PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Gracie (ranked 4158 p4p, 421 weight class) and Ibbe Ribbler (ranked 2682 p4p, 288 weight class). Ribbler comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Bad Religion - Infected kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Ibbe Ribbler has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Gracie
vs
Ribbler

176 cm
27
168 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

180 cm
27
165 lbs
10 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ricardo Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ibbe Ribbler!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ribbler tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie attempts a counter takedown but Ribbler avoids it well and moves away.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Ribbler sprawls well.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Ribbler.
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ribbler circles away.
Ricardo Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ribbler instigates a clinch.
Ribbler scores with a shot to the side of Gracie's head.
Ribbler holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Ribbler trying to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right hook to the body lands for Ribbler.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Ribbler holds him up against the ropes and eventually Gracie drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ribbler stalling the fight.
Ribbler misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie prevents a body shot from Ribbler.

Gracie pulls guard successfully.
Gracie seems keen to control Ribbler's posture.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Ribbler from controlling successfully.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Ribbler postures up.
Ribbler lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ribbler landing with the ground and pound.
Gracie striking off his back.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ribbler doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ribbler manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Ribbler distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ribbler got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ribbler has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Ribbler cracks Gracie with a solid left hand.
Ribbler chips away with some ground and pound.
Ribbler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ribbler scoring with punches to the head and body.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Gracie working for a triangle but Ribbler defends it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ribbler wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ibbe Ribbler dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie fails with the takedown.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.

Gracie gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ribbler to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ribbler scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ribbler with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ribbler wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Ribbler with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Ribbler is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.

Gracie looking for subs off his back but Ribbler has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ribbler uses his free foot to push down on Gracie's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Gracie.
Gracie slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Ribbler sits in half guard.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ribbler lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ribbler working over Gracie with some ground and pound. Gracie looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Gracie is rocked!
Gracie keeping control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie taking some punishment here, with Ribbler in his half guard.
Oh Gracie is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gracie seems to have got his legs back now.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Ribbler slips a nice elbow through Gracie's hands, connecting with Gracie's forehead.
Ribbler seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ribbler passes to side control.
Ribbler has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ribbler working the ground and pound from side control.
Ribbler in side control here. He's dropped a big elbow there and Gracie looks hurt! Oh, he is hurt! Ribbler turns on the heat and pounds him out for a TKO victory! Good killer instinct there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ibbe Ribbler!
An out of breath Ibbe Ribbler thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.