PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mairbek Krylov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mairbek Krylov will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Gracie
vs
Krylov

177 cm
28
215 lbs
15 - 8 - 1

188 cm
27
209 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
KO power

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Perkele!
Mohito Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rodrigo Gracie !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mairbek Krylov!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Phil Schofield and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie throws out a leg kick but Krylov moves out of range and Gracie only half commits.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Krylov.
Gracie turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Krylov's calf.
Gracie has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Gracie takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Krylov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie loads up on a big right hand but Krylov slips the punch.
Gracie swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Krylov looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krylov blocks a jab.
Gracie throws a hook but Krylov avoids it easily.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Krylov! But no joy.
Gracie is looking to score with low kicks.
It seemed like Krylov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie .
Gracie throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Krylov has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gracie .
Krylov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie .
Krylov checks a low kick from Gracie .
Krylov jabs Gracie to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Krylov sprawls well. Krylov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Krylov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Krylov looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Mairbek Krylov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Gracie shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Krylov is trying to defend but Gracie finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Krylov tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Gracie is trying to control. Krylov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Gracie perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Gracie is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Krylov doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gracie .
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krylov is not content to let Gracie control the position.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Krylov defends it well.
Gracie content to control rather than advance.
Krylov wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gracie keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Krylov is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Krylov is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Krylov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie wants to pass to mount but Krylov is defending the position.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Krylov is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Krylov is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Krylov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Gracie dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gracie pivots, looking for a leg kick but Krylov is out of range and Gracie settles back down.
It seemed like Krylov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Krylov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.
Krylov is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Gracie with a body shot.
Krylov throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie 's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Krylov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krylov misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Krylov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gracie goes for a double leg but Krylov avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Krylov continues to drive forward.
A little jabbing left from Krylov on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Krylov can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracie controls the pace.
Gracie might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Krylov keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Krylov keeps moving.
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Krylov is keeping the position for now.
Krylov is trying to keep Gracie in close.
Krylov keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two 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.
Gracie throws a body punch but Krylov moves out of range.
Rodrigo Gracie is winning the standup battle so far.
Krylov misses with a looping right.
Gracie appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Krylov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Krylov.
Gracie looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Krylov connects with a body shot that sends Gracie 's belly button to the back.
Gracie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Krylov.
Gracie looks to land a right hand but Krylov moved out of range.
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Krylov.
Krylov checks the leg kick.
Gracie does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Gracie throws a shot from downtown. Krylov moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Krylov checks a leg kick.
Krylov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Krylov swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie misses with a right hand
and Krylov counters with a stiff right hand.
Gracie misses with a right hand
and Krylov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Krylov cracks Gracie with a right hand to the side of the head.
Krylov checks a leg kick.
Krylov looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Gracie misses with a hook to the body
and Krylov counters with a right hand to the body.
Gracie throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Krylov is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gracie paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rodrigo Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Krylov misses the shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A looping hook to the body misses from Krylov. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie misses with an uppercut. Krylov saw that one coming.
Krylov looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gracie throws a low kick but Krylov moves out of range easily.
Gracie is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Krylov's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Krylov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
It seemed like Krylov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Krylov.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Krylov! But no joy.
Krylov throws a good cross that connects.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie . Krylov does a little dance to reset his feet.
A swing and a miss from Krylov.
Krylov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mairbek Krylov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Gracie 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Krylov looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.

Gracie shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Krylov has one foot on Gracie 's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses.
It seemed like Krylov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Krylov missing with a left hand there. Gracie was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Krylov looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
Krylov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie .
Krylov punishes Gracie 's body with a nice straight punch.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Krylov.
As Krylov backs away, Gracie returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Krylov swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krylov moves out of range of the leg kick from Gracie .
A countering left hand to the body from Krylov misses.
Krylov checks a leg kick nicely.
Krylov swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Krylov, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Krylov against the cage but Krylov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gracie moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Krylov lands an overhand right.
Nice takedown defense from Krylov. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
The fighters circling - Krylov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gracie tried to counter with a leg kick but Krylov avoided it.

Gracie throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Krylov was covering up waiting for the punch and Gracie finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
Gracie engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Krylov keeps moving.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Krylov is retaining full guard.
Gracie trying to control but Krylov is working from the bottom.
Rodrigo Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie postures up.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Krylov swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie attempts a counter takedown but Krylov avoids it well and moves away.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Krylov sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Krylov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Gracie . That's going to take a lot out of him.
A jab from Krylov misses.
Krylov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A clash of legs there as Krylov blocks the low kick.
Krylov throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Krylov slips under a jab from Gracie .
Gracie slips under a jab.
Gracie misses with a hook
and Krylov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Krylov tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Krylov to the ground. Krylov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Krylov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Krylov sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Krylov defending well as Gracie loads up on a big left hand.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Krylov stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie misses with a leg kick.
Gracie swings away with a body shot that misses
and Krylov counters with a left to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mairbek Krylov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Krylov 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mairbek Krylov!
Mairbek Krylov seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.