PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Big Tree (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these fighters are unbeaten, so somebody's 0 has got to go!Big Tree has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Tree

170 cm
25
195 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

170 cm
26
176 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Atlantis

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Antonio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Big Tree!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Santiago Holmes and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tree lands with a hook. Gracie tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

It looks like Antonio Gracie has been cut.
Tree pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Tree ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Tree throws a body kick that misses

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Gracie escapes and gets back to his feet.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Big Tree seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tree with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Tree.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tree as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tree scores with a shot to the body.
Gracie avoids a kick to the body.
Tree scores with a jab to the head.
Tree throws a body shot but no joy.
Tree takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
A head kick misses from Tree.
Gracie tries to counter with a takedown but Tree is quick to defend against it.
Tree loads up on a big right hand but Gracie slips the punch.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Tree sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.

Tree gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Tree counters with a nice uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tree fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie tries to counter with a takedown but Tree is quick to defend against it.

Tree tries to sprawl but Gracie drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Gracie stands up out of the half guard.
Nice sprawl there from Tree as Gracie shoots in.
Tree darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Tree, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Tree against the cage but Tree circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Tree feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Gracie sprawling to the canvas! Gracie rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Tree finish him?!

Gracie is rocked!
Tree jabs Gracie to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Oh Gracie is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Tree stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Tree connects with a body shot.
Gracie seems to have got his legs back now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.

Tree is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Tree pushes Gracie off looking to stand but Gracie dives back in and keeps control.
Tree has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.

Gracie decides to return to a standing position.
Tree swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tree misses with a wild body shot.
Tree jabs Gracie to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Gracie takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Tree looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tree. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tree scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gracie doesn't seem bothered though.
Tree misses with a body shot

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tree!

Gracie stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Tree pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Tree.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tree ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gracie's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Tree connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gracie scrambles back to his feet.
Antonio Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A lazy left from Tree finds it's target.
Tree misses the shot to the body.
Gracie feinted with a counter takedown.
Tree misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Tree is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gracie rather than just go for the knockout.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Tree sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Tree gets caught flat footed, as Gracie shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Gracie decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie darts in looking for a takedown but Tree gets double underhooks and turns Gracie into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tree sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tree looking for a sweep. Not yet Tree, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tree just misses with a punch to the body.
Tree throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gracie stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Tree with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tree leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Tree throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Tree pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Gracie back to the cage. Tree follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Big Tree is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tree lands with a good body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tree lands a slapping body shot.
Tree has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tree misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Tree didn't expect that.
Tree is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Gracie gets to his feet. Tree looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Tree displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Tree misses with a kick to the body.
Tree slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tree defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Tree throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Tree showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Antonio Gracie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Tree stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tree throws a body shot but no joy.
Tree throws a predictable looking body shot

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

Tree is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Gracie gets a takedown into half guard.

Gracie stands up out of the half guard.
Gracie looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Tree cracks Gracie with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Tree

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Tree didn't expect that.

Gracie stands up from Tree's guard - Gracie perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tree stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tree but Tree pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Gracie on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tree lands a lovely overhand right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tree throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.
Tree throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie attempts a counter takedown but Tree avoids it well and moves away.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Tree now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Gracie stands up from half guard.
Tree thuds his shin into the meat of Gracie's side.
Tree throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gracie tries to counter with a takedown but Tree is quick to defend against it.
Tree swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Tree throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie feinted with a counter takedown.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Tree. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Tree fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Gracie stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Tree throws out a leg kick but Gracie moves out of range and Tree only half commits.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Tree.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tree's waist but Tree gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Tree, which made it look bad.
Tree throws a head kick that misses

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.

Gracie stands up and beckons Tree to his feet.
Tree misses with a body shot.

Gracie shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Tree is trying to defend but Gracie finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Gracie stands up and beckons Tree to join him on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Tree 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Big Tree!