PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gay Al (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raul Gonzalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Al
vs
Gonzalez

182 cm
26
211 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

180 cm
22
222 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gay Al!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raul Gonzalez!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Alan Glass and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonzalez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Al displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gonzalez.
Al swats away the attempt to clinch by Gonzalez.
Al throws a leg kick but Gonzalez checks it.
Al doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gonzalez counters by moving into the clinch.

Gonzalez lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Gonzalez blocks the strikes from Al.
Al wants to improve his position but Gonzalez is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Al controlling the position for now.
Al moves into full guard.
Al keeping moving, preventing Gonzalez from controlling successfully.
Al tries to strike from the bottom.

Gonzalez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gonzalez preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Al has his foot on Gonzalez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gonzalez works his way back into a safe position though.
Al keeping moving, preventing Gonzalez from controlling successfully.
Al wants to sweep here but Gonzalez controlling him for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Al with a lazy takedown attempt
and Al takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Gonzalez moves into range and clinches up with Al.

Gonzalez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Gonzalez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gonzalez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Al is defending well for now.
Gonzalez has a couple of punches blocked by Al.
Al changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gonzalez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gay Al. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gonzalez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Al shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gonzalez counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gonzalez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Al swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Al keeps moving.
Gonzalez throwing strikes from guard but Al blocks nicely.
Gonzalez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Al working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gonzalez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gonzalez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gonzalez trying to control but Al is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Al scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gonzalez doesn't seem bothered though.
Gay Al seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gonzalez instigates a clinch.
Al is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Gonzalez jumps guard.
Al wants to stand but Gonzalez is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gonzalez pulls Al in close to prevent any damage.
Al trying to control the position from guard on top but Gonzalez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gonzalez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al trying to control but Gonzalez is working from the bottom.
Gonzalez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gonzalez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Al slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Al has his takedown stuffed

and Gonzalez counters with a takedown into side control.
Gonzalez lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Al tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gonzalez trying to control the position but Al is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Gonzalez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Al fails with the takedown

and Gonzalez counters by moving into the clinch.

Gonzalez has hold of one of Al's legs. Al is fighting the takedown attempt but Gonzalez gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Al looking for a sweep. Not yet Al, not yet.
Gonzalez trying to control but Al is working from the bottom.
Al throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Al throws his legs up looking for a submission but Gonzalez uses it to pass to side control.
Al prevents Gonzalez from moving into mount.
Gonzalez creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Al sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The strikes coming from Gonzalez are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Gonzalez clinches up with Al and pushes him back against the cage.
Gonzalez scores with a hook to the body.

Al tightens his grip and picks Gonzalez up, before dumping him to the ground. Gonzalez manages to land in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gonzalez is on top in guard.
Al keeping moving, preventing Gonzalez from controlling successfully.

Gonzalez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gonzalez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Al works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gonzalez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two 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.

Al escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gonzalez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Al keeps moving.

Al is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gonzalez is aware though and is defending well.
Al lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Gonzalez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Al keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Al looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Al with a poor takedown

and Gonzalez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Al's guard now.
Gonzalez trying to control the position from guard on top but Al is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gonzalez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gonzalez working away.
Al is looking for a sweep.
Al is working hard here to advance position.

Gonzalez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Al has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gonzalez goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Al has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Gonzalez but great work by Al.
Al wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gonzalez keeps working.

Al tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Al has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gonzalez regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Gonzalez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Gonzalez loads up on a big right hand but Al slips the punch.
Al tries for a takedown but Gonzalez circles away easily
and Gonzalez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gonzalez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Al.
Al shoots and misses

and Gonzalez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Gonzalez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gonzalez connects with a single shot there.
Gonzalez tries to clinch but Al moves out of range.
Al misses with a takedown attempt
and Gonzalez counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gay Al. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gonzalez misses with a double jab.

Gonzalez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Gonzalez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gonzalez tries to clinch but Al is having none of it.

Gonzalez moves into the clinch.
Al is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Al has Gonzalez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gonzalez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Al wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gonzalez prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gonzalez works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gonzalez slips nicely into half guard.
Al is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gonzalez scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gonzalez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Al keeps working.
Gonzalez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Gonzalez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gonzalez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Al does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Al is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gonzalez pulls his head out easily.
Gonzalez working the head and body with strikes.

Al is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gonzalez pulls his head out easily.
Gonzalez lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Al!
Gonzalez lands a heavy elbow.
A nice elbow there by Gonzalez.
Al keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gonzalez lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Raul Gonzalez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Al tries to reverse the position but Gonzalez maintains control.
Gonzalez working the ground and pound effectively.
Gonzalez landing strikes from the mount and Al is in trouble!
Gonzalez content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez landing punches.
Al is squirming around, avoiding Gonzalez's attempts to control the action.
Al really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Raul Gonzalez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gonzalez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Gonzalez trying to control but Al is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Al really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gonzalez with shots to the head and body - Al looks very uncomfortable down there.
Al regains half guard.
Gonzalez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gonzalez is trying to control the action in half guard but Al is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Al is looking to control Gonzalez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Al avoid being mounted?
Gonzalez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Al knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gay Al has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gonzalez sitting and controlling from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raul Gonzalez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gonzalez 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raul Gonzalez!