PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rocky Austin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sumi Gaeshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gaeshi is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Welcome to the Jungle. Rocky Austin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Austin
vs
Gaeshi

178 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

179 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

Lightning Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rocky Austin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Sumi Gaeshi!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Steven Brown and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaeshi with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Gaeshi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gaeshi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Austin's head.
Austin is staying active underneath Gaeshi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gaeshi wants to pass the guard but Austin is defending well.
Austin trying to control but Gaeshi postures up.
Gaeshi prevents Austin from improving his position.
Austin keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Austin is looking to improve his position.
Gaeshi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Austin keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Austin misses with a wild combination.
Austin keeps the fight on the outside.
Sumi Gaeshi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gaeshi fails with the takedown.
Austin darts in trying to clinch

and Gaeshi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gaeshi looking to slow down the pace here.
Gaeshi swings wildly with an uppercut but Austin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Austin has had enough of the clinch but Gaeshi keeps him there for the moment.
Gaeshi slows down the pace here.

Austin gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Austin there.
Gaeshi tries to get to full guard but Austin has control of the leg.
Austin is looking to take a break and control but Gaeshi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Austin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Gaeshi gets back to full guard.
Gaeshi wants to stand up but Austin is controlling him.
Gaeshi has a closed guard, preventing Austin from standing up.
Gaeshi striking off his back but it's not causing Austin any problems.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Austin postures up.
Gaeshi looks gassed!
Austin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Austin stopping the sweep attempt from Gaeshi.
Austin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gaeshi on the ground.
Austin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gaeshi working a defensive guard here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Gaeshi forces Austin back against the cage and clinches.

Gaeshi breaks from the clinch.
Gaeshi closes the distance but Austin moves to the side

and Austin counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaeshi keeping moving, preventing Austin from controlling successfully.
Austin working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gaeshi's head.
Gaeshi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Austin!
Gaeshi wants to control the pace but Austin is squirming around nicely.
Austin wants to control but Gaeshi is having none of it.
Austin tries to reverse the position but Gaeshi maintains control.
Gaeshi controlling the position easily from mount.
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 Rocky Austin will probably get the nod.
That's time! Austin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Austin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gaeshi pinned against the cage. Gaeshi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Austin scores with a takedown into Gaeshi's guard.
Austin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gaeshi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Austin!
Gaeshi breaks from Austin's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Gaeshi dominating with strikes here.
Austin is bucking up trying to escape but Gaeshi cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gaeshi manages to capitalize on a mistake by Austin to take his back!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Austin is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaeshi not allowing Austin to control his hands.

Gaeshi patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Gaeshi working for a choke but Austin is defending well.
Gaeshi has the hooks in. Austin is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Gaeshi throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Austin!
Gaeshi not allowing Austin to control his hands.
Austin tries to roll but Gaeshi sticks to his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Gaeshi's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Austin trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Austin rolls, trying to escape but Gaeshi keeps control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gaeshi has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Austin has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Austin is trying to break free.
Austin has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Austin trying to control the hands but Gaeshi breaks the grip.
Gaeshi trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Austin controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaeshi not allowing Austin to control his hands.
Austin tries to escape the position.
Gaeshi lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Austin hold on?!
Austin is really stuck here.
Austin is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

Austin defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Gaeshi keeps control of the position as Austin tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Austin trying to control the action but Gaeshi just sinks the hooks in.
Austin is keeping busy.

Gaeshi looking to break Austin's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Austin remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Gaeshi will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Gaeshi has good solid back control here.
Austin is keeping busy.
Austin is really stuck here.
Gaeshi punishes Austin with strikes from the back mount.
Austin is in bad spot here.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sumi Gaeshi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Austin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Austin clinches with his opponent.
Gaeshi tries to stall but Austin uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Austin is working for takedown but Gaeshi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Austin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Gaeshi tightens his grip and picks Austin up, before dumping him to the ground. Austin manages to land in guard.
Sumi Gaeshi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gaeshi wants to control from the top but Austin keeps moving.
Austin controls Gaeshi momentarily but Gaeshi frees himself.
Gaeshi wants to control from the top but Austin keeps moving.
Austin doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaeshi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Austin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Austin tries to get out of the position.
Austin keeping full guard, as Gaeshi tries to pass.

Austin looking for a guillotine here but Gaeshi defends easily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gaeshi pushes Austin away with a front kick.
Austin takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Austin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gaeshi tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Gaeshi tries to clinch but Austin moves away

and Austin counters with a takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Gaeshi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Austin scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Gaeshi to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Austin happy to just control the position for now.
Gaeshi is working to avoid the ground and pound but Austin connects with a decent elbow.

Austin tries for a kimura but Gaeshi is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Austin grinds an elbow into Gaeshi's temple.
Gaeshi takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Austin looking to control but instead Gaeshi has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Gaeshi tries to kick Austin off but Austin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Gaeshi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Austin trying to control the position from guard on top but Gaeshi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Austin is looking to stand up but Gaeshi won't let him.
Austin throws a strike but Gaeshi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Austin manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Austin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Austin punishing his opponent with strikes.

Gaeshi is rocked!
Austin cracks Gaeshi with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rocky Austin!