracie control the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Gracie!
After winning the bout, Ricardo Gracie thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
Vinny Russo was interviewed post fight and said 'I don't know. Guys, did you get that on tape?'.