PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Te Guruma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Wilkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Guruma's entrance music is A Tear In The Open. A fine choice. Te Guruma could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Paul Wilkins's chin.

Guruma
vs
Wilkins

169 cm
21
155 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

175 cm
20
147 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Te Guruma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Wilkins!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, William Gold and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Guruma will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Guruma shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Guruma prevents Wilkins from improving his position.
Guruma trying to mount his opponent but Wilkins defends it.

Guruma is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Wilkins is refusing to be controlled, as Guruma sits in half guard.
Wilkins keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

Guruma is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilkins is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Guruma tries to pass to full mount but Wilkins defends it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Wilkins tries to clinch there but Guruma circles away.
Guruma tries a head kick but it misses.
Wilkins tries to clinch there but Guruma circles away.
Wilkins scores with a leg kick.

Guruma takes the fight into the clinch.
Wilkins stalling in the clinch but Guruma improves position.
Wilkins lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Guruma missing with knees to the body.
Guruma drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Wilkins throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Guruma blocks it with crossed arms.
Guruma misses with some punches.
Wilkins lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Te Guruma has been cut.
Wilkins with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Guruma decides to pull guard.
Wilkins scoring with punches to the head and body.
Wilkins is stalling in the full guard.
Guruma trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Wilkins trying to control the position from guard on top but Guruma is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wilkins might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Guruma kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Wilkins won't allow Guruma to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Guruma had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Wilkins is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Guruma Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Wilkins's back instead.
Guruma is breathing heavily.

Guruma is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Wilkins is defending well though. Guruma let's go of the attempt for now.
Guruma softening up his opponent with strikes here.
A lull in the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Guruma is striking well from the back but Wilkins escapes and manages to control the positon and works his way to half guard. A much better position - the crisis is over for the time being.
Guruma prevents Wilkins from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Guruma throwing shots but Wilkins is blocking nicely.

Guruma seems to be looking for submissions.
Wilkins has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Guruma is working away from the top position though.
Guruma not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Wilkins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Wilkins throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wilkins tries to close the distance and clinch up but Guruma swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Guruma looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Te Guruma. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Guruma throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
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 Te Guruma will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Te Guruma's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Wilkins closes the distance and clinches.
Wilkins misses with an elbow strike.
Guruma fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Wilkins is pressed up against the cage. Guruma has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Wilkins down to the mat. Wilkins avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Wilkins doesn't manage to clinch there - Guruma circles away.
Guruma misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Te Guruma. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Guruma throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Wilkins counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Guruma!
Wilkins with shots to the head and body - Guruma looks very uncomfortable down there.
Wilkins trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Wilkins is working for a guillotine from mount but Guruma frees his head quite easily.
Wilkins looking to control and managing it successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wilkins trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guruma is working to get back to half guard.
Wilkins tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Guruma tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Guruma is working hard here to advance position.
Wilkins raining down shots from the mount!
Guruma sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Wilkins slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Guruma wants to improve his position but Wilkins is controlling well.
Wilkins sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Guruma is trying to get back to full guard.
Wilkins is thwarting Guruma's attempts to control the position.
Guruma is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Guruma wants to get back to full guard but Wilkins has mounted him!
Guruma working to try and regain half guard.
Wilkins with good strikes from the mount here!
Wilkins controlling his opponent.
Guruma is desperately trying to improve his position but Wilkins has a good base and remains in mount.
Guruma swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Guruma keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Wilkins has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Guruma's face.
Wilkins controlling from the full mount.
BOOM! Wilkins connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Wilkins wants to control the pace but Guruma is squirming around nicely.
Guruma keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wilkins looking to control and managing it successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Wilkins showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Te Guruma's cut.
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!

Guruma circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wilkins throws a lazy head kick

and Guruma counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Guruma looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Wilkins with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Guruma is looking to advance position but Wilkins won't allow it.
Wilkins is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Guruma lands a nice short elbow.

Guruma decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Guruma closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Guruma wants to stand but Wilkins has his arm trapped.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilkins sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Wilkins wants to control but Guruma is keeping busy.
Wilkins slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Wilkins has control of Guruma's left arm, preventing Guruma from doing any damage.
Wilkins is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Guruma is looking to stand up but Wilkins won't let him.

Guruma has gone for a leg lock! Wilkins slips out almost immediately though and dives into Guruma's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins won't allow Guruma to sweep him here.
Guruma is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wilkins is controlling him.
Guruma thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Wilkins won't allow Guruma to sweep him here.
Wilkins with a nice head shot there.
Wilkins slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Wilkins lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Guruma fails with the takedown
enabling Wilkins to counter with a crisp jab.
Wilkins wants to clinch up but Guruma keeps it at a distance.

Guruma rushes Wilkins and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Guruma successfully pulls guard.
Wilkins trying to control but Guruma is working from the bottom.
Wilkins sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Wilkins trying to control but Guruma is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Guruma has his foot on Wilkins's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Wilkins works his way back into a safe position though.
Wilkins is stalling in the full guard.
Guruma 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.
Guruma controls Wilkins momentarily but Wilkins frees himself.
Guruma wants to sweep here but Wilkins controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Te Guruma showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Guruma 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Te Guruma!