PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Badi Gnesh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathan Maskrey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maskrey has chosen Amazing- Kanye West as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gnesh
vs
Maskrey

161 cm
20
164 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

195 cm
27
135 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Zipp Zapp

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Badi Gnesh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Nathan Maskrey!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Richard Clark and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maskrey shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gnesh leaves Maskrey with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Gnesh looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Maskrey isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gnesh stacks Maskrey on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Gnesh!
Gnesh is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Maskrey tries to bench press Gnesh off him but Gnesh keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gnesh controls the position.
Maskrey is looking to reverse the position.
Maskrey looking for a sweep but Gnesh has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Gnesh prevents Maskrey from getting the reversal.
Gnesh connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Gnesh controlling the position easily from mount.
Gnesh connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gnesh content just to control the position here.
Gnesh lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Maskrey tries to hold on but Gnesh pushes him away.
Gnesh controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maskrey is looking to get to half guard.
Gnesh controlling his opponent.
Maskrey is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Badi Gnesh.
Maskrey shoots in but Gnesh avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Badi Gnesh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nathan Maskrey.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maskrey gets a takedown into half guard.
Gnesh moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Maskrey must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gnesh looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Gnesh looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gnesh might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gnesh is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Badi Gnesh dominated that round.
That's time! Gnesh's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gnesh shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Maskrey defends it nicely.
Gnesh throws a push kick but Maskrey slaps the foot to one side.
Gnesh has a takedown stuffed.
Maskrey is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gnesh sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gnesh changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Maskrey tries to avoid it but Gnesh manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Maskrey to the ground. Maskrey escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Badi Gnesh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maskrey darts in trying to clinch

and Gnesh counters with a nice double leg into side control. Maskrey won't be happy with that.
Maskrey is trying to control Gnesh's posture but Gnesh avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gnesh moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Maskrey is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gnesh asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Maskrey is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gnesh lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Maskrey down.
Gnesh working away.
Maskrey tries to improve position but can't.
Gnesh controlling the position from side mount.
Maskrey tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gnesh wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maskrey struggling a bit here.
Maskrey is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Maskrey's face as Gnesh controls the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A shot to the body from Gnesh misses
and Gnesh takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gnesh looks to score with a jab to the body but Maskrey is just out of range.

Maskrey closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gnesh to the mat! Gnesh manages to get full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maskrey loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gnesh pulls Maskrey in close to prevent any damage.
Gnesh keeping moving, preventing Maskrey from controlling successfully.
Maskrey looking to sit in guard and control but Gnesh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gnesh controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Badi Gnesh dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Gnesh fails with the takedown.
Nathan Maskrey is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Gnesh shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Gnesh sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Maskrey is looking for a sweep. Gnesh is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maskrey is trying to stand.
Gnesh is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gnesh seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Maskrey for as long as he can get away with.

Badi Gnesh has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gnesh stuffs the takedown.
Maskrey uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gnesh.

Maskrey tries to sprawl but Gnesh drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maskrey is trying to maintain the position but Gnesh is very close to passing his half guard.
Gnesh with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Maskrey tries to get to full guard but Gnesh has control of the leg.
Badi Gnesh overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Badi Gnesh wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Maskrey fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Badi Gnesh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gnesh thows a body shot but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maskrey will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Badi Gnesh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nathan Maskrey.

Gnesh drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Maskrey wants to control the position but Gnesh says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Nice strikes from Gnesh there.
Gnesh controlling the pace.
Maskrey is trying to stand up here but Gnesh is controlling him well.
Maskrey takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Maskrey is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maskrey trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gnesh controlling the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Nathan Maskrey wasn't active enough on the ground.
Gnesh fails to land the takedown.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gnesh looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nathan Maskrey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gnesh shoots in looking for a takedown but Maskrey manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gnesh's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Badi Gnesh showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gnesh 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Badi Gnesh!