PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between El Raton Vaquero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Gorden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gorden has chosen Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Raton Vaquero
vs
Gorden

170 cm
28
141 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

170 cm
29
142 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, El Raton Vaquero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ben Gorden!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Konstantin Menshow and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vaquero avoids a punch combination nicely.
Vaquero misses with a takedown

and Gorden counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vaquero's guard now.
Vaquero trying to keep a closed guard but Gorden is proving a slippery customer.

Vaquero is looking for a triangle but Gorden pushes his legs off easily.

Vaquero has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gorden can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gorden wants to control from the top but Vaquero keeps moving.

Vaquero throws his legs up looking for a submission but Gorden uses it to pass to side control.
Vaquero is trying to control Gorden's posture but Gorden avoids it.
Gorden lands some shots froms side control.
Vaquero is looking for a sweep.
Vaquero gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Vaquero is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaquero wants to improve his position but Gorden is controlling well.
Vaquero is controlling Gorden's trapped leg to prevent Gorden from advancing to side control.
Vaquero is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gorden's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gorden's back!

Vaquero is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Gorden is defending well though. Vaquero let's go of the attempt for now.
You can see the frustration on Gorden's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Gorden trying to control the hands but Vaquero breaks the grip.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Vaquero working for a choke but Gorden is defending well.
Gorden is in bad spot here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gorden tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Gorden is trying to escape the mount.

Gorden defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Vaquero.
Gorden tries to hold on but Vaquero postures up.

Vaquero working for a submission but Gorden is keeping him at bay.
Gorden tries to lock up and control but Vaquero gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Vaquero throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Gorden because Vaquero loaded up on that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gorden is desperately trying to improve his position but Vaquero has a good base and remains in mount.

Vaquero is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Gorden to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Gorden shrugs it off.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gorden keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Vaquero wants to control the pace but Gorden is squirming around nicely.
Gorden is looking to get to half guard.
Vaquero wants to control the pace but Gorden is squirming around nicely.
Gorden tries to reverse the position but Vaquero maintains control.
Vaquero tries to control but Gorden wriggling away.

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.
Vaquero is really struggling to control Gorden but he's trying to hold on to the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gorden wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

Vaquero working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Gorden showing good submission defense here.

Gorden preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Vaquero.
Gorden rolls, trying to escape but Vaquero keeps control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Raton Vaquero dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gorden throws a right and a left that Vaquero avoids nicely.
Vaquero with a poor takedown
and Gorden counters with a low kick, right behind Vaquero 's knee.
Vaquero tries for a takedown but Gorden circles away easily

and Gorden counters with a shoot takedown. Vaquero fights it but they end up in guard.

Vaquero is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gorden trying to control the position from guard on top but Vaquero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gorden missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Vaquero escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gorden gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Vaquero controlling the position.
Gorden lands a couple of elbows.
Vaquero is pulling down on Gorden's head. It's preventing any offense from Gorden, at least for the moment.

Vaquero looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorden throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vaquero works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
El Raton Vaquero overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gorden is working Vaquero over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Vaquero is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gorden is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Vaquero is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gorden wants to pass the guard but Vaquero is keeping the position.
Vaquero looking to control but Gorden passes into half guard.
Gorden thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Vaquero's head.
Vaquero keeping hold of Gorden's head, controlling as best he can.
Vaquero has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gorden is working away from the top position though.
Vaquero on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gorden scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Vaquero avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gorden.
Vaquero moves into full guard.

Gorden avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gorden trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Gorden got a little sloppy there for a moment and Vaquero has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gorden has managed to get both his arms back between Vaquero's legs - danger averted.
Vaquero has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Vaquero looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gorden trying to control the position from guard on top but Vaquero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gorden lands a couple of digs.
Vaquero preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gorden looking to pass the guard.
Vaquero is trying to keep Gorden in close.
Vaquero pulls Gorden in close to prevent any damage.
Gorden postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vaquero keeping full guard, as Gorden tries to pass.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gorden's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Vaquero looking to control.

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.
Vaquero has control of Gorden's left arm, preventing Gorden from doing any damage.
Vaquero trying to control the position.
Gorden must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The ref stands the fighters back up because El Raton Vaquero just wasn't active enough.
Vaquero tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gorden manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gorden shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Vaquero defends it nicely.

Vaquero 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.

Vaquero thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gorden looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vaquero tries to free his leg and advance position but Gorden is retaining full guard.
Vaquero wants to control from the top but Gorden keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ben Gorden will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Vaquero scores with a takedown into Gorden's guard.
Vaquero wants to control from the top but Gorden keeps moving.

Vaquero drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gorden manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Vaquero has Gorden in his guard.
Vaquero pulls Gorden in close to prevent any damage.

Vaquero is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gorden defends well.

Vaquero looking for subs off his back but Gorden has passed one foot through into half guard.
Vaquero blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gorden.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorden is just content to waste time from the top position. Vaquero takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Vaquero is trying to keep Gorden in close.
Gorden with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vaquero keeping moving, preventing Gorden from controlling successfully.
Vaquero not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

El Raton Vaquero has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Vaquero shoots and misses
and Vaquero takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

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.
Gorden lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Vaquero closes the distance but Gorden moves to the side

and Gorden decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Vaquero's guard.
Gorden postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vaquero looking to control.

Vaquero looking for a guillotine here but Gorden defends easily.
Gorden throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gorden is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Vaquero not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gorden loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vaquero pulls Gorden in close to prevent any damage.

Gorden thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaquero preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Vaquero throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gorden throwing strikes but missing.

Vaquero is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gorden defends well.
Gorden postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Vaquero is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Gorden avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gorden throwing strikes but missing.
Gorden keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vaquero's head.
Gorden trying to control but Vaquero is working from the bottom.
Gorden is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Vaquero is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Gorden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gorden 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Gorden!