PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andy Botwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gio Naza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Naza has chosen Saliva - Ladies and Gentlemen as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Botwin
vs
Naza

184 cm
21
179 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
28
176 lbs
12 - 10 - 2

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Andy Botwin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 2, fighting out of London, Gio Naza!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Colin Fotheringham and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Botwin lands with a kick to the temple. Naza shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Botwin lands with a slapping head kick.
Naza misses with a looping left.
Naza shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Botwin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Naza.
Naza takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Andy Botwin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Botwin throws the kick towards the body but Naza avoids it.
Botwin lands a nice looking body shot.
Naza misses with a takedown attempt - Botwin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Naza throws a looping overhand right but Botwin ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Botwin misses with a head kick.
Botwin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Naza.
Botwin explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Botwin throws a head kick that misses.
Botwin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Botwin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Botwin throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Naza on the side of the head.
Botwin tries a head kick but it misses.
Botwin tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naza fails to land the takedown.
Andy Botwin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gio Naza.
Naza looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Botwin is fending him off so far but Naza persists. Nope, Botwin circles away and we're back to standing.
The fighters circle momentarily. Botwin darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Botwin stuffs the takedown.
Botwin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Botwin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Naza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Botwin trying to control but Naza postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botwin wants to improve his position but Naza is controlling well.
Naza sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Botwin defending well though.
Naza trying to control from half guard but Botwin is working away.
Botwin wants to get back to full guard.
Naza sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Botwin defending well though.
Botwin is trying to maintain the position but Naza is very close to passing his half guard.
Botwin tries to roll over but Naza keeps him under control.
Naza tries to pass the half guard into mount. Botwin knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naza is looking to take a break and control but Botwin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Naza moves into full mount! Botwin won't be happy about that!
Botwin is desperately trying to improve his position but Naza has a good base and remains in mount.
The referee warns Botwin that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Botwin can't escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Botwin is squirming around, avoiding Naza's attempts to control the action.
Botwin is trying to escape the mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Naza has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Botwin's face.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Botwin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Naza with a couple of short strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Botwin tries to hold on but Naza postures up.
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 Andy Botwin will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Botwin attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Naza throws an off balance right hand
and Botwin counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Botwin lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Botwin misses with a low kick as Naza jumps back.
Botwin shoots for a takedown but Naza saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A jab from Naza misses.
Botwin scores with a decent looking hook.
Botwin fakes the leg kick and cracks Naza in the body.
Naza sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Botwin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Good shot there by Botwin.
Naza displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Botwin.
Naza throws an overhand right that lands on Botwin's shoulder, as Botwin tries to avoid the shot.
Botwin fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andy Botwin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Naza blocks a head kick by Botwin.
Good standup being displayed there by Botwin as he connects with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naza slips under a jab.
Naza swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Naza throws a solid leg kick but Botwin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Naza.
Botwin delivers a nice body kick.
Botwin feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Nazas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A big right from Naza misses.
Botwin throws a push kick but Naza slaps the foot to one side.
Botwin leaves Naza with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Botwin shoots in but no luck this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Botwin misses.
Botwin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Botwin tries a head kick but it misses.
Botwin fails to land the takedown.
Botwin keeps Naza at a distance using the push kick.
Botwin lands a nice looking body kick.
Naza defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Botwin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naza blocks a head kick by Botwin.
Naza shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Botwin but Botwin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Botwin shoots in looking for a takedown but Naza manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Botwin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Botwin shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Naza's guard.
Naza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Botwin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Naza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Naza wants to stand and escape but Botwin is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Botwin dominated that second round.
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!

Botwin fails with a takedown attempt.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Botwin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Botwin throws a good cross that connects.
Botwin stuffs the takedown.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Naza enables Botwin to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Naza manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Naza scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Botwin fails with the takedown

and Naza counters with a single leg into guard. Botwin didn't expect that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Botwin looking to control.

Botwin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Botwin can't keep his opponent in guard - Naza advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gio Naza has got the better of the ground game so far.
Naza trying to control the action but Botwin is working from the bottom.
Botwin makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Botwin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Botwin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Naza must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Botwin wants to sweep here but Naza controlling him for the moment.
Botwin being controlled here, momentarily.

Botwin working for a triangle but Naza defends it easily.
Naza loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Naza avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naza wants to pass the guard but Botwin is keeping the position.

Botwin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Naza is aware though and is defending well.
Naza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Botwin keeping full guard, as Naza tries to pass.
Naza trying to control but Botwin is working from the bottom.
Botwin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Botwin keeping full guard, as Naza tries to pass.
Naza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gio Naza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Naza tries to free his leg and advance position but Botwin is retaining full guard.

Botwin has his foot on Naza's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Naza works his way back into a safe position though.

Botwin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Naza is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Naza postures up and lands a big shot to Botwin's brow.
Naza scoring with some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Naza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Botwin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Naza wants to control from the top but Botwin keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Naza lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Botwin trying to keep a closed guard but Naza is proving a slippery customer.
Naza loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gio Naza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Botwin 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andy Botwin!