PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gary Day (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Gatsby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Day comes into the arena with Last minute - Great day to choke you out blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Day
vs
Gatsby

178 cm
20
160 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

178 cm
20
170 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gary Day!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joe Gatsby!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gatsby shoots in looking for a takedown. Day tries to sprawl out of it but Gatsby keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Day manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Gatsby tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Day misses with a lunging right hand

and Gatsby counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Gatsby thows a huge punch but Day dodges it nicely.
Gatsby is trying to control the action in half guard but Day is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gatsby works his way into side control.
Gatsby creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Day is trying to control Gatsby's posture but Gatsby avoids it.
Gatsby wants to control but Day is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Day misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Day wants to improve his position but Gatsby is controlling well.
Gatsby looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Day trying to control from the bottom.

Day looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Gatsby wants to work for an arm triangle but Day is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Day trying to control from the bottom.
Gatsby scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Day avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gatsby.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gatsby is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gatsby not doing much here.

Day looking for submissions off his back.

Gatsby is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Day doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gatsby.
Gatsby throwing shots but Day is blocking nicely.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gatsby lands with a punch from half guard.
Gatsby has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Gatsby thowing shots but they're missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Day wants to control but Gatsby is having none of it.
Gatsby lands a heavy elbow.
Gatsby scoring with strikes but Day is staying in there.
Day is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gatsby with a couple of short strikes.
Gatsby can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Day is looking to escape.
Day has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Gatsby's lack of action.

Day actively working from the bottom here.
Gatsby scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Day is looking for a sweep. Gatsby is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gatsby content to control rather than advance.
Day is trying to get back to full guard.
Day trying to control here.
Gatsby has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Day has hold of Gatsby's hands but Gatsby slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gatsby winds up and cracks Day with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Day is looking to improve his position.
Day is not content to let Gatsby control the position.

Gatsby is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Day is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Day works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Gatsby closes the distance and clinches.
Gatsby has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A bit of stalling here from Gatsby.
Day working hard to break the clinch.
Day stalls.
Day lands with a light punch inside.
Day swings wildly with an uppercut but Gatsby uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gatsby blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Day has a couple of punches blocked by Gatsby.
Day has a couple of punches blocked by Gatsby.
The referee is keeping an eye on Gatsby - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatsby blocking some punches.

Gatsby has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Day uses from the top position.
Day postures up in Gatsby's guard and throws a big left but Gatsby blocks it.
Gatsby wants to sweep here but Day controlling him for the moment.
Gatsby avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gatsby working a defensive guard here.
Day working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gatsby has control of Day's left arm, preventing Day from doing any damage.
Day trying to control the position from guard on top but Gatsby is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gatsby escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Day gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gatsby manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Day manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gatsby accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Day has his foot on Gatsby's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gatsby works his way back into a safe position though.
Gatsby trying to control but Day is working from the bottom.

Day had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gatsby defends it easily.
Gatsby sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Day's guard.
Gatsby content to control rather than advance.
Gatsby seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Day does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gatsby is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatsby throwing shots but Day is blocking nicely.
Day misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Gatsby is looking for a kimura here.
Gatsby lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Gatsby is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Day has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gatsby is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatsby is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Day is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gatsby pulls his head out easily.
Gatsby tries to pass to full mount but Day defends it.
Day is trying to get back to full guard.
Gatsby is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Day wants to control but Gatsby is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Joe Gatsby has got the better of the ground game so far.

Gatsby is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Day has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Gatsby 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! And we move into the final round!

Gatsby instigates a clinch.
Day has a couple of punches blocked by Gatsby.
Gatsby slowing the pace effectively.
Day tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gatsby's elbow.
Day blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gatsby looking to slow down the pace here.
Gatsby prevents a body shot from Day.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Day is pushing Gatsby up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Day fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gatsby blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day working aggressively here.
Gatsby lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Day lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gatsby backwards.
Day lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Gatsby or not.
Gatsby has Day pressed against the cage.
Gatsby leaning against his opponent.
Stalling in the clinch from Gatsby.
I was talking to Day's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Gatsby throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Day blocks it with crossed arms.
Day trying to stall but Gatsby improves his position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gatsby.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Day misses with some punches.
Gatsby is pushing Day up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Gatsby is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Joe Gatsby.
Day swats away the attempt to clinch by Gatsby.
Day uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gatsby.
Day misses the jab.
Gatsby is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Gatsby swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gatsby fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Day checks it well.
Day tests Gatsby's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gatsby shoots in but no luck this time.
Gatsby gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Day throws a leg kick

and Gatsby counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Day controlling the position well.
Gatsby wants to lay and pray for a moment but Day keeps working.
Joe Gatsby is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Day trying to control but Gatsby postures up.
Still in half guard, Gatsby seems content to control.
Gary Day has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gatsby's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Day trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Day looking for submissions off his back.
Gatsby stalling.
Day controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Day tries to roll over but Gatsby keeps him under control.
Gatsby is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joe Gatsby.
I've got Gatsby winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Gatsby!