PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darwin France (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). France's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, bring me to life. Gracie has chosen Bring Da Ruckus as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

France
vs
Gracie

185 cm
29
158 lbs
26 - 9 - 0

170 cm
43
158 lbs
39 - 25 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Project Mayhem
LOPS 160q + 90% Laundry

LOPS 160q + 90% Laundry

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 26 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Darwin France!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 39 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Renato Gracie!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie defending well as France loads up on a big left hand.
France misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
France misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
France lands a glancing blow to the side of Gracie's head.
A jab from France finds it's way through Gracie's defenses.
Gracie shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
France fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
France darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but France is just out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as France shoots in.
France fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gracie avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darwin France. That's going to take a lot out of him.
France pushes Gracie away with a front kick.
Renato Gracie is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by France.
Gracie throws a sloppy body shot
and France counters with a nice uppercut.
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from France.
France misses with a right hand
and Gracie counters with a straight right hand.
France throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
France shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and France counters with a stiff right hand.
Gracie leaves France with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Gracie bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps France's head backwards.
Gracie throws a solid leg kick but France takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Gracie.
France feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gracies jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie cracks the inside of France's front leg.
France misses with a hook
and Gracie counters with a slapping leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
France throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
France throws out a leg kick but Gracie moves out of range and France only half commits.
France throws a body kick that misses.
France throws a leg kick
and Gracie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A big left from France misses.
Gracie throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
France feints and then cracks Gracie's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gracie down.
Gracie connects with a crisp jab.

France is rocked!
France lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Oh France is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A big left from France misses.
France changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gracie tries to avoid it but France manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gracie to the ground. Gracie escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
France is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to score with a low kick but France moves his leg out of the way.
France seems to have got his legs back now.
Some wild striking there from Gracie.
France connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gracie's hands.
Darwin France seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
France blocks a jab.
A big right from Gracie misses.
Nice uppercut lands for Gracie. That snapped France's head back.
Gracie goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
France shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
France displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by France.
France throws a body shot but no joy.
Gracie throws a leg kick but France sees it coming and moves out of range.
France tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie throws a quick inside leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for France.
A jab from France misses.
France lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by France.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

France shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than France was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Gracie controls the position for a moment.
You can see the frustration on Gracie's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Darwin France will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

France throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.
France misses with a body shot.
France keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

France shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gracie struggling a bit here.
Gracie manages to work his way to half guard, despite France's best efforts.
Gracie is trying to stand.
Gracie moves into full guard.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing France from controlling successfully.
France really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
France throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
France pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gracie holds on and takes a little breather.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gracie wants to sweep here but France controlling him for the moment.
France will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
France landing with the ground and pound.
France with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
France postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

France thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gracie can't keep his opponent in guard - France advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but France is on him like a limpet, forcing Gracie back against the cage.
Gracie misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gracie throws a punch but it's blocked by France.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Gracie.
Gracie working some nice short punches in the clinch.
I was talking to France's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Gracie throws an elbow but it misses.
Gracie lands a shoulder strike.
France blocks a punch to the side of the head.
France blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
France blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
France blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gracie working France over with knees to the body.
Gracie lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gracie throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Gracie fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nice elbow from Gracie.

It looks like Darwin France has been cut.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Gracie obliges.

France pulls guard successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

France is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie is looking to stand up but France won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but France is keeping the position.

Gracie wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of France's closed guard. He's half up but France has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! France pivots and extends the arm, Gracie falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by France! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Darwin France!
A victorious Darwin France thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.