PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Eduard Folayang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nomor Gai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Folayang kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Mike Swift. Nomor Gai has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Eduard Folayang's chin.

Folayang
vs
Gai

175 cm
31
161 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

176 cm
24
153 lbs
8 - 4 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Eduard Folayang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Nomor Gai!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Damien Edna and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gai shoots for a takedown but Folayang saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gai shoots in and drives through. Folayang sprawls well.
Folayang misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Gai changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Folayang looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Folayang keeps working.
Gai in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like Gai might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nomor Gai was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Gai swings for the body but Folayang moves out of range.
Gai avoids the body shot from Folayang.
Sloppy strikes from Folayang. Those never looked like landing.
Folayang takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Folayang scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Gai throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Folayang scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Folayang looks to score with a jab to the body but Gai is just out of range.
Horrible takedown by Gai or perhaps it was just good defense by Folayang which made him look bad.
Eduard Folayang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nomor Gai.
Gai blocks a jab.
Gai is trying hard to land a takedown here. Folayang sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Folayang throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Gai shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Folayang is trying to defend but Gai finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gai prevents Folayang from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Folayang trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Gai is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Gai is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gai trying to control the pace.
Folayang wants to stand back up but Gai manages to pass into side control.
The ground and pound from Gai seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
A lull in the action here as Gai stalls from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gai tries to score with some ground and pound. Folayang controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Gai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Folayang keeps working.
Folayang is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gai asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Folayang is not content to let Gai control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gai shoots in and bounces Folayang off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gai is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gai pushing down on Folayang's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Still in half guard, Gai seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gai's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nomor Gai was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Gai stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Folayang looks to land a combination. Gai sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gai lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gai slips a straight right by Folayang.
Folayang connects with the punch.
Gai works the jab nicely.

Gai closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Folayang to the mat! Folayang manages to get full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gai looking to pass the guard.

Folayang wriggles free and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Folayang looks to throw the jab but Gai is out of range.
Folayang fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gai manages to avoid it.
Gai fails with a takedown attempt.
A jab from Folayang does it's job there.
Gai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Folayang misses with a jab, cross combination.
Folayang tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gai was well out of range. Poor timing from Folayang.
Gai takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Folayang lands a head shot.
Folayang slaps away a takedown attempt from Gai, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gai throws a shot from downtown. Folayang moves away and avoids it.
Folayang displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gai.
Eduard Folayang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nomor Gai.
Gai walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gai is trying hard to land a takedown here. Folayang sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gai misses with an uppercut. Folayang saw that one coming.
Gai misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Folayang ducks under a wild hook from Gai.
Eduard Folayang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gai with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Folayang to score with a decent uppercut.
A combination from Folayang does no damage.
Folayang misses the shot to the body.
Folayang walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Folayang connects with a body shot.
Folayang lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Folayang displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gai throws out the jab.
Folayang keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gai.
Gai is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Folayang lands with a right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Folayang uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Folayang's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Folayang duly obliges.

Gai is rocked!
Gai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gai is still on wobbly legs! Can Folayang finish him?
Folayang throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gai seems to have recovered his senses.
A left and a right from Folayang both land. Nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Folayang. Beautiful body shot.
Folayang stalks Gai and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Gai's face. Gai staggers backwards, shaken.
Folayang stuffs the takedown attempt from Gai. Gai gets slowly back to his feet.
Folayang misses with a looping right.
A punch combination from Folayang misses.
Gai shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Folayang but Folayang pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Folayang lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Gai takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Eduard Folayang is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Gai closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Folayang to the mat! Folayang manages to get full guard.
Gai is breathing heavily.
Gai trying to control but Folayang is working from the bottom.
Gai cracks Folayang with a solid left hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Folayang is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
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 Eduard Folayang will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Folayang misses with the combination.
Gai throws an overhand right that lands on Folayang's shoulder, as Folayang tries to avoid the shot.
Gai takes one to the side of the head.
Gai waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Folayang.
Folayang lands a nice shot that snaps Gai's head back.
A big right from Gai misses.
Decent striking displayed by Folayang there.
Folayang just misses with a punch to the body.
Folayang throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Folayang gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Folayang keeping full guard, as Gai tries to pass.
Gai controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gai trying to control the position from guard on top but Folayang is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gai won't allow Folayang to get back to his feet.
Gai showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nomor Gai.
Folayang drops his hands momentarily and Gai takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gai fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Folayang displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Gai shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gai wants to control from the top but Folayang keeps moving.
Gai won't allow Folayang to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gai trying to control the position from guard on top but Folayang is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Folayang working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gai.
Gai seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Nomor Gai has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gai wants to control from the top but Folayang keeps moving.

Nomor Gai has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Gai scores with a jab to the body.
Gai might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Gai misses with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gai's jab looks to have found its range, popping Folayang under the eye.
Folayang changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Folayang.
Folayang misses with the combination.
Eduard Folayang is winning the standup battle so far.
Folayang goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Folayang takes one to the side of the head.
Folayang fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gai's corner calls for a 1-2. Gai obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Gai darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Gai seems content to control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gai prevents Folayang from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gai performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Let's hope that Gai has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nomor Gai.
Folayang misses with a few strikes there.
Gai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Folayang scores with a jab to the head.
Gai takes one to the side of the head.
Folayang misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gai missing with a left hand there. Folayang was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A combination from Folayang does no damage.
Gai looks to land a right hand but Folayang moved out of range.
Gai scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gai misses with a hook.
Eduard Folayang is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Folayang misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nomor Gai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gai 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nomor Gai!
A victorious Nomor Gai thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.