PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Max Gilles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abel Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abel Velasquez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gilles
vs
Velasquez

193 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
24
243 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the 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, Max Gilles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Abel Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, David Schapiro and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gilles shoots for a double leg takedown but Velasquez sprawls well. He's pushed Gilles's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Velasquez darts in trying to clinch

and Gilles counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Velasquez!

Gilles looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Gilles working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Gilles trying to control but Velasquez is having none of it.
Velasquez is trying desperately to improve position.

Gilles swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Velasquez is now in Gilles's guard. A big mistake from Gilles there, giving up the dominant position!
Velasquez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gilles is keeping the position for now.
Gilles controls Velasquez momentarily but Velasquez frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gilles swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Gilles looking for a guillotine here but Velasquez defends easily.
Gilles keeping full guard, as Velasquez tries to pass.
Velasquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Gilles is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gilles wants to sweep here but Velasquez controlling him for the moment.
Gilles bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Velasquez's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilles trying to control the position from guard on top but Velasquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Gilles drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Velasquez dives on top into guard.

Gilles looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gilles working a defensive guard here.

Gilles had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Velasquez defends it easily.
Velasquez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Gilles throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gilles preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gilles is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gilles looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Velasquez wanted to stand there but Gilles had control of the position.
Gilles keeping full guard, as Velasquez tries to pass.
Velasquez postures up in Gilles's guard and throws a big left but Gilles blocks it.
Velasquez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gilles's guard.
Gilles blocking the ground and pound attempt from Velasquez.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Velasquez is trying to control. Gilles wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Velasquez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gilles is looking to control Velasquez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gilles avoid being mounted?
Velasquez tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Velasquez tries to stand and escape but Gilles actually recovers to full guard.

Velasquez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gilles manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Velasquez has Gilles in his guard.

Velasquez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gilles can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Velasquez is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Gilles stands up and waves to Velasquez to follow him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Gilles dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gilles slips a jab from Velasquez.
Velasquez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gilles counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gilles drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Velasquez dives on top into guard.

Gilles throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Velasquez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gilles has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Velasquez has managed to get both his arms back between Gilles's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Gilles looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Velasquez passes into half guard.
Velasquez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez wants to free his trapped foot but Gilles is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Velasquez prevents Gilles from improving his position.
Velasquez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Velasquez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gilles's head.
Velasquez uses his free foot to push down on Gilles's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Gilles.
Velasquez lands a big elbow.
Velasquez raining down shots from the mount!
Velasquez is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilles really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Velasquez fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Gilles is desperately trying to improve his position but Velasquez has a good base and remains in mount.
Velasquez lands a big shot there that rocks Gilles but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Velasquez with good strikes from the mount here!
Velasquez looking to control but Gilles is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Velasquez scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gilles?
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Velasquez scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Velasquez avoids the attempt from Gilles to control.
Gilles really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilles is in a horrible position here. Velasquez smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gilles is squirming around, avoiding Velasquez's attempts to control the action.
Max Gilles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gilles can't escape the position.
Velasquez breaks from Gilles's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Gilles is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilles taking shots to the head.
Gilles is trying to escape the mount.
A nice elbow there by Velasquez.
Velasquez looking to control but Gilles is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gilles is bucking up trying to escape but Velasquez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gilles is wriggling around trying to escape.
Velasquez breaks from Gilles's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Velasquez has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Gilles's face.
Velasquez working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Gilles tries to hold on but Velasquez pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abel Velasquez 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Velasquez throws a right hand that Gilles ducks under and follows up with a left that Gilles also avoids with ease.
Gilles slips under a jab from Velasquez.

Gilles has taken the fight to the clinch.

Velasquez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Gilles has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gilles has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Velasquez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Gilles displaying some good clinch control by pressing Velasquez up against the cage.
Gilles tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Velasquez just stands there and leans against the cage.
Gilles wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Max Gilles. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Velasquez breaks the clinch.
Velasquez tries to clinch but Gilles moves out of range.

Velasquez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Velasquez working the head and body with strikes.
Velasquez is looking to take a break and control but Gilles is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Velasquez lands a decent elbow from side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Velasquez landing a few strikes.
The strikes coming from Velasquez are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Velasquez decides to stand up, so the ref orders Gilles to his feet.
Velasquez misses with a head kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Velasquez.

Gilles feints and as Velasquez raises his hands in defense, Gilles changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gilles trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gilles is looking to work some ground and pound but Velasquez has wrist control.
Velasquez throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Velasquez looking for a sweep. Not yet Velasquez, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez keeping moving, preventing Gilles from controlling successfully.
Gilles stopping the sweep attempt from Velasquez.

Gilles drops back looking for a leg! Velasquez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Velasquez manages to kick Gilles off! Gilles jumps back into Velasquez's guard.

Gilles drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Velasquez manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Gilles has Velasquez in his guard.

Velasquez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez stands up and waves to Gilles to follow him.
Velasquez looks to land a combination. Gilles sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Velasquez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Velasquez tries to bum rush Gilles with a series of wild strikes but Gilles uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Velasquez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Velasquez closes the distance but Gilles moves to the side

and Gilles counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Gilles in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Velasquez tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Gilles!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Max Gilles!