PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zero Striking (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Striking
vs
Gracie

180 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zero Striking!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jose Gracie!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Daniel Franklin and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Striking with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Striking misses with a takedown

and Gracie counters by clinching up.
Striking tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gracie smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zero Striking. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Striking doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Striking manages to get to full guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Striking keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Striking is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Striking looking to control.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Striking works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Striking keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Striking's head.
Striking keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

Striking looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Striking had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gracie defends it easily.

Striking isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gracie stacks Striking on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Gracie!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Striking keeps working.
Striking tries to buck Gracie off but Gracie is having none of it.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Striking sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.
Striking postures up.
Gracie is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Striking avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Striking regains full guard. Nicely done.
Striking 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.

Striking throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Striking is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Striking manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Striking's guard.
Striking trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Striking keeps moving.
Striking is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.

Striking working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gracie is stalling in the full guard.

Striking is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gracie is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Gracie dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Striking with a poor takedown
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Striking misses with a takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.

Striking had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gracie defends it easily.
Striking is looking to sweep but instead, Gracie has passed into half guard.
Gracie scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Striking looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Striking is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gracie lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Striking is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Jose Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Striking is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Striking makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Striking.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Striking is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Striking is trying to hold Gracie in close to prevent damage but Gracie has managed to pass into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Striking is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Striking tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Striking regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Striking not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Striking is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Striking looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Striking is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie prevents Striking from improving his position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Gracie feints and as Striking raises his hands in defense, Gracie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gracie passes Striking's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Striking is trying to control but can't.
Gracie is keen to just control but Striking is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Striking is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Striking is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Striking shoots and misses

and Gracie counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Gracie ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gracie no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Striking from controlling successfully.
Striking tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Striking is working hard here to advance position.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gracie has his foot on Striking's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Striking works his way back into a safe position though.
Striking preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Striking content to stall in guard here.
Striking looking to pass the guard.
Striking advances to half guard.
Gracie tries to get to full guard but Striking has control of the leg.

Striking is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gracie has managed to free his arm - good work.

Striking seems to be looking for submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.

Striking is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Striking wants to pass to mount but Gracie is defending the position.
Gracie gets full guard.
Gracie working a defensive guard but Striking passes into half guard.
Striking is stalling here. Gracie is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Striking seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Gracie has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Striking is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Striking moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gracie accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Striking has wrist control.

Striking had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gracie defends it easily.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie postures up in Striking's guard and throws a big left but Striking blocks it.
Striking avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Striking.
Gracie trying to control but Striking is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Striking is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Striking manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Striking's guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Striking.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Striking tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Gracie has Striking pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Gracie pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Striking tumbling to the mat - Gracie dives into Striking's guard.
Zero Striking has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jose Gracie is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Striking is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose 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 David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Gracie!