PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gio Naza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keith Schafer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Naza comes to the cage accompanied by Saliva - Ladies and Gentlemen. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Naza
vs
Schafer

185 cm
30
176 lbs
16 - 14 - 2

190 cm
25
182 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire

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 16 - 14 - 2, fighting out of London, Gio Naza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Keith Schafer!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naza shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Schafer sprawls well. Schafer wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Naza gets slowly back to his feet.
Naza moves away from the strike by Schafer.

Schafer takes the fight into the clinch.
Schafer tries to land a knee to the head but Naza blocks with his arms.
Naza managing to block the knees to the body from Schafer.
Schafer can't find room to land a body shot as Naza controls the action.
Schafer lands a body punch.
Schafer lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naza changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Schafer fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Naza tries for a takedown but Schafer circles away easily
and Schafer counters with a thumping low kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gio Naza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Schafer looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Naza throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Naza on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Schafer takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Naza is defended easily by Schafer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Naza shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Naza throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Naza tries to stand but can't do so whilst Schafer controls his leg.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Naza has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Schafer is trying to control but can't.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Naza not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schafer avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Naza.
Naza controlling the pace.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Schafer cracks Naza with a good jab.
Naza scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Naza.
Schafer misses with an uppercut. Naza saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schafer misses the jab.
Naza throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Schafer.
Naza takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Schafer scores with a hook.

Naza drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Naza throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Schafer sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Naza throwing shots but Schafer is blocking nicely.
Schafer is looking for a sweep. Naza is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gio Naza dominated that round.
That's time! Naza's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Naza has a takedown stuffed.

Schafer gets a clinch.
Still in the clinch, Schafer scores with a nice short uppercut.
Naza is looking to break free of the clinch but Schafer has double underhooks.
Naza has Schafer pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Schafer manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Schafer fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Schafer gets underhooks to prevent Naza's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gio Naza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Schafer stalls.
Naza takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schafer pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Schafer looking to stall.
Schafer controlling the action here for a moment.
A short left from Schafer.

Naza has Schafer pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Naza pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Schafer tumbling to the mat - Naza dives into Schafer's guard.
Naza distracts Schafer with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Naza in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Schafer holds on and takes a little breather.
Naza stopping the sweep attempt from Schafer.
Schafer seems keen to control Naza's posture.
Naza is looking to work some ground and pound but Schafer has wrist control.
Naza slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Keith Schafer hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Schafer throws an overhand right that lands on Naza's shoulder, as Naza tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naza misses with a hook. Schafer ducked under it nicely.
Schafer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Naza misses with a low kick.
Naza fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Schafer is out of range.
Naza avoids the body shot from Schafer.
Schafer wants to clinch but Naza slips to the side
and Naza makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Naza doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A big left from Schafer misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schafer lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Naza at a distance.
Naza throws a sloppy body shot
and Schafer counters with an outside leg kick.
Schafer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A swing and a miss from Naza.
Naza takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Naza throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Naza connects with an inside leg kick.
Schafer pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Naza back to the cage. Schafer follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Keith Schafer will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Naza thows a leg kick but Schafer checks it
and Schafer counters with a three punch combo that has Naza backing up. Naza nods at Schafer to acknowledge the strikes.
Schafer just misses with a punch to the body.
Schafer lands with a straight right. Naza didn't see that one coming.
Schafer tries to clinch but Naza moves out of range.
Keith Schafer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Schafer plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Schafer throws a right hand that Naza ducks under and follows up with a left that Naza also avoids with ease.

Schafer fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Naza, pushing him back against the cage.
Schafer throws a head punch that misses.
Schafer misses with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naza goes for a takedown in the clinch but Schafer prevents it.
Schafer lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Schafer lands a nice shot to the body.
Naza is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Schafer gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Schafer misses with a punch to the body.
Schafer working aggressively here.
Schafer scores a nice knee to the body.
Schafer lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Naza can't break the clinch.
Schafer lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Schafer misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Schafer fails to land.
Naza blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Schafer.
Schafer with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Schafer misses with a knee to the head.
Schafer throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Schafer misses with a body punch.
Schafer tries a body shot but Naza blocks it.
Schafer scores with a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Schafer misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Naza.
Schafer tries to land knees in the clinch but Naza avoids the damage to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Naza breaks the clinch.
Schafer bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Naza shoots for a double leg takedown but Schafer sprawls well. He's pushed Naza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gio Naza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sloppy strikes from Naza. Those never looked like landing.
Naza shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Schafer defends it nicely.
Nice shot by Schafer.
Keith Schafer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schafer stuffs the takedown.
Schafer lands with a right hand.
Schafer punishes Naza's body with a nice straight punch.
Schafer tries to clinch but Naza moves out of range.
Schafer scoring well with a low kick there.
Schafer tests Naza's chin there with a solid looking shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Naza takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keith Schafer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Schafer has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Gio Naza!
Gio Naza thanked the fans post fight for their support.