PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gary Gambino (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nigel Lovelace (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gary Gambino has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Gambino
vs
Lovelace

219 cm
21
260 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

180 cm
18
220 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gary Gambino!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nigel Lovelace!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Hugh Johnson and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lovelace fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gambino keeps the fight on the outside.
Gambino throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lovelace.
Gambino is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Gambino striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lovelace has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Lovelace throws a head kick that misses.
Lovelace misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lovelace moves out of range as Gambino throws a body kick.
Gambino on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Lovelace has a takedown stuffed.
Gary Gambino has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nigel Lovelace.
Lovelace looks gassed!
Gambino misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gambino swats away the attempt to clinch by Lovelace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovelace fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gambino misses with a takedown attempt

and Lovelace counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gambino trying to control but Lovelace postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lovelace seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Lovelace in particular looking to stall.
Gambino wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lovelace performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lovelace working over Gambino with some ground and pound. Gambino looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lovelace uses his free foot to push down on Gambino's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Gambino.
Lovelace controlling his opponent.
Gambino wants to hold on but Lovelace pushes him away.
Gambino can't escape the position.
Gambino is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gambino wants to get back to his feet.
Lovelace pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Lovelace should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Lovelace connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lovelace takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Lovelace looking to control but Gambino is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Lovelace content just to control the position here.
Gambino tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lovelace trying to control but Gambino is having none of it.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nigel Lovelace just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gambino shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gambino will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gambino wanted to stand there but Lovelace had control of the position.
Lovelace manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lovelace tries to control but Gambino wriggling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gambino is looking to improve his position but Lovelace isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nigel Lovelace dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Lovelace throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gambino really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Crunch! Lovelace slams his shin into Gambino's torso.
Lovelace fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gambino tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lovelace paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lovelace looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gambino is fending him off so far but Lovelace persists. Nope, Gambino circles away and we're back to standing.

Lovelace closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gambino wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lovelace landing knees to the body.

Lovelace manages to pull guard.
Lovelace is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gambino is controlling him.

Lovelace kicks Gambino off and gets to his feet.

Lovelace fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gambino sprawls well initially but Lovelace persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lovelace winds up and cracks Gambino with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Gambino is trying to stand back up but Lovelace is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambino wants to get back to full guard.

Gambino pushes Lovelace off and gets back to his feet.
Gambino with a poor takedown
and Lovelace counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Gambino tries to clinch but Lovelace is having none of it.
Gambino fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gambino tries to clinch up but Lovelace circles away and keeps his distance.
Lovelace closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gambino circles away.
Gary Gambino has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nigel Lovelace.
Lovelace looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Lovelace feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Lovelace postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Lovelace content to stall in guard here.
Lovelace working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lovelace content to stall in guard here.
Lovelace prevents Gambino from getting back to his feet.
Lovelace sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gambino's guard.
Gambino wants to sweep but Lovelace has passed to side control!
Lovelace avoids the strikes from the bottom by Gambino.
Lovelace misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Gambino pushes Lovelace away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Lovelace gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Gambino taking punishment in the form of punches.
Lovelace passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Gambino!
Gambino wants to hold on but Lovelace pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gambino trying desperately to get to his feet.

Lovelace jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Gambino manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Gambino bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Gary Gambino seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gambino takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Gambino waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Lovelace.

Lovelace shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Still in half guard, Lovelace seems content to control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Lovelace lands a nice short elbow.
Lovelace controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lovelace decides to stand and escape the position.

Gambino tries to keep at a distance but Lovelace has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gambino has Lovelace pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lovelace manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gambino tries to break the clinch but Lovelace is controlling the position.
Lovelace is trying to maintain a safe position but Gambino gets an underhook and turns Lovelace into the cage.

Gambino breaks the clinch.
Lovelace fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Gambino clinches with his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lovelace looking for a takedown.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gambino is looking to break free of the clinch but Lovelace has double underhooks.

Lovelace drags the fight down to the ground.
Lovelace controlling Gambino's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nigel Lovelace showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Lovelace changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gambino throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gambino tries a head kick but it misses.
Lovelace fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gambino tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Lovelace closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Lovelace trying to control the action but Gambino is working from the bottom.
Lovelace has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gambino is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Lovelace's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nigel Lovelace has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gambino is pushing Lovelace's head away, looking to escape. Lovelace manages to hold on to the position though.
Gambino is trying to get back to half guard.
Lovelace working the head with strikes.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lovelace is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gambino closes the distance but Lovelace moves to the side

and Lovelace counters with a shoot takedown. Gambino fights it but they end up in guard.

Gambino pushes Lovelace off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Gambino is looking to clinch but Lovelace is avoiding it.
Lovelace tries to bum rush Gambino with a series of wild strikes but Gambino uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lovelace looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lovelace tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gary Gambino is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gambino darts in trying to clinch

and Lovelace counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Gambino's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lovelace gets to his feet. Gambino looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Lovelace explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Lovelace shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ohhhhhhhhhh, brutal head kick from Gambino! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Gary Gambino!