PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mustaffa Spliff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royler Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Spliff is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Spliff
vs
Gracie

188 cm
36
185 lbs
42 - 47 - 0

225 cm
28
277 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Very quick

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 42 - 47 - 0, fighting out of London, Mustaffa Spliff!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Royler Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Jorge Garcia and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
Spliff is breathing heavily.
Gracie has his takedown stuffed
letting Spliff counter with a right hand.
Spliff fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie tries to score a power double leg takedown but Spliff sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gracie somewhat.
Mustaffa Spliff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royler Gracie.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Spliff sprawls well. Spliff wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gracie darts in looking for a takedown but Spliff gets double underhooks and turns Gracie into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spliff prevents the takedown attempt.

Gracie breaks the clinch.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spliff tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Spliff counters with a nice body kick.
Spliff tries to clinch up.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and Spliff counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.

Gracie gets a double leg takedown into Spliff's guard.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Spliff keeps moving.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

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

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Spliff keeps working.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Spliff defending well.

Gracie seems to be working for a kimura but Spliff defends the submission attempt.

That's four 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.
Spliff wants to get back to his feet.

Spliff is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Spliff is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royler Gracie dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Spliff counters with a nice leg kick.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Spliff sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Spliff taking a breather.

Spliff's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Gracie feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Spliff keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Gracie gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie dives in and grabs Spliff's left leg, looking for a takedown. Spliff pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Mustaffa Spliff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royler Gracie.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Spliff displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gracie goes for a double leg but Spliff avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Spliff continues to drive forward.
Gracie has Spliff pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Spliff manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Spliff creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Spliff pushes Gracie back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Gracie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mustaffa Spliff seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Spliff saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Spliff sprawls well.
Spliff wants to clinch.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Spliff counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Spliff counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Spliff sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Spliff's waist but Spliff gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Spliff sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and Spliff counters with a slapping leg kick.

Spliff rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Spliff manages to break the clinch.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Spliff counters with a nice uppercut.

Spliff rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Spliff working aggressively here.
Gracie wants a takedown but no success here.
Spliff is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Spliff lands with a left to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie goes for a takedown in the clinch but Spliff prevents it.
Spliff softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Spliff lands a shoulder strike.
Gracie tries for a takedown. No joy.

Spliff breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Spliff tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
Horrible takedown attempt by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Spliff, which made it look bad.
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!
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Royler Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Spliff fails with an attempt to clinch.

Gracie shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Spliff's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mustaffa Spliff dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Spliff.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Spliff pinned against the cage. Spliff gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gracie decides to stand back up. Gracie steps back and let's Spliff get back to his feet.
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Spliff circles away.
Mustaffa Spliff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royler Gracie.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Spliff sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Spliff is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and Spliff counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Spliff displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Spliff fails with an attempt to clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gracie.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Spliff, who protects the arm well.
Spliff is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control the action but Spliff is working from the bottom.
Spliff might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Spliff pushes Gracie away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Gracie gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Spliff is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spliff is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four 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.
Spliff is not content to let Gracie control the position.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Spliff knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Spliff wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

And that's the end of the fight!
Royler Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Royler Gracie!
A determined Royler Gracie didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!