PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sage Nopark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mason Gates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gates is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Hell Song. On his way into the cage it seems that Sage Nopark has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Sage Nopark seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Nopark
vs
Gates

220 cm
25
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
27
200 lbs
4 - 8 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sage Nopark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mason Gates!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Konstantin Menshow and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice straight punches there by Gates. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gates.
Gates's coach down at Wolves Den $200 Elite Circuits was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Gates's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Mason Gates seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gates misses with the combination.
Nopark seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Gates stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gates wants it to stay on the feet.
Gates doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Gates gets caught napping as Nopark dives in and scores a takedown. Gates manages to retain guard.

Gates pushes Nopark off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Gates stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gates wants it to stay on the feet.

Gates closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Nopark's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gates throws a head kick but Nopark moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gates fails to land with a series of punches.
Horrible takedown attempt by Nopark or perhaps it was just good defense by Gates, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sage Nopark. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nopark gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gates counters by moving into the clinch.

Gates breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gates tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nopark paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Nopark closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Gates's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gates manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Gates cracks a nice hook into Nopark's ribs.
Gates scores with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gates stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gates wants it to stay on the feet.
Gates stuffs the takedown attempt from Nopark. Nopark gets slowly back to his feet.
Gates misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nopark throws a big counter combination but Gates scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Gates forces Nopark back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gates's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gates avoids the head kick by Nopark.
Gates looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Gates moves into the clinch.

Gates pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nopark fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nopark fails with the takedown
and Gates counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gates pushes Nopark up against the cage in a clinch.
Gates pressing his opponent against the cage.

Gates's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Gates gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Gates manages to break the clinch.
Gates throws a right and a left that Nopark avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mason Gates 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.

Nopark throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gates's waist but Gates gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Nopark off to one side.
Nopark avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nopark appears to be looking for a big counter.

Gates gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nopark is looking to control Gates's arms but Gates gets an underhook and turns him. Now Nopark has his back to the cage.
Gates has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gates breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Gates takes the fight into the clinch.
Nopark is trying to maintain a safe position but Gates gets an underhook and turns Nopark into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gates.

Gates pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gates fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nopark blocks a head kick by Gates.
Nopark takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
No luck for Nopark with that takedown attempt.
Gates wants to counter the offense by Nopark and move into the clinch position.

Nopark changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gates looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gates lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Gates forces Nopark back against the cage and clinches.

Nopark breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gates lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Gates.
Mason Gates seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gates misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gates defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nopark.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sage Nopark. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice combination there by Gates.
Nopark shoots and misses
and Gates counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Nopark thinking.
Gates lands with a nice combination. Nopark backs away looking to recover.
Gates throws a sloppy head kick and Nopark moves out of range easily.
Mason Gates is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nopark darts in looking for a takedown but Gates gets double underhooks and turns Nopark into the cage.
Nopark shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gates sprawls well. Gates wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Nopark gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gates darts in and clinches Nopark up against the cage.

Gates manages to break the clinch.
Nopark circles away from the clinch attempt.
As Gates looks to move away, Nopark throws a big counter combo but Gates just gets out of the way.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mason Gates showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gates scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Nopark fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Gates to the ground. Nopark is now in Gates's guard.
Mason Gates has got the better of the ground game so far.

Gates is working an open guard so Nopark takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Gates throws a right hand that Nopark ducks under and follows up with a left that Nopark also avoids with ease.
Nopark went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Nopark has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Nopark really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nice takedown defense from Gates. No joy for Nopark on that attempt.
Nopark shoots and misses
and Gates counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gates scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gates lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gates misses with a series of wild punches.
Gates pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gates rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nopark moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A left and a right from Gates both land. Nice combination.
Nopark tries for a takedown but Gates circles away easily
and Gates counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sage Nopark. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gates throws a series of punches but Nopark avoids them all with ease.
Nopark takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A combination from Gates does no damage.
Nopark seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Gates clinches up against the cage.
Gates tries a body shot but Nopark blocks it.

Gates pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gates lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gates tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nopark is looking for a counter combo.
Gates feints a jab promting Nopark to slip. Gates then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Nopark slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Nopark takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gates misses with a two punch combination.
Gates stuns Nopark with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Nopark gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Gates counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Nopark thinking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gates looks to land a combination but Nopark avoids it well.
Gates's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gates duly obliges.
Gates throws a sloppy head kick
and Nopark counters with a three punch combo that has Gates backing up. Gates nods at Nopark to acknowledge the strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nopark fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gates avoids it really well and circles away.
Gates misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mason Gates comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gates has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mason Gates!
During a confident post fight interview, Mason Gates thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.