PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Helson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cheng Xiao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Gracie
vs
Xiao

175 cm
18
184 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

210 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Helson Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cheng Xiao!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Luis Engracia and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xiao connects with a jab.
Gracie throws a right hand that Xiao ducks under and follows up with a left that Xiao also avoids with ease.

Gracie fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Xiao sprawls well initially but Gracie persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Xiao has one foot on Gracie's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Nice combo by Xiao! Oh, that's hurt him - Gracie falls to the canvas and Xiao follows him into side control.

Gracie is rocked!

It looks like Helson Gracie has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Xiao working the ground and pound.
Oh Gracie is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Xiao stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Nice sprawl there from Xiao as Gracie shoots in.
Gracie seems to have got his legs back now.
Xiao drops Gracie with a left and a right! Oh, Gracie is hurt - Xiao dives into side control looking to finish!
Gracie sneaks back into half guard.
Gracie wants to improve his position but Xiao is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Xiao is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Xiao is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xiao misses with a jab, cross combination.
Xiao looks gassed!
A punch combination from Xiao misses.
Xiao tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
Xiao throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Xiao swinging wilding here.

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gracie slips a nice elbow through Xiao's hands, connecting with Xiao's forehead.
Xiao tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Gracie scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Gracie works his foot free and advances to mount.
Gracie lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie cracks Xiao with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gracie lands a big elbow.
Gracie cracks Xiao with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gracie lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Xiao hang on?
Xiao is looking to get to half guard.
Gracie putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Xiao working to try and regain half guard.
Gracie lands with some strikes.
Gracie prevents Xiao from getting the reversal.
Xiao in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Xiao is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.
Gracie scoring with strikes but Xiao is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xiao keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gracie in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Xiao is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Gracie punishing his opponent with strikes.
Xiao wants to try and get back to his feet.

Gracie is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Xiao can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Xiao keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Xiao bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Xiao trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.

Xiao stands up from Gracie's guard - Xiao perhaps looking for a knockout.
Xiao catches Gracie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Gracie tries to clinch but Xiao is having none of it.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Xiao pinned against the cage. Xiao gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Xiao looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Jab, jab by Xiao - just one landing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gracie scores a takedown into full mount!
Gracie with good strikes from the mount here!
Gracie lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Xiao hang on?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cheng Xiao dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Helson Gracie's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Xiao.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Xiao is working away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Xiao can do anything to dispel that myth.
Xiao is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gracie scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gracie looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Xiao on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gracie winds up and cracks Xiao with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Xiao wants to get back to his feet.
Xiao flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ground and pound from Gracie.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

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.
Xiao is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gracie scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xiao keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Xiao keeps moving.
Gracie might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Xiao is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Xiao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Xiao wants to stand and escape but Gracie is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Gracie decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Xiao is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helson Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gracie lands a nice short elbow.
Xiao wants to get back to his feet.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Xiao is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him
Xiao taking some punishment here, with Gracie in his half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Xiao lands a nice shot that snaps Gracie's head back.
Xiao misses with a two punch combination.
Xiao throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Gracie gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Gracie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie misses with a combination
and Xiao cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gracie has a takedown stuffed.
Helson Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Nice jab there from Xiao.
Xiao misses with a two punch combination.
Xiao is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Xiao.
Gracie misses with a wild combination.
Xiao lands a lovely overhand right.
Gracie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Xiao counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Gracie wants to clinch.

Xiao gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Xiao working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gracie.
Gracie preventing the sweep.
Gracie with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Xiao swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie throwing strikes from guard but Xiao blocks nicely.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Xiao is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Xiao has escaped and now he's on top!
Gracie trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Xiao postures up.

Xiao gets to his feet. Gracie looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Cheng Xiao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Xiao connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gracie's hands.
Xiao tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Gracie fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Xiao sprawls well initially but Gracie persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Xiao is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Helson Gracie dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Helson Gracie's cut.
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!

Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Xiao tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Xiao uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gracie has time to react.
Xiao throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Xiao cracks a nice hook into Gracie's ribs.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Xiao sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Helson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gracie scores a takedown into full mount!
Xiao keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Gracie.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie landing punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gracie cracks Xiao with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Xiao is looking to get to half guard.
Gracie with shots to the head and body - Xiao looks very uncomfortable down there.
Gracie looking to finish Xiao with some ground and pound. This is bad for Xiao!
Gracie postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Xiao looks a forlorn figure.
Xiao is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie working the ground and pound effectively.
Xiao tries to buck Gracie off but he can't manage it.
Gracie lands a heavy elbow.
Gracie scoring with strikes but Xiao is staying in there.

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.
Xiao is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie breaks from Xiao's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Gracie lands a big elbow.
Gracie prevents Xiao from getting the reversal.
Gracie pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gracie unloading with bombs!
Xiao sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Xiao is trying to stand up here but Gracie is controlling him well.
Xiao gets full guard.

Xiao scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Xiao lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Xiao.

Gracie has Xiao up against the cage in a clinch.

Gracie lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xiao tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Gracie looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Xiao pushes Gracie off looking to stand but Gracie dives back in and keeps control.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Xiao is having none of it.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.
Xiao is looking to escape.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Xiao is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Xiao with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Xiao scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Xiao is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Gracie lands some shots froms side control.
Xiao takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands an elbow.
Xiao is trying to buck Gracie off.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.
Xiao regains half guard.
Xiao is trying to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Xiao fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Xiao misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie throws a nice looking combination but Xiao bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Xiao scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gracie lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Gracie scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Helson Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28

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