PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Arturo Gatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joey Bonobo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bonobo has chosen The Bled-Last American Cowboy as his entrance music. The key to victory for Arturo Gatti has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Gatti
vs
Bonobo

176 cm
24
164 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Arturo Gatti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joey Bonobo!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Joseph Jones and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gatti's jab looks to have found its range, popping Bonobo under the eye.
Gatti throws a lazy head kick
and Bonobo counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Arturo Gatti has been cut.
Gatti throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bonobo.
Bonobo falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gatti counters with a left and a right that stings Bonobo.
Gatti throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Bonobo on the side of the head.
Bonobo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gatti avoids it really well and circles away.

Gatti tries to sprawl but Bonobo drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Bonobo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gatti defending well though.
Bonobo has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bonobo avoids the attempt from Gatti to control.
Bonobo lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Gatti hang on?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bonobo throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Bonobo lands a nice shot to the head.
Gatti tries to lock up and control but Bonobo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gatti is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
BOOM! Bonobo connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Bonobo lands a big elbow.
Gatti is breathing heavily.
Bonobo landing strikes, looking to finish!
Gatti really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Bonobo scoring with strikes but Gatti is staying in there.
Bonobo lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Bonobo trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Bonobo looking for a guillotine from mount but Gatti is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonobo trying to control but Gatti is having none of it.
Bonobo with the ground and pound from mount.
Gatti keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gatti is working hard here to advance position.
Gatti is trying to stand.

Bonobo has control of Gatti's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Gatti regains control of the situation pretty easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bonobo controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatti wants to control but Bonobo is having none of it.
Bonobo lands a big shot there that rocks Gatti but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee warns Gatti that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Bonobo trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gatti working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bonobo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bonobo connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bonobo looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gatti is squirming around, avoiding Bonobo's attempts to control the action.
Gatti is in a horrible position here. Bonobo smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The referee warns Gatti that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Gatti is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gatti is bucking up trying to escape but Bonobo cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gatti is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bonobo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gatti is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Bonobo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Arturo Gatti's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gatti slaps away a takedown attempt from Bonobo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gatti looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No luck for Bonobo with that takedown attempt.
Gatti misses with a jab, cross combination.
A punch combination from Gatti misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bonobo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bonobo lands a few punches from side control.
Gatti is trying to buck Bonobo off.
Joey Bonobo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bonobo cracks Gatti with a big right hand but Gatti just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bonobo wants to control but Gatti is keeping him busy.

Bonobo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bonobo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gatti takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Gatti tries to improve position but can't.

Bonobo decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Gatti connects with a single shot there.
Some wild striking there from Gatti.
Gatti lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bonobo circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gatti throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gatti is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Bonobo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gatti is fending him off so far but Bonobo persists. Nope, Gatti circles away and we're back to standing.
Arturo Gatti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Bonobo.
Bonobo falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gatti counters with a three punch combo that has Bonobo backing up. Bonobo nods at Gatti to acknowledge the strikes.
Bonobo tries to clinch but Gatti moves out of range.
Gatti defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bonobo.
Gatti looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Arturo Gatti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gatti pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Bonobo back to the cage. Gatti follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Some wild striking there from Gatti.
Gatti scores with a hook to the body. Bonobo takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonobo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gatti.
A left and a right from Gatti both land. Nice combination.
Gatti works over Bonobo's head and body with a nice combination.
Bonobo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gatti but Gatti pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gatti tries to bum rush Bonobo with a series of wild strikes but Bonobo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gatti throws a series of punches but Bonobo moves out of range.
Bonobo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gatti sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gatti throws a one two combo.
Gatti misses with a series of wild punches.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bonobo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gatti!
Gatti sizes up Bonobo with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Gatti throws a right and a left that both miss.
Arturo Gatti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gatti misses with a two punch combination.
Bonobo misses with a takedown attempt - Gatti sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Gatti closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Gatti throws a head kick that half lands.
Gatti fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Bonobo fails to land the takedown.
Gatti fails to land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Arturo Gatti will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Arturo Gatti's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Left hook, right uppercut from Gatti.
Bonobo takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Bonobo dives in and grabs Gatti's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gatti pushes down on Bonobo's head and hops out.
Bonobo misses with a takedown attempt - Gatti sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Joey Bonobo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gatti lands a jab to the nose.

Bonobo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gatti's guard.
Gatti manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Gatti sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gatti trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatti is really struggling to control Bonobo but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Gatti avoids the attempt from Bonobo to control.

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.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Bonobo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gatti trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gatti sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Arturo Gatti wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Gatti lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatti throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bonobo doesn't manage to clinch there - Gatti circles away.
Gatti throws a right hand that Bonobo ducks under and follows up with a left that Bonobo also avoids with ease.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gatti!
Bonobo throws a head kick but Gatti moves out of range.
Gatti connects with a crisp jab.
Bonobo tries to clinch up.
Gatti throws a series of punches but Bonobo moves out of range.
Bonobo throws a sloppy head kick
and Gatti counters with a three punch combo that has Bonobo backing up. Bonobo nods at Gatti to acknowledge the strikes.
Gatti closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Gatti stuffs the takedown.
Arturo Gatti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Bonobo.

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.
Gatti connects with a single shot there.
Gatti throws a series of punches but Bonobo moves out of range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gatti!
Gatti fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gatti throws a right hand that Bonobo ducks under and follows up with a left that Bonobo also avoids with ease.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gatti!
Gatti pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Bonobo back to the cage. Gatti follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gatti throws a series of punches but Bonobo moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Gatti.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bonobo rushes Gatti and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Bonobo manages to pull guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arturo Gatti showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gatti has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arturo Gatti!