PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Russell Kairouz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reggie Gillespie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kairouz comes to the cage accompanied by Metallica - Seek and Destroy. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Kairouz
vs
Gillespie

185 cm
22
170 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

174 cm
18
179 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Hellbent, Inc.

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Russell Kairouz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Reggie Gillespie!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kairouz avoids a punch combination nicely.

Gillespie pushes Kairouz up against the cage in a clinch.

Gillespie manages to break the clinch.
Kairouz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gillespie as he avoids it easily.
Kairouz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Gillespie moves into the clinch.

Gillespie manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Kairouz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kairouz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Gillespie is looking for a triangle but Kairouz pushes his legs off easily.
Gillespie wants to stand up but Kairouz is controlling him.
Kairouz passes Gillespie's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Kairouz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gillespie is just riding it out for now. Kairouz eventually gives up the hold.
Gillespie is in trouble now - Kairouz has advanced to mount!

Kairouz looking for a guillotine from mount but Gillespie is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gillespie is looking to improve his position but Kairouz isn't that keen on the idea.
Gillespie wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gillespie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gillespie's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Gillespie looks gassed!
Gillespie working to try and regain half guard.
Gillespie is trying to stand up.
Kairouz mounts Gillespie! Really nice guard pass there!

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kairouz has control of Gillespie's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Gillespie regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Kairouz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Kairouz has hold of Gillespie's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Gillespie manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gillespie is trying to stand up.
Kairouz wants to take Gillespie's back here but Gillespie is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Gillespie working to try and regain half guard.

Kairouz with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gillespie slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Gillespie has one foot on Kairouz's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Gillespie. No joy for Kairouz on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Kairouz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gillespie gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kairouz drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gillespie is pressed up against the cage. Kairouz has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gillespie down to the mat. Gillespie avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Kairouz drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kairouz passes Gillespie's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Kairouz is trying to work for a kimura but Gillespie is defending well.

Gillespie has one foot on Kairouz's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Kairouz fails to land the takedown.
Kairouz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Gillespie has managed to clinch.
Gillespie works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Gillespie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Russell Kairouz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gillespie instigates a clinch.
Kairouz has Gillespie pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gillespie manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Gillespie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kairouz tries to keep at a distance but Gillespie has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gillespie misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kairouz.

Gillespie jumps guard and drags Kairouz to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Gillespie wants to stand up but Kairouz is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kairouz forces his way into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kairouz prevents Gillespie from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kairouz is working for a submission of some sort.
Kairouz prevents Gillespie from improving his position.

Gillespie makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Gillespie stuffs the takedown attempt from Kairouz. Kairouz gets slowly back to his feet.
Gillespie scores with a decent looking hook.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kairouz fails with the takedown.
A combination from Gillespie does no damage.
Kairouz fails to land the takedown.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kairouz.
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 Russell Kairouz will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kairouz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gillespie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Gillespie gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kairouz fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Gillespie breaks from the clinch.
Kairouz fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Kairouz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kairouz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Gillespie tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kairouz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Kairouz is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Gillespie looks calm but he's in trouble here. Kairouz gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Gillespie is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Kairouz lets go of the hold and Gillespie can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Russell Kairouz!