PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Salvatore Gattuso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arman Shaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Gattuso
vs
Shaker

179 cm
37
169 lbs
25 - 19 - 0

180 cm
21
182 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
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 25 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Salvatore Gattuso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arman Shaker!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gattuso shoots in and bounces Shaker off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Shaker looking to control but Gattuso passes into half guard.
Gattuso prevents Shaker from improving his position.
Gattuso wants to control but Shaker is keeping him busy.
Gattuso passes into side control, despite Shaker's attempt to control the position.
Gattuso working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shaker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gattuso throws a strike aimed at the side of Shaker's head but Shaker avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Gattuso.
Shaker is trying to control Gattuso's posture but Gattuso avoids it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shaker is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Gattuso is staying active.
Gattuso takes a little break here. Shaker wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Shaker is trying to control Gattuso's posture but Gattuso avoids it.
Gattuso wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shaker keeps working.
Gattuso throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shaker is trying to control Gattuso's posture but Gattuso avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shaker tries to bench press Gattuso off him but Gattuso keeps the position.
Shaker manages to get back to half guard.
Shaker is pressing down on Gattuso's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Shaker is adopting a defensive guard.

Shaker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Shaker trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gattuso working the ground and pound.
Shaker is looking for a sweep.
The ground and pound from Gattuso seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Shaker is trying to get back to half guard.
Shaker regains half guard.
Shaker is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Shaker is trying to control but can't.
Shaker might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gattuso haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gattuso is trying to work for a kimura but Shaker is defending well.
Shaker tries to roll over but Gattuso keeps him under control.

Shaker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Shaker manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gattuso has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gattuso stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shaker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shaker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Gattuso dominated that 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.

Shaker tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shaker goes for a double leg but Gattuso avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Gattuso continues to drive forward.
Gattuso prevents the takedown attempt.

Shaker jumps guard and drags Gattuso to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Shaker is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Shaker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Shaker working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gattuso.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gattuso wants to control from the top but Shaker keeps moving.

Shaker looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gattuso passes into side control.
Shaker is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Gattuso's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gattuso is looking to take a break and control but Shaker is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gattuso works his way into full mount!
Shaker is looking to improve his position but Gattuso isn't that keen on the idea.
Gattuso lands a big elbow.
Gattuso raining down shots from the mount!
Gattuso lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shaker can't escape the position.
Gattuso breaks from Shaker's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Gattuso with shots to the head and body - Shaker looks very uncomfortable down there.
Gattuso can't control as he wanted to and Shaker manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gattuso wants to free his trapped foot but Shaker is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Shaker is trying to get back to full guard.
Shaker regains full guard. Nicely done.
Gattuso missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shaker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Shaker controlling Gattuso's posture.
Gattuso trying to control the position from guard on top but Shaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shaker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gattuso trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Shaker has momentary wrist control but Gattuso slips an elbow through the middle.
Salvatore Gattuso overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shaker wants to sweep but no luck.
Gattuso controls from within his opponent's guard.

Shaker is looking for a triangle but Gattuso pushes his legs off easily.

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.
Shaker pulls Gattuso in close to prevent any damage.

Shaker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Shaker has his hands on Gattuso's head, controlling the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice takedown defense from Gattuso. No joy for Shaker on that attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvatore Gattuso dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Shaker gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gattuso works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Shaker trying to control from the bottom.

Shaker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Shaker is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gattuso throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gattuso wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shaker keeps working.
Shaker is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shaker is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gattuso pulls his head out easily.
Gattuso winds up and cracks Shaker with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Shaker trying to control here.
Gattuso seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shaker does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gattuso throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gattuso winds up and cracks Shaker with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Gattuso seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Shaker is positioning himself well to prevent Gattuso advancing to mount.
Salvatore Gattuso is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Gattuso keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice defenses there by Gattuso.
Shaker misses with a low kick.
Salvatore Gattuso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shaker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Gattuso closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Shaker did well to prevent Gattuso getting side control.
Shaker tries to get to full guard but Gattuso has control of the leg.
Shaker trying to control but Gattuso postures up.
Shaker is looking for a sweep. Gattuso is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shaker actively working from the bottom here.
Shaker is not content to let Gattuso control the position.
Arman Shaker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Shaker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Shaker tries to get to full guard but Gattuso has control of the leg.
Gattuso is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shaker can do to turn this around?
Shaker is trying to control but can't.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Shaker misses with some strikes from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gattuso thuds his right hand into Shaker's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Shaker throws a sloppy head kick
and Gattuso counters with a right hand to the body.
Shaker misses with a low kick.
Gattuso throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Shaker throws a lazy head kick
and Gattuso counters with a head kick.
Shaker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gattuso lands with an uppercut that bounces Shaker off the cage and back into range.
Gattuso defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Shaker.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gattuso misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gattuso keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

And that's the end of the fight!
Salvatore Gattuso showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gattuso 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salvatore Gattuso!
Salvatore Gattuso managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!), into his post fight interview.