PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrea Gatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Mantell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gatti comes to the cage accompanied by go to sleep-eminem. Mantell has chosen Macho Madness as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gatti
vs
Mantell

189 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
215 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andrea Gatti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Randy Mantell!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Jorge Garcia and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mantell with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Mantell shoots in for a double leg but Gatti sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gatti tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gatti with a lazy takedown attempt

and Mantell counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mantell looking to pass the guard.
Mantell trying to control but Gatti is working from the bottom.
Gatti wants to stand and escape but Mantell is having none of it.

Gatti is working an open guard so Mantell takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Gatti shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gatti showed some decent athleticism there.

Mantell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantell is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gatti stands up and beckons Mantell to join him on the feet.
Gatti misses with a low kick.

Mantell feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mantell drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mantell jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mantell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mantell scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mantell pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gatti is keeping the position for now.
Mantell postures up in Gatti's guard and throws a big left but Gatti blocks it.
Mantell wants to pass the guard but Gatti is keeping the position.
Mantell passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatti on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Mantell laying and praying for a moment but Gatti takes advantage and regains half guard.
Mantell is trying to control. Gatti wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mantell slows the pace down in half guard.
Gatti wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Mantell is looking to take a break and control but Gatti is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mantell stops Gatti from getting back to his feet.
Gatti is breathing heavily.
Mantell wants to control but Gatti is keeping him busy.

Mantell wants to work for an arm triangle but Gatti is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mantell fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Mantell dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mantell forces Gatti back against the cage and clinches.
Gatti has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mantell is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gatti wants to break free but Mantell has control.

Gatti is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Mantell can't fight it off and eventually Gatti manages to take the fight to the floor. Mantell looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Gatti avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Mantell had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gatti defends it easily.
Mantell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gatti is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantell pulls Gatti in close to his closed guard and prevents Gatti from doing any damage or advancing position.
Mantell is trying to control the position but Gatti postures up.
Gatti is fighting to break Mantell's control of his arms but Mantell is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Mantell working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Mantell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mantell doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Mantell darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gatti moves into full guard.
Gatti is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantell landing with the ground and pound.
Mantell is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mantell wants to control from the top but Gatti keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Mantell wants to pass the guard but Gatti is keeping the position.

Mantell gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Mantell closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mantell taking a breather here.
Mantell wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gatti keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Mantell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gatti shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mantell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Mantell closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mantell trying to control the action but Gatti is working from the bottom.
Mantell throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gatti avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mantell.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mantell passes the guard and advances to mount!

Mantell is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Gatti to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Gatti shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatti is bucking up trying to escape but Mantell cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gatti tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Randy Mantell has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mantell has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Gatti's face.

It looks like Andrea Gatti has been cut.

Mantell quickly switches position and commits to an armbar! It's a big risk for Mantell but it's paid off an Gatti is forced to tap! Nice work by Mantell.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Randy Mantell!