PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Erik Folayang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Gurel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Folayang
vs
Gurel

180 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
21
175 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Erik Folayang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jake Gurel!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Ryoma Takatsuka and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gurel goes for a double leg but Folayang avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Folayang continues to drive forward.

Folayang breaks the clinch.
A decent looking cross lands there for Folayang.
Folayang dives in for a single leg takedown but Gurel sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Folayang.
Gurel can't get the takedown.
Folayang wants a takedown but no success here.
Folayang misses with a knee strike.
Folayang definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Folayang pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Folayang drives through and clinches with Gurel against the cage.
Gurel wants a takedown.
Erik Folayang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Gurel.
Folayang has Gurel pressed against the cage, preventing Gurel from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Knees in the clinch landing for Folayang.
Gurel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Folayang blocks it with crossed arms.

Folayang jumps guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gurel stopping the sweep attempt from Folayang.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gurel postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gurel looking to pass the guard.
Gurel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Gurel drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gurel jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Folayang is trying to control the position but Gurel postures up.
Gurel is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Folayang is trying to control the position but Gurel postures up.
Folayang being controlled here, momentarily.
It looks like Gurel 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Folayang throws a low kick but it's checked well by Gurel.
Folayang swats away the attempt to clinch by Gurel.
Folayang feints and then cracks Gurel's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gurel down.
Folayang thumps Gurel with a low kick.

Folayang darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Folayang knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gurel on the ground.
Gurel looks winded!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gurel gets back to full guard.
Folayang is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gurel is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gurel wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Folayang wanted to stand there but Gurel had control of the position.
Gurel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Folayang is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gurel working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Folayang doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Folayang manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gurel wants to sweep but no luck.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Folayang has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gurel is proving hard to escape from.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Erik 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.

Folayang doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gurel counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Folayang fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gurel sprawls well initially but Folayang persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Gurel slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gurel is adopting a defensive guard.
Folayang has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Gurel pushes Folayang off and gets back to his feet.

Gurel gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Folayang holding on.

Gurel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Folayang is not content to let Gurel control the position.
Jake Gurel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gurel is working Folayang over with some ground and pound from side control.
Folayang is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Folayang isn't going anywhere.

Gurel tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Folayang is trying to get back to half guard.
Gurel scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Folayang to see if he's OK.
Folayang can't do much from the bottom here.
Folayang is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gurel is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Check out the look on Gurel's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Folayang is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Gurel has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Folayang prevents Gurel from improving position.
Gurel creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Gurel is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Folayang knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Gurel thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Gurel trying to control the action but Folayang is working from the bottom.
Folayang is looking for a sweep.
Folayang takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Folayang is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gurel content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Folayang on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Folayang tries to improve position but can't.
Folayang is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Gurel has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Gurel cracks Folayang with a big right hand but Folayang just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Folayang tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Folayang tries to escape the position.

Folayang is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Gurel gets his way!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Gurel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gurel fails with a takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Gurel or perhaps it was just good defense by Folayang which made him look bad.
Folayang dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gurel. That did some damage!
Jake Gurel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Folayang tries a head kick but it misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Folayang.
Gurel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Folayang drives through and clinches with Gurel against the cage.
Folayang lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Gurel.
Folayang is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Folayang's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Folayang looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Folayang wants to stand but Gurel is controlling his posture from full guard.
Folayang trying to control the position from guard on top but Gurel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Erik Folayang wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Folayang gets a clinch.
Folayang tries to pull guard but Gurel forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Folayang tries to pull guard but Gurel won't allow it.
Folayang with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gurel is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Folayang gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Erik Folayang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Gurel.
Gurel avoiding damage as Folayang throws knees to the body.
Folayang is pressed up against the cage. Gurel has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Folayang down to the mat. Folayang avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Gurel shoots in and bounces Folayang off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Folayang manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Folayang leaning against his opponent.
Folayang tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Folayang's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A chopping leg kick lands by Folayang.
Folayang walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Gurel checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Folayang.
Gurel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Folayang swivels and escapes.
Gurel darts in looking for a takedown but Folayang gets double underhooks and turns Gurel into the cage.
Gurel wants a takedown but no success here.
Folayang lands a nice knee to the body.

Folayang pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gurel is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Folayang.

Folayang clinches with his opponent.
Folayang slows down the pace here.
Folayang is pressed up against the cage. Gurel has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Folayang down to the mat. Folayang avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Folayang lands a nice hook to Gurel's body. Gurel takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Folayang misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Folayang is looking to land body kicks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gurel has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Folayang lands with a thumping leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erik Folayang showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Folayang 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Erik Folayang!