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TWGC 23 (145lbs, D1): London Qualifier - Round 2 PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight Tycoon World Grappling Championship rules bout between Free Agent Steel Penn (ranked 4845 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rollo Gracie (ranked 648 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Gracie's choice of entrance music: Jiu Jitsu: Apaga Mas Não Bate. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the featherweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of Hilo, with a TWGC record of 10 wins and 6 losses; Free Agent Steel Penn! And in the blue corner, fighting out of London, with a TWGC record of 6 wins and 2 losses; Rollo Gracie! The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Donald Grub and Colin Fotheringham.
The fighters bow as they face eachother in the middle of the mat and we are under way. The fight moves into the clinch position. Steel Penn turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Steel Penn manages to end up in side control. Score +4 for clean takedown past guard: Steel Penn (4) vs (0) Gracie Gracie is trying to improve his position. Steel Penn thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead. Gracie is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Steel Penn's leg. He's managed it. Nice work. Steel Penn seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back. We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up. Gracie tries to get to full guard but Steel Penn has control of the leg. Steel Penn seems to be looking for submissions.
That's one minute gone in the round. Steel Penn is trying to control. Gracie wants to improve his position but can't escape this time. Gracie has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it. We've been hearing good reports from Steel Penn's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today. Steel Penn is pressing down on Gracie's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gracie is holding on for now. Gracie is positioning himself well to prevent Steel Penn advancing to mount. Steel Penn is looking for a kimura but Gracie is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Steel Penn to get the leverage. Gracie is trying to maintain the position but Steel Penn is very close to passing his half guard. Gracie slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
That's two minutes gone in the round. Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Steel Penn is proving a slippery customer.
Steel Penn trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom. Steel Penn passes easily into side control. Nice work. Score +3 for passing guard: Steel Penn (7) vs (0) Gracie Gracie manages to work his way to half guard, despite Steel Penn's best efforts. Gracie is looking to improve his position.
Steel Penn trying to mount his opponent but Gracie defends it. The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work. Gracie is looking to control Steel Penn's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gracie avoid being mounted?
That's three minutes gone in the round. Gracie is staying active underneath Steel Penn, who seems content to just control the action from this position. Steel Penn is working for a kimura but Gracie is defending it quite comfortably.
Steel Penn tries to pass to full mount but Gracie defends it.
That's four minutes gone in the round. Steel Penn seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt. Steel Penn is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Gracie sees it coming and defends easily. Steel Penn looking to pass the half guard. Not this time. Steel Penn is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Steel Penn is stalling here. Gracie is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Steel Penn seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Gracie has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work. Score +4 for clean sweep to past guard: Steel Penn (7) vs (4) Gracie
That's five minutes gone in the round. The referee asks Gracie politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Gracie prefers to stall for the moment though. Steel Penn sneaks back into half guard. Steel Penn wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Steel Penn has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Gracie escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Gracie! Score +3 for passing guard: Steel Penn (7) vs (7) Gracie
That's six minutes gone in the round. Gracie tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it. Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Steel Penn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom. Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything. Steel Penn is looking for a sweep.
That's seven minutes gone in the round. Steel Penn can't do much from the bottom here. Steel Penn prevents Gracie from improving position. Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Steel Penn, who protects the arm well. Steel Penn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control. Steel Penn is working hard here to advance position.
That's eight minutes gone in the round. Steel Penn regains half guard there - taking advantage of Gracie's attempt to lay and pray for a moment. Steel Penn is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily. Steel Penn looking for submissions off his back. Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Steel Penn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom. The fighters are battling for position here. Steel Penn manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
That's nine minutes gone in the round. Steel Penn wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment. Steel Penn bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gracie's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Steel Penn (9) vs (7) Gracie There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gracie is on top in guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Steel Penn (9) vs (9) Gracie Steel Penn throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steel Penn is keeping the position for now.
That's ten minutes gone in the round. Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance. It looks like Gracie might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it. Steel Penn keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round. Steel Penn is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive. Gracie trying to control but Steel Penn is working from the bottom. Steel Penn is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round. Steel Penn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance. Steel Penn wants to sweep but no luck. Gracie showing good wrestling skills to control the position. Gracie advances position into side control! Score +3 for passing guard: Steel Penn (9) vs (12) Gracie Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steel Penn keeps working.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round. Steel Penn gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there! Score +2 for reaching mount: Steel Penn (9) vs (14) Gracie Steel Penn regains half guard. Well, if Gracie is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Gracie is working for a kimura but Steel Penn is defending it quite comfortably.
Steel Penn tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control. The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round. Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Steel Penn defends it. Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out! Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Steel Penn defends it well.
And that's the end of the fight! Gracie wins on points by 14 to 9. In his post fight interview, Rollo Gracie started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception. |
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