PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gessinger Maltz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardinho Gabriel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gessinger Maltz could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Ricardinho Gabriel's chin.

Maltz
vs
Gabriel

178 cm
22
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
163 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gessinger Maltz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardinho Gabriel!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Matheus Silva and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maltz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maltz fails with the takedown.

Gabriel bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Gabriel remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Gabriel trying to control the position but Maltz is working away.
You can see the frustration on Maltz's face as Gabriel controls the position.
Maltz pushes Gabriel away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Gabriel gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Gabriel misses with the ground and pound.
Maltz takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gabriel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Maltz manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Gabriel slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gabriel trying to keep a closed guard but Maltz is proving a slippery customer.

That's two 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.
Maltz wanted to stand there but Gabriel had control of the position.
Maltz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gabriel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maltz sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gabriel's guard.
Gabriel controlling the position well.
Maltz is thwarting Gabriel's attempts to control the position.

Gabriel actively working from the bottom here.
Maltz is looking to stall here but Gabriel recovers full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maltz trying to control but Gabriel is working from the bottom.
Maltz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gabriel 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.

Maltz decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Gabriel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Maltz swivels and escapes.
Gabriel throws a body punch but Maltz moves out of range.
Danga de danga de dang - Maltz scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Ricardinho Gabriel has been cut.
Maltz tries to clinch up but Gabriel circles away and keeps his distance.
Maltz is looking to clinch.
Maltz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Maltz tries to bum rush Gabriel with a series of wild strikes but Gabriel uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maltz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gabriel napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gabriel tries to improve position but can't.
Gabriel is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
You can see the frustration on Gabriel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gabriel regains half guard.
Maltz moves into full mount! Gabriel won't be happy about that!
Maltz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gabriel regains half guard.
Gabriel tries to get to full guard but Maltz has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gessinger Maltz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ricardinho Gabriel's cut.
That's time! Maltz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gabriel misses with a takedown attempt - Maltz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Gabriel showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maltz.
Maltz closes the distance and clinches up with Gabriel, looking for a takedown. Maltz pushes Gabriel against the cage but Gabriel circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gabriel shoots in and drives through. Maltz sprawls well.
Maltz with a hook.
Nice takedown defense from Maltz. No joy for Gabriel on that attempt.
Gessinger Maltz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardinho Gabriel.
Gabriel shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Maltz counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Gabriel looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gabriel keeping moving, preventing Maltz from controlling successfully.

Maltz has gone for a leg lock! Gabriel slips out almost immediately though and dives into Maltz's guard.
Gabriel is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabriel passes Maltz's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Gabriel trying to control from half guard but Maltz is working away.

Gabriel decides to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Maltz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gabriel.
Gessinger Maltz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maltz throws a series of strikes that have Gabriel backpedaling.
Maltz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gabriel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maltz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gabriel avoids a kick to the body.
Maltz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Maltz throws a front kick aimed at Gabriel's knee but Gabriel avoids it well.
Maltz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maltz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maltz stuffs the takedown attempt from Gabriel. Gabriel gets slowly back to his feet.
Gabriel fails with the takedown

and Maltz counters with a single leg into guard. Gabriel didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maltz stopping the sweep attempt from Gabriel.

Gabriel working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Maltz doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Maltz manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Maltz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gabriel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maltz trying to control the position from guard on top but Gabriel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maltz postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Gabriel is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Maltz, into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Gabriel drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gabriel jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gabriel passes Maltz's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Gabriel looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Maltz is trying to stand up here but Gabriel is controlling him well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gessinger Maltz dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ricardinho Gabriel's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Maltz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gabriel misses with a takedown attempt - Maltz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A punch combination from Maltz misses.
Gabriel shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Maltz sprawls well. Maltz wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gabriel gets slowly back to his feet.
Gabriel shoots in and drives through. Maltz sprawls well.
Gessinger Maltz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardinho Gabriel.
Maltz throws a right and a left that Gabriel avoids nicely.
Maltz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gabriel shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Maltz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gabriel counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Gabriel decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Gabriel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maltz clinches but Gabriel breaks the clinch

and Gabriel counters with a single leg into guard. Maltz didn't expect that.
Gabriel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ricardinho Gabriel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gabriel not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Maltz keeps moving.
Maltz is trying to keep Gabriel in close.
Maltz keeping moving, preventing Gabriel from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maltz controls Gabriel momentarily but Gabriel frees himself.

Gabriel drops back, looking for a kneebar! Maltz looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Maltz looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Maltz!
Maltz working away.
Gabriel is trying to get back to half guard.

Maltz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gabriel, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Gabriel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gabriel is looking for a sweep.
Maltz throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Maltz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Gabriel fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maltz lands an overhand right.
Gabriel dodges the punch combination from Maltz.
Maltz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gabriel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maltz doesn't manage to clinch there - Gabriel circles away.
Gabriel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Maltz changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gabriel looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Maltz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Gabriel sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Maltz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Gabriel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maltz tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Gessinger Maltz.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Maltz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gessinger Maltz!