PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eduardo Borba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mateus Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mateus Gracie is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Borba
vs
Gracie

195 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Borba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mateus Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Edson Gomes and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Borba.
Borba wants a takedown but no success here.
Borba drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
Borba tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eduardo Borba. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Borba pulls guard.
Gracie passes Borba's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Borba is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Gracie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Borba is doing well to control the position and prevent Gracie from advancing to side control.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Borba defends it well.
Borba is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borba is trying to stand.

Gracie is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Borba doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gracie.
Gracie wants to stand but Borba has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Borba is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Borba is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gracie tries to keep at a distance but Borba has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gracie wants to break free but Borba has control.
Borba fails to pull guard.
Gracie wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gracie working aggressively here.
Borba wants a takedown.
Gracie is working for takedown but Borba is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
Gracie looks gassed!
Borba goes for a takedown in the clinch but Gracie prevents it.
Borba lands a knee to the body.

Borba has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Gracie is trying to keep an underhook but Borba manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Borba working over Gracie with some ground and pound. Gracie looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Gracie wants to improve his position but Borba is controlling well.
Borba looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Borba wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.
Borba takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Borba escapes and gets back to his feet.

Borba closes the distance and clinches.

Borba jumps into guard, dragging Gracie to the mat.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Borba is retaining full guard.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Borba controlling Gracie's posture.
Gracie trying to stand up but can't free himself from Borba's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Borba is keeping the position.
Borba is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gracie is controlling him.
Gracie lands a couple of elbows.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch

and Borba counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Borba is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eduardo Borba dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch
and Borba counters with a three punch combo that has Gracie backing up. Gracie nods at Borba to acknowledge the strikes.

Borba drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Borba in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Gracie tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Borba pulls his head out easily.
Borba looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Gracie trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Borba controlling the pace for now.
Gracie working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gracie tries to improve his position but instead Borba has taken his back!
Borba biding his time, controlling Gracie.
Borba keeps control of the position as Gracie tries to break free.
Borba lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Borba biding his time, looking for the opening.
Borba softening up his opponent with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie holding both Borba 's hands and preventing any damage.

Gracie is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Borba controlling well, preventing Gracie from escaping the position.
What can Gracie do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
I really don't envy Gracie right now.

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.

Borba tightening his grip on Gracie, looking for the choke.
Borba tries to keep control of the position but Gracie is staying busy.
Borba lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Borba throwing damaging strikes from the back! Gracie could be in trouble here!
Gracie tries to escape but Borba has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Borba is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Gracie is defending well though. Borba let's go of the attempt for now.

Borba working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eduardo Borba dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Borba tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gracie swivels and escapes.
Gracie looks to clinch

and Borba counters with a takedown into side control.
Gracie is not content to let Borba control the position.
Gracie sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Borba wants to pass the guard but Gracie is defending well.
Gracie is trying to control but Borba passes into side control!
Eduardo Borba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie wants to control but Borba postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie is letting Borba control him for a moment.
Gracie manages to get back to half guard.
Borba seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Borba is tying to control. Gracie wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Gracie moves into full guard.
Gracie thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

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

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.
Borba trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Borba tries to stand but Gracie is controlling from the bottom.

Gracie isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Borba stacks Gracie 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 Borba!
Borba gets to mount! Gracie was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Borba in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie can't escape the position.
Gracie wants to control but Borba is having none of it.
Gracie is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Borba is staying active.
Gracie throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Borba maintains control.
Gracie sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gracie manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gracie is trying to keep Borba in close.
Borba makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

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.

Borba stands up and waves to Gracie to follow him.
Gracie wants to clinch
and Borba counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Borba closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie is working for takedown but Borba is calmly controlling the position for now.

Gracie tightens his grip and picks Borba up, before dumping him to the ground. Borba manages to land in guard.
Gracie postures up.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Borba not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Borba manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Eduardo Borba.
Well Borba has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eduardo Borba!