PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicolas Muller (ranked 249 p4p, 11 weight class) and John Wayne Gracie (ranked 712 p4p, 31 weight class). Gracie comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Thriller by Michael Jackson kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Muller
vs
Wayne Gracie

219 cm
31
282 lbs
20 - 11 - 0

194 cm
31
269 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Urban Fighter

Sin City Allstars

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nicolas Muller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Wayne Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Russell Pearce and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie misses with a leg kick
letting Muller counter with a right hand.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Gracie.
Muller misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie throws out a powerful jab.

It looks like Nicolas Muller has been cut.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Muller.
Gracie misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Muller to counter with a crisp jab.
A head kick by Muller misses
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Muller counters with an inside leg kick.
Muller throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Gracie throws the kick towards the body but Muller avoids it.
Muller tries to counter by clinching up but Gracie breaks away and moves out of range.
A lazy body kick from Gracie
and Muller counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Some bone on bone action there as Muller checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muller looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
A good leg kick by Gracie.
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.
Muller is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Gracie.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Muller uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie lands a jab to Muller's midsection.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Muller lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Muller blocks a leg kick.
John Wayne Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muller paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Gracie with a jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Gracie.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Gracie has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gracie.
Gracie misses with a hook.
Muller moves away from the strike by Gracie.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A head kick misses from Muller.
Gracie takes a swing at Muller's ribcage but misses.
Muller checks a low kick from Gracie.
Muller checks a low kick from Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muller defending well as Gracie loads up on a big left hand.
Gracie throws a leg kick which misses Muller's front leg but catches the back leg as Muller tries to avoid it.
Gracie tries a low kick but Muller avoids it.
Gracie finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Muller wants to slow Gracie down by chopping away at his legs.
Gracie throws the left hand but Muller avoids the punch easily.
Muller tries to counter by clinching up but Gracie breaks away and moves out of range.
Muller pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie throws a leg kick but Muller sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Muller fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a looping right.
Muller is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Gracie.
Muller tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Muller.
And Muller counters with a quick kick to the body but Gracie blocks it.
That kick from Gracie tenderised Muller's leg. Muller is trying to keep his angry face on.
Gracie swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Muller went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Muller throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A low kick from Gracie is predictable there
and Muller connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nice body punch from Gracie.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Muller's head but Muller sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A little feinted left hand from Muller on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Wayne Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nicolas Muller's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie blocks a leg kick.
Muller looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
Muller ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Muller steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Gracie. That one must have hurt.
Gracie throws the kick towards the body but Muller avoids it.
Gracie lands a body shot.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie lands a nice hook to Muller's body. Muller takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Muller.
Muller is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Gracie.
Nicolas Muller is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Muller swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Muller takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Muller is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A leg kick checked by Muller.
Gracie throws a big shot that misses.
Muller moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Muller might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Gracie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Muller appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Muller counters with a two punch combo.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gracie misses with a lunging right hand
and Muller counters with a straight right hand.
Muller walks into a stiff left hand from Gracie.

Muller has closed the distance and engaged Gracie in a clinch.
Muller unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muller with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie lands a right hand.
Gracie tries a body shot but Muller blocks it.
Muller creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gracie's defenses.
Muller lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
Muller lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
Gracie wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Muller is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Muller with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Gracie is looking to control Muller's arms but Muller gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gracie has his back to the cage.
Gracie has a couple of punches blocked by Muller.
Muller blocks an uppercut.
Gracie pushes Muller back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Muller looks to throw an elbow but misses.
I was talking to Muller's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Gracie scores with a shot to the side of Muller's head.
Muller comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gracie throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mullers head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie blocks an elbow strike.
Muller comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Muller lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Gracie lands a body punch in the clinch.
Gracie misses with some punches.
Gracie has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Muller is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gracie throws a hook but Muller avoids it easily.
Muller tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Gracie manages to circle out of the way.
Muller tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gracie throws a leg kick that is checked
and Muller counters with a solid body kick.
Muller lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Gracie misses with a hook.
Muller thuds his shin into the meat of Gracie's side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Muller looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gracie throws the kick towards the body but Muller avoids it.
An attempted straight right counter from Muller misses the target.
Muller is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Muller blocks a jab.
Gracie is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
A jab from Muller finds it's way through Gracie's defenses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Muller misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gracie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Muller avoids the body shot from Gracie.
As Gracie tries to get set, Muller tries to push him back and clinch up but Gracie manages to avoid the attempt.
Gracie throws a leg kick which misses Muller's front leg but catches the back leg as Muller tries to avoid it.
Muller blocks the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nicolas Muller will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nicolas Muller'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 takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Gracie throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A lazy body kick from Gracie
and Muller counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Gracie is rocked!
Gracie tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gracie scores with a spinning back kick!
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Muller moves away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Gracie.
Gracie throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gracie lands with a short shot to the head.
Muller trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muller pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Muller prevents a body shot from Gracie.
Muller lands a nice elbow.
Gracie blocks the elbow strike.
Muller creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Muller looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Muller throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Gracie throws a head punch that misses.
Gracie pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gracie throws a punch but it's blocked by Muller.
Muller has Gracie pressed against the cage, preventing Gracie from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
With the fighters up against the cage, Muller throws an elbow but misses.
Still in the clinch, Gracie scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gracie managing to block the knees to the body from Muller.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Muller checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muller tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Muller avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Muller misses with a head kick.
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Muller was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.
Muller scores with a spinning back kick!
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Muller has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A chopping leg kick lands by Gracie.
A thudding body kick lands there by Muller!
Muller's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gracie attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Muller is looking to counter the offense by Gracie and move into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muller lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Muller pushes Gracie away with a front kick.
Gracie has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Muller.
Muller tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
Gracie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A telegraphed right hand from Gracie misses the target.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Muller is just out of range.
Muller is looking for a counter combo.
Gracie lands a nice leg kick that just misses Muller's sensitive parts.
Muller uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Muller throws a big counter combination but Gracie scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Gracie with a nice cross.
Gracie looks to land a body kick but Muller moved away.
Muller looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muller keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Muller seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Gracie lands a body shot.
John Wayne Gracie seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Muller moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Muller misses with a knee to the head.
Gracie misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Gracie fails to land.
Nicolas Muller has scored more points in the clinch so far.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gracie.
Gracie lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A short uppercut from Gracie.

Gracie manages to pull guard.
Muller's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Wayne Gracie.
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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... John Wayne Gracie!
A victorious John Wayne Gracie thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.