PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jamie Gillis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sol Tavarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gillis comes to the cage accompanied by I Don't Feel Like Dancing - Scissor Sisters. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gillis
vs
Tavarez

185 cm
27
220 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

186 cm
29
204 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Brute

Black Hand Fight Gear & Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jamie Gillis!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sol Tavarez!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gillis throws out a loose jab but Tavarez uses good head movement to avoid it.

Tavarez instigates a clinch.
Tavarez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gillis has a couple of punches blocked by Tavarez.

Gillis manages to break the clinch.
Tavarez avoids the body shot from Gillis.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Gillis.
A slow jab from Tavarez misses its intended target.
Gillis fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gillis throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gillis swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gillis avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Nice straight punches there by Gillis. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gillis.
Nice body punch from Gillis.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Gillis gets the takedown into side control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Tavarez tries to improve position but can't.
Gillis in side control lands a decent elbow.
Gillis misses with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gillis looks up at the clock and then as Tavarez takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Gillis smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gillis trying to pass the guard but Tavarez defending well.
Tavarez blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gillis.
Gillis throws a strike but Tavarez avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Gillis stands and throws Tavarez's legs to the side, diving into side control.
An elbow from Gillis crashes against the mat.
Gillis throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Tavarez taking a bit of punishment here - Gillis scoring with strikes.
Sloppy strikes there by Gillis.
Gillis throws a strike aimed at the side of Tavarez's head but Tavarez avoids it well.
Gillis throws a strike aimed at the side of Tavarez's head but Tavarez avoids it well.
Tavarez dodges the ground and pound from Gillis.
Tavarez manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Still in half guard, Tavarez seems content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gillis actively working from the bottom here.
Gillis moves into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tavarez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Tavarez trying to control but Gillis is working from the bottom.
Gillis controls Tavarez momentarily but Tavarez frees himself.

Gillis working for a triangle but Tavarez defends it easily.
Tavarez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gillis's head.

Gillis is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tavarez defends well.
Tavarez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez throwing strikes but missing.

Gillis working for a triangle but Tavarez defends it easily.
Gillis tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tavarez passes Gillis's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gillis manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gillis looking to control.
Gillis wants to sweep but no luck.
Tavarez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Gillis throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gillis keeping moving, preventing Tavarez from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gillis has his foot on Tavarez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tavarez works his way back into a safe position though.
Tavarez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tavarez forces his way into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tavarez is looking to take a break and control but Gillis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Gillis looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tavarez trying to control from half guard but Gillis is working away.

Tavarez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gillis is staying active underneath Tavarez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tavarez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Gillis dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tavarez needs to keep his hands up - Gillis had a free shot at his head there.
Gillis steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tavarez.
Gillis has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gillis there as he acknowledges the shot.
Tavarez looks to throw the jab but Gillis is out of range.
Tavarez throws a hook but Gillis blocks it.
Nice jab there from Gillis.
Gillis lands a nice shot to the body.
A big left from Gillis misses.
Gillis cracks Tavarez with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Tavarez on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tavarez jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

It looks like Jamie Gillis has been cut.
Tavarez throws a series of punches but Gillis moves out of range.
Tavarez moves away from the strike by Gillis.
Gillis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tavarez.
Tavarez slips a straight right by Gillis.
Gillis misses with an uppercut.
Gillis throws a jab but it's blocked by Tavarez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarez throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Tavarez misses with a head kick.
Tavarez motions for Gillis to come forward. Tavarez throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Gillis shoots in for a takedown but Tavarez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gillis misses with an uppercut. Tavarez saw that one coming.
Gillis blocks a jab.
Tavarez throws out a loose jab but Gillis uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gillis looks to throw the jab but Tavarez is out of range.
Gillis scores with a crisp jab that stopped Tavarez in his tracks.
Tavarez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gillis throws out the jab.
Gillis waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Tavarez.
Gillis bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Tavarez's head.
Tavarez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gillis checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Gillis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tavarez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez tries to clinch up but Gillis circles away and keeps his distance.
Gillis with a jab.
A combination from Tavarez does no damage.

Tavarez has managed to clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gillis has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Tavarez after a bit of a struggle.
Gillis wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamie Gillis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gillis is trying to force a seperation but Tavarez has the dominant position.
Tavarez lands a right hand.
Tavarez gets underhooks to prevent Gillis's takedown attempt.
Tavarez wants to stall.
Tavarez cracks Gillis with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gillis prevents a body shot from Tavarez.
Gillis lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gillis misses with a punch on the inside.
A short right from Gillis on the inside.
Still in the clinch, Gillis scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short right from Gillis on the inside.
Nice elbow from Tavarez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gillis.
Tavarez tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gillis's elbow.
Gillis misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tavarez lands a good knee to the midsection. Gillis won't want to take too many of those.
Tavarez is working Gillis over against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tavarez.
Gillis has a couple of punches blocked by Tavarez.

Gillis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tavarez is looking to clinch but Gillis is avoiding it.
Tavarez with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gillis to score with a decent uppercut.
Tavarez fails with an attempt to clinch.

Tavarez scores with a takedown into Gillis's guard.
Tavarez wants to pass the guard but Gillis is keeping the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gillis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gillis keeping moving, preventing Tavarez from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tavarez landing with the ground and pound.
Tavarez throwing strikes from guard but Gillis blocks nicely.
Tavarez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tavarez sitting in guard here, content to control.
Gillis looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Tavarez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gillis has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tavarez has managed to get both his arms back between Gillis's legs - danger averted.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gillis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tavarez keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
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 Jamie Gillis will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jamie Gillis's cut.
That's time! Gillis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gillis throws a lazy right hand but Tavarez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gillis lands a jab to the nose.
Gillis tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tavarez swivels and escapes.
Tavarez stuffs the takedown attempt from Gillis. Gillis gets slowly back to his feet.
Gillis lands a body shot.
Gillis is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gillis slips a jab and a cross from Tavarez.
Tavarez looks to land a body kick but Gillis moved away.
Gillis fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Jamie Gillis is winning the standup battle so far.
Tavarez paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Gillis is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gillis swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tavarez closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A jab from Tavarez misses.
Gillis takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gillis looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gillis missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gillis thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Tavarez is refusing to be controlled, as Gillis sits in half guard.
Gillis 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.
Tavarez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Tavarez working a defensive guard here.
Tavarez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Gillis lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gillis connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gillis chips away with some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tavarez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gillis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gillis lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gillis slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Gillis working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Gillis fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Gillis creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Tavarez sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Gillis lands some shots froms side control.

Tavarez is rocked!
Tavarez takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Tavarez is still in real trouble! Can Gillis finish him?
Gillis landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Gillis in side control here. He's dropped a big elbow there and Tavarez looks hurt! Oh, he is hurt! Gillis turns on the heat and pounds him out for a TKO victory! Good killer instinct there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jamie Gillis!
Jamie Gillis retains his light heavyweight title!
Jamie Gillis seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.