PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gideon Gabriel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jet Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Li has chosen Tourniquet by Evanescence as his entrance music. Gideon Gabriel could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jet Li's chin.

Gabriel
vs
Li

178 cm
32
179 lbs
24 - 12 - 1

167 cm
25
175 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 24 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Gideon Gabriel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jet Li!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Trevor Gratis and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A good leg kick by Gabriel.
Li lands a nice shot that snaps Gabriel's head back.

It looks like Gideon Gabriel has been cut.
Gabriel misses with the body kick
and Li counters with an outside leg kick.
Li tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gabriel scores with a nice body kick.
Gideon Gabriel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Li lands a nice looking body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A nice leg kick lands there from Li.
Gabriel scores with a nice body kick.
Gabriel cracks a nice hook into Li's ribs.
Gabriel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Li moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gabriel lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Li backs up against the cage.
Li misses with a straight right.
Gabriel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Li lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gabriel throws a one two combo.

It looks like Jet Li has been cut.
Li pivots, looking for a leg kick but Gabriel is out of range and Li settles back down.
Li throws a low kick but Gabriel avoids it.
Gabriel checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Li moves out of range of the body kick from Gabriel.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabriel lands a nice looking body shot.
Li throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Li slips a jab and a cross from Gabriel.
Gabriel misses the shot to the body.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Gabriel moves out of range easily.
A slapping body kick lands there for Gabriel.

Gabriel drops Li with a left right combo! Gabriel follows him down to the ground into side control.

Li is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Li is trying to improve his position.
Li is still in real trouble! Can Gabriel finish him?
Sloppy strikes there by Gabriel.
Li seems to have recovered his senses.
Li wants to control but Gabriel postures up.
Gabriel working the ground and pound from side control.
Gabriel 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.

Gabriel swings around for an armbar but Li sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gabriel's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gabriel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Li preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li is fighting to break Gabriel's control of his arms but Gabriel is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Gabriel trying to keep a closed guard but Li is proving a slippery customer.
Li wants to control from the top but Gabriel keeps moving.
Li would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Li throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Li as he jumps to the side.
Li lands a front kick.
Li on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gabriel fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Li is out of range.
Gabriel misses with a low kick.
Gabriel thows a body shot but no joy.
Li throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gabriel tries to clinch but Li moves out of range.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gabriel connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Li throws a low kick, looking for Gabriel's leg but Gabriel calmly moves out of range.

Gabriel shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gabriel showed some decent athleticism there.
Li is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gabriel scores with a couple of nice shots.
Li told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Li is looking to improve his position.
Gabriel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Li defending well though.
Gabriel is thwarting Li's attempts to control the position.

Gabriel wants to work for an arm triangle but Li is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Li manages to get to full guard.
Gabriel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gideon Gabriel dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gabriel doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Gabriel tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Li manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Gabriel clinches up against the cage.
Gabriel blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Gabriel lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Li tries to roll over but Gabriel keeps him under control.
Gabriel not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Li is trying to maintain the position but Gabriel is very close to passing his half guard.
Gabriel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Li defending well though.
Li taking some punishment here, with Gabriel in his half guard.
Gabriel thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Li is trying to control but can't.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Li is not content to let Gabriel control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li taking some punishment here, with Gabriel in his half guard.
Gabriel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gabriel throwing shots but Li is blocking nicely.
Li on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gabriel with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Gideon Gabriel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ground and pound from Gabriel.
Li tries to kick Gabriel off but Gabriel keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Li trying to hold on to Gabriel's head to control him but Gabriel postures up.
Li slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li keeping moving, preventing Gabriel from controlling successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gabriel stands up over Li, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Li throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Li is trying to keep Gabriel in close.
Gabriel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gabriel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gabriel lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gabriel is looking to stand up but Li won't let him.
Li seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Gabriel postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Li wants to sweep here but Gabriel controlling him for the moment.
Gabriel in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gabriel trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gabriel throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gabriel will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gabriel lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li has his foot on Gabriel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gabriel works his way back into a safe position though.
Gabriel landing some decent shots from guard.
Li controls Gabriel momentarily but Gabriel frees himself.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gabriel throws a big elbow that misses.
Gabriel landing with the ground and pound.

Gabriel is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gabriel is looking to work some ground and pound but Li has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gabriel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gideon Gabriel dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Li throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Crunch! Li slams his shin into Gabriel's torso.
Gabriel throws a jab but it's blocked by Li.
Gabriel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Li was well out of range. Poor timing from Gabriel.
Gabriel misses with a kick to the body
and Li counters with a head kick.
Li misses with a kick to the body.
Li will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Gabriel moves out of range easily.
Li connects with a solid leg kick.
Gabriel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Li can do to turn this around?
Gabriel cracks Li with a right hand to the side of the head.

Gabriel forces Li back against the cage and clinches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gabriel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Li blocks it with crossed arms.
Gabriel throws a knee to the head but misses.
Knees to the body from Gabriel.
Li takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gabriel unloads a knee to the mid-section. Li lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gabriel is trying to drag Li to the mat but Li just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Gabriel is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabriel throws an elbow but it misses.
Li swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gabriel creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Li wants to get back to striking at distance but Gabriel won't allow it.
Gabriel blocking some punches.
Li doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gabriel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Li is defending well for now.

Gabriel tightens his grip and picks Li up, before dumping him to the ground. Li manages to land in guard.
Li keeping moving, preventing Gabriel from controlling successfully.

Li working for submissions but it's allowed Gabriel to get to half guard.
Gabriel prevents Li from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel is nestled in close to Li, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Gabriel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Li keeps working.
Gabriel scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Li regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Gabriel.
Li trying to control the position.
Li working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gabriel.
Gabriel landing with the ground and pound.
Li avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel cracks Li with a solid left hand.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Li looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gabriel is one step ahead there.
Gabriel postures up.
Jet Li has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gabriel lands a couple of elbows.
Gabriel with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gabriel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Li looking for a guillotine here but Gabriel defends easily.
Gabriel working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li has his foot on Gabriel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gabriel works his way back into a safe position though.
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Gabriel throws a big elbow that misses.
Gabriel is in close to Li's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gabriel is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gabriel with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gabriel lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Gabriel scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gabriel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gideon Gabriel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gabriel has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gideon Gabriel!
A very excited looking Gideon Gabriel made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.