PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Marciano (ranked 113 p4p, 150 weight class) and Link Gaetz (ranked 18 p4p, 24 weight class). Marciano comes to the cage accompanied by a shirt that reads, 'Giant Killer'. Rocco Marciano has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Marciano
vs
Gaetz

195 cm
34
253
25 - 12 - 3

194 cm
36
245
24 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Convicted Trap House
Conviction

HELLS BALLS RECOVERY
Conviction

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 25 - 12 - 3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rocco Marciano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Link Gaetz!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Kenichi Hosakawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaetz lands a two punch combo.
Marciano throws a big shot that misses.
Link Gaetz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gaetz throws a poor cross that misses
and Marciano cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gaetz misses with a leg kick
and Marciano counters with a low kick, right behind Gaetz 's knee.
Marciano avoids the body shot from Gaetz.
Marciano seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Marciano throws a leg kick that is checked
and Gaetz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A jab from Gaetz misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Marciano misses the target.
Gaetz throws a leg kick
and Marciano counters with a nice uppercut.
Gaetz rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Marciano counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaetz missing with a left hand there. Marciano was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Marciano throws a sloppy body shot
and Gaetz counters with a nice uppercut.
Marciano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gaetz has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Gaetz swings widly with a right hand
and Gaetz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gaetz missing with a left hand there. Marciano was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A thudding body kick lands there by Marciano!
Gaetz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Marciano.
Gaetz only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Gaetz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaetz misses with a lunging right hand
and Marciano counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gaetz takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A low kick from Marciano is predictable there
and Gaetz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gaetz misses with a leg kick
and Marciano counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gaetz throws a looping overhand right but Marciano ducks down to avoid it.
Marciano throws a quick counter kick to the body but Gaetz avoids it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gaetz misses the shot to the body.
Gaetz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gaetz fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gaetz throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Marciano to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Gaetz.
Marciano fires out a quick counter leg kick but Gaetz just manages to avoid it.
Gaetz misses with a hook to the body
and Marciano counters with a stiff right hand.
A lazy body kick from Marciano
and Gaetz counters with an outside leg kick.
Jab from Gaetz.
Gaetz misses with a left hand
and Marciano counters with a nice uppercut.
Gaetz takes a swing at Marciano's ribcage but misses.
As Gaetz backs away, Marciano returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Marciano gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaetz lands a head shot.
Gaetz connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Marciano tries to move into range but Gaetz moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gaetz throws a body kick that misses.
Marciano jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Marciano takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A slow jab from Gaetz misses its intended target.
Gaetz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Link Gaetz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A slapping leg kick lands for Gaetz.
Gaetz connects with a jab.
Marciano throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gaetz sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Marciano throws a low kick but Gaetz moves out of range easily.
Gaetz lands a nice shot to the body.
Marciano takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Marciano might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marciano slips under a jab from Gaetz.
Gaetz lands a nice shot to the body.
Gaetz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gaetz misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano walks into a jab.
A jab from Gaetz misses.
Gaetz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Marciano takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Marciano avoids the head kick by Gaetz.
Marciano half committed to a counter leg kick.
Gaetz throws a leg kick but Marciano moved away.
Gaetz finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Marciano crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Gaetz - the referee stops the clock and Marciano gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Gaetz. Marciano manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaetz throws a front kick aimed at Marciano's knee but Marciano avoids it well.
Marciano misses with a leg kick
enabling Gaetz to counter with a crisp jab.
Marciano misses with a low kick.
Nice defenses there by Marciano.
Marciano ducks under a wild hook from Gaetz.
Gaetz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Marciano.
Marciano takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marciano looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gaetz let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Link Gaetz seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaetz turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gaetz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Marciano.
Marciano checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Marciano throws a jab but it's blocked by Gaetz.
Gaetz explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Gaetz connects with a jab.
Gaetz scoring well with a low kick there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaetz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Marciano.
Gaetz throws a hook but Marciano avoids it easily.
Marciano avoids the body shot from Gaetz.
Gaetz throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Marciano to counter with a crisp jab.
Marciano takes a jab right on the kisser.
Gaetz moves out of range of the body kick.
Gaetz moves out of range of the body kick from Marciano.
Decent striking displayed by Gaetz there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Link Gaetz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

No joy there for Gaetz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A quick step to the side and Marciano tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gaetz lands with a nice body kick.
Marciano throws a poor cross that misses
and Marciano takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gaetz thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gaetz misses with a looping left.
Gaetz lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaetz swings for the body but Marciano moves out of range.
Marciano gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Gaetz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano is looking to land body kicks.
A nice side step and Gaetz releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Marciano takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Marciano misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Gaetz to counter with a crisp jab.
Marciano throws a big shot that misses.
Marciano takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Marciano takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A low kick from Gaetz misses
and Marciano cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Marciano scoring well with a low kick there.
Rocco Marciano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot lands for Gaetz.
Gaetz throws a poor cross that misses
and Marciano counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Jab by Gaetz.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Marciano blocks a low kick nicely.
Marciano looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Marciano throws a leg kick
and Gaetz counters with a stiff right hand.
Gaetz misses with a wild body shot.
Marciano takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Gaetz punishes Marciano's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marciano lands a glancing blow to the side of Gaetz's head.
Gaetz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Marciano.
It looked like Marciano was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Gaetz.
Gaetz walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gaetz.
Marciano throws a lazy uppercut
and Gaetz counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gaetz stuns Marciano with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Marciano throws a hook but Gaetz avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaetz scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gaetz throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Marciano stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Marciano looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Gaetz dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gaetz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A lazy body kick from Marciano
and Gaetz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gaetz lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice jab there from Gaetz.
Gaetz throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Link Gaetz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gaetz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Link Gaetz!
Link Gaetz seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.