PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Takanori Gomi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Salvatore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gomi comes into the arena with Scary blaring out of the sound system. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gomi
vs
Salvatore

173 cm
27
168 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

175 cm
34
165 lbs
25 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takanori Gomi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Nick Salvatore!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Jonathan Paton and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salvatore clobbers Gomi with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Gomi misses with an uppercut
and Salvatore counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Salvatore misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gomi.
Gomi misses with the combination.
Salvatore misses the shot to the body.
Salvatore turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gomi misses with a wild body shot.
A slow jab from Salvatore misses its intended target.
Gomi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Salvatore counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Gomi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Salvatore tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gomi was well out of range. Poor timing from Salvatore.
Good standup being displayed there by Salvatore as he connects with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvatore ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gomi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Salvatore on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gomi misses the jab.
Salvatore throws an overhand right that lands on Gomi's shoulder, as Gomi tries to avoid the shot.
Gomi misses with a series of wild punches.
Gomi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Salvatore scoring well with a low kick there.
Salvatore leaves Gomi with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Gomi scores with a jab to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi swats away the attempt to clinch by Salvatore.
Gomi scores with a shot to the body.
Salvatore fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gomi manages to avoid it.
Salvatore slips a jab from Gomi.
Salvatore lands a head shot.
Gomi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Salvatore.
Gomi misses with a series of wild punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gomi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gomi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Gomi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Salvatore struggling a bit here.
Gomi is looking to take a break and control but Salvatore is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gomi remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomi tries to score with some ground and pound. Salvatore controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Gomi trying to control the action but Salvatore is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salvatore tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nick Salvatore will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gomi shoots in and gets a takedown into Salvatore's guard.
Gomi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Salvatore swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gomi 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.
Gomi trying to control but Salvatore is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gomi is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Takanori Gomi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gomi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Gomi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Salvatore counters with a nice body shot.
Salvatore slips a jab from Gomi.
Nick Salvatore is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Crunch! Salvatore slams his shin into Gomi's torso.
Gomi throws a right hand that Salvatore ducks under and follows up with a left that Salvatore also avoids with ease.
Salvatore walks into a stiff left hand from Gomi.
Gomi fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Gomi misses.
Gomi walks into a left hand.
Gomi scores with a shot to the body.
Salvatore scores with a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gomi lands a jab to Salvatore's midsection.
Gomi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Salvatore doesn't seem bothered though.
Nice defenses there by Salvatore.
Gomi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Salvatore as he avoids it easily.
Salvatore scores with a hook.
Salvatore slips under a jab from Gomi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvatore takes a swing at Gomi's ribcage but misses.
Salvatore lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gomi circles away quickly and effectively.
Gomi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Salvatore.
Salvatore getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A jab from Gomi finds it's way through Salvatore's defenses.
Gomi lands with an uppercut that bounces Salvatore off the cage and back into range.
Salvatore misses the shot to the body.
Gomi looks to throw the jab but Salvatore is out of range.
Salvatore looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Salvatore misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Salvatore is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Gomi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Salvatore looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gomi taking a breather here.
Gomi throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takanori Gomi dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gomi throws a combination. Salvatore tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Gomi misses the shot to the body.

Gomi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Salvatore is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gomi trying to control the position from guard on top but Salvatore is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gomi won't allow Salvatore to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvatore preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gomi throws a strike but Salvatore rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Salvatore accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gomi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Salvatore.
Gomi pulls Salvatore in close to prevent any damage.
Salvatore tries to free his leg and advance position but Gomi is retaining full guard.
Gomi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Salvatore works over Gomi with some ground and pound from guard.
Gomi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Salvatore!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomi thowing shots but they're missing.
Salvatore slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gomi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Gomi controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi trying to control the action but Salvatore is working from the bottom.
Salvatore is looking to control Gomi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Salvatore avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Takanori Gomi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gomi throws a right and a left that Salvatore avoids nicely.
Salvatore rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gomi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gomi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Salvatore swinging wildly here.
Salvatore throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Gomi misses the jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No joy there for Gomi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gomi. Salvatore does a little dance to reset his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takanori Gomi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gomi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28

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