PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Luis Gonalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shelby Foote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gonalez
vs
Foote

178 cm
27
155 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

167 cm
19
150 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Luis Gonalez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shelby Foote!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Illya Tyunina and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Foote shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Foote showed some decent athleticism there.
Gonalez wants to stand back up but Foote manages to pass into side control.
Foote connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Gonalez some visible discomfort.
Gonalez wants to control but Foote postures up.

Foote is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gonalez has escaped the position, nice work there.
Gonalez is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foote in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Foote throwing shots but missing, from side control.

Foote thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Foote throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonalez is trying to get back to half guard.

Foote is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gonalez has escaped the position, nice work there.
Foote throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Gonalez is looking to regain half guard here but Foote keeps moving and retains side control.
Foote wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gonalez keeps working.
Gonalez is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Foote working away.
Gonalez tries to improve position but can't.
Foote working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Gonalez tries to bench press Foote off him but Foote keeps the position.

Foote thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Foote postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Foote with the ground and pound but Gonalez regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Foote thows a huge punch but Gonalez dodges it nicely.
Gonalez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Foote.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez tries to get to full guard but Foote has control of the leg.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Foote in particular looking to stall.

Foote is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gonalez is just riding it out for now. Foote eventually gives up the hold.

Foote is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gonalez is trying to maintain the position but Foote is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Foote throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Gonalez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Foote controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gonalez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Foote working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Foote throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Foote throws a big elbow that misses.

Foote drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gonalez manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Foote has Gonalez in his guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shelby Foote dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gonalez tries a head kick but it misses.

Foote rushes Gonalez and presses him up against the cage.
Foote lands a nice uppercut.

Foote drags the fight down to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Foote working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gonalez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gonalez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Foote is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Foote is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Gonalez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Foote had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gonalez defends it easily.
Gonalez trying to control but Foote is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Foote is looking for a triangle but Gonalez pushes his legs off easily.
Shelby Foote has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gonalez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gonalez trying to control but Foote is working from the bottom.
Foote working a defensive guard here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

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.
Foote is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Foote rushes Gonalez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gonalez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Foote tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gonalez misses with the head strike.
Foote has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Foote jumps guard but Gonalez stands there with Foote around his waist. Foote gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Gonalez's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Foote's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shelby Foote is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gonalez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Foote.
Luis Gonalez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shelby Foote.
Gonalez dips to his left and cracks Foote with an uppercut!
Gonalez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Luis Gonalez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Foote displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gonalez throws out the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez misses with an uppercut. Foote saw that one coming.
Foote tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gonalez sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Foote somewhat.

Foote shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Gonalez is trying to defend but Foote finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gonalez keeping control of the position.
Gonalez trying to hold on to Foote's head to control him but Foote postures up.
Foote throwing shots but Gonalez is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Foote looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Gonalez is trying to get back to full guard.
Foote wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gonalez keeps working.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Foote in particular looking to stall.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gonalez is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shelby Foote showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Gonalez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Foote shoots for a double leg takedown but Gonalez sprawls well. He's pushed Foote's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Foote darts in and clinches Gonalez up against the cage.
Foote has Gonalez pushed against the cage.
Foote drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gonalez gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Foote is looking to take this one to the mat.
Luis Gonalez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shelby Foote.

Foote breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Foote wants to clinch up but Gonalez keeps it at a distance.
Gonalez attempts a counter takedown but Foote avoids it well and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foote tries for a takedown but Gonalez circles away easily

and Gonalez counters with a takedown into side control.
Foote has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Foote is looking for a sweep.
Gonalez trying to control the position but Foote is working away.
Foote takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Foote's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Foote felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Foote is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Gonalez is staying active.
Gonalez trying to control the position but Foote is working away.
Foote tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Gonalez easily slips into full mount!
Foote tries to hold on but Gonalez postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gonalez wants to control the pace but Foote is squirming around nicely.
Foote is trying desperately to improve position.
Foote tries to improve his position but instead Gonalez has taken his back!
Foote is trying to break free.
Foote staying busy and making it hard for Gonalez to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foote tries to escape the position.
Gonalez struggling to keep hold of the position.
Gonalez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gonalez controlling well, preventing Foote from escaping the position.
Gonalez is not going to allow Foote to sit and survive in this position.
I really don't envy Foote right now.
Luis Gonalez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gonalez controlling the position well here. Foote rolled but Gonalez kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Will Gonalez go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Gonalez doesn't have the hooks in and Foote manages to turn into his guard.
Foote looking to pass the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Foote throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gonalez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Shelby Foote is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Foote slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luis Gonalez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Foote has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shelby Foote!