PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Gilliam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Morton May (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morton May told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Gilliam
vs
May

194 cm
24
151 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Valentin Gilliam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Morton May!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

May scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
May stalling away here and it's allowed Gilliam to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
May postures up in Gilliam's guard and throws a big left but Gilliam blocks it.
May trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Gilliam is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and May defends well.
Gilliam is looking to stand up but May isn't so interested in that idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gilliam throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
May postures up and lands a big shot to Gilliam's brow.
May trying to control but Gilliam is working from the bottom.
Gilliam is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

May manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Gilliam on his heels. He'll look to pass Gilliam's guard now, I'm sure.
May trying to move into half guard but instead Gilliam has managed to sweep!

Gilliam has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
May is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

May is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gilliam defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

May is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gilliam is aware though and is defending well.
May trying to keep a closed guard but Gilliam is proving a slippery customer.
Gilliam makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gilliam lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gilliam's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gilliam chips away with some ground and pound.
Gilliam working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of May's head.
Gilliam will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gilliam scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
May can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gilliam controls the pace.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
May is trying to keep Gilliam in close.
Gilliam lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Gilliam is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Gilliam showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gilliam makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
May wants to stand and escape but Gilliam is having none of it.
May has momentary wrist control but Gilliam slips an elbow through the middle.
Gilliam wanted to stand there but May had control of the position.
Gilliam postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gilliam working some strikes from top position.
Gilliam is in close to May's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Gilliam is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Gilliam seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down May for as long as he can get away with.
Gilliam lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Gilliam content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Gilliam makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gilliam makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gilliam working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of May's head.
May trying to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

May is looking for a triangle but Gilliam pushes his legs off easily.
Gilliam 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.

Valentin Gilliam 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.

Gilliam has a takedown stuffed.
A jab from May misses.
Gilliam misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Good leg kick by May there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from May, right into the meat.

May drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Gilliam utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Gilliam looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gilliam looking for submissions from the bottom but instead May passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
May wants to take a breather but Gilliam is having none of it.

May is looking for a kimura here.
Gilliam trying to get back to full guard but May takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gilliam in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Gilliam regains half guard.
Gilliam is pressing down on May's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
May lands a couple of elbows.
May in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
May is looking to advance position but Gilliam has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
May is looking to get to half guard.
Gilliam landing strikes from the mount and May is in trouble!
Gilliam raining down shots from the mount!
May tries to hold on but Gilliam pushes him away.
Gilliam landing strikes, looking to finish!
Gilliam in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Gilliam avoids the attempt from May to control.
Gilliam tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Gilliam is trying to take his opponent's back.
Gilliam controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam punishing his opponent with strikes.
Gilliam tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
May tries to lock up and control but Gilliam gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
May might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gilliam haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
May is breathing heavily.
Gilliam postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. May looks a forlorn figure.
Gilliam controlling the position easily from mount.
Gilliam landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
May tries to hold on but Gilliam postures up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Gilliam 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!

Gilliam has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from May.
Gilliam doesn't succeed with the takedown
and May counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

May drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Gilliam throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Gilliam shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. May manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

May is looking for a triangle here but Gilliam uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
May takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gilliam landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilliam controlling the position from side mount.
Gilliam lands a few punches from side control.

Gilliam tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gilliam has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gilliam is putting a hurting on May here, landing some big shots from side control.
May is looking to reverse the position.
Gilliam controlling from side mount.
May is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
May wants to control but Gilliam postures up.
May takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Gilliam is working May over with some ground and pound from side control.
May is being controlled here.
Gilliam's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Gilliam landing strikes.
Gilliam landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Gilliam lands a decent elbow from side control.
Gilliam grinds an elbow into May's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam takes a little break here. May wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
May can't do much from the bottom here.
May tries to improve position but can't.
Gilliam is working May over with some ground and pound from side control.
Gilliam working the head and body with strikes.
May can't do much from the bottom here.
May is trying to escape the position but Gilliam is controlling the position.
Morton May has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gilliam working the head and body with strikes.
Gilliam working the body and head with strikes.
Gilliam in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
May can't do much from the bottom here.
Gilliam slows the pace down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gilliam is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. May knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Gilliam is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that May can do to turn this around?
May takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Gilliam scores with a couple of short elbows.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Gilliam working the head and body with strikes.
May tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gilliam wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
May taking punishment in the form of punches.
Gilliam grinds an elbow into May's temple.
Valentin Gilliam is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
May tries to buck Gilliam off but Gilliam is having none of it.
Gilliam lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valentin Gilliam showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gilliam, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valentin Gilliam!