PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wilfredo Montoya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anirudh Negi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Montoya
vs
Negi

180 cm
21
193 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

175 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Wilfredo Montoya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anirudh Negi!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Negi lands with a nice body punch.

Negi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Negi seems to be working for a kimura but Montoya defends the submission attempt.
Negi wants to get back to his feet.
Negi is pressing down on Montoya's thigh, looking to free his foot. Montoya is holding on for now.
Montoya is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Negi thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Montoya is looking to get to half guard.
Negi controlling his opponent.
Montoya is squirming around, avoiding Negi's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montoya looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Negi has the hooks in. Montoya is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Negi looking to break Montoya's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Montoya remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Negi will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Negi misses with punches from the back.
Montoya trying to control the action but Negi just sinks the hooks in.
You can see the frustration on Montoya's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Montoya manages to reverse the position and now he's in Negi's guard. Nice work there by Montoya.
Negi is trying to control the position but Montoya postures up.
Negi looking for a sweep. Not yet Negi, not yet.
Negi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Montoya is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Negi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Negi looking to control.
Negi controlling Montoya's posture.
Negi trying to keep a closed guard but Montoya is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negi pulls Montoya in close to prevent any damage.

Negi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Montoya knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Negi on the ground.
Negi is trying to keep Montoya in close.

That's four 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.

Negi manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Negi's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Negi duly obliges.
Negi moves in looking to clinch but Montoya pushes him off.
Montoya seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Negi should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Negi blocks a head kick by Montoya.
Negi shoots for a takedown but Montoya saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Montoya tries to counter by clinching up but Negi breaks away and moves out of range.

Montoya tries to sprawl but Negi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Negi looks winded!
Montoya trying to hold on to Negi's head to control him but Negi postures up.
Negi is trying to control the action in half guard but Montoya is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Montoya gets back to full guard.

Montoya has his foot on Negi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Negi works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anirudh Negi dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Negi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Montoya tries to avoid it but Negi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Montoya to the ground. Montoya escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Montoya keeps the fight on the outside.
Montoya swats away the attempt to clinch by Negi.
Negi shoots in for a double leg but Montoya sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Negi closes the distance and clinches up with Montoya, looking for a takedown. Negi pushes Montoya against the cage but Montoya circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Montoya on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Wilfredo Montoya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anirudh Negi.
Negi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Montoya defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Montoya misses with a head kick.
Negi throws a counter combo.
Negi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Negi is breathing heavily.
Negi is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montoya keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Montoya fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Negi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Montoya as he jumps to the side.
An inside leg kick from Montoya misses.
Montoya goes for a double leg but Negi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Negi continues to drive forward.
Negi tries for a takedown but Montoya sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Montoya feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Negis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Anirudh Negi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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

Montoya working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Negi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Negi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Montoya looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Negi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montoya bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Negi's guard.

Negi is trying to keep Montoya in close.
Montoya stopping the sweep attempt from Negi.
Montoya scoring with some ground and pound.
Negi wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Montoya is now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Montoya content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negi trying to control but Montoya postures up.
Montoya is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Negi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Montoya scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four 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.
Montoya keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Negi trying to hold on to Montoya's head to control him but Montoya postures up.

Montoya seems to be looking for submissions.
Negi pushes Montoya off looking to stand but Montoya dives back in and keeps control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Negi wants to control but Montoya passes into side.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Negi wants to control but Montoya postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wilfredo Montoya dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Negi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Montoya paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Montoya blocks a head kick by Negi.
Montoya changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Montoya misses with a wild body shot.
Montoya looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Montoya darts in looking for a takedown but Negi gets double underhooks and turns Montoya into the cage.
Negi lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Negi.

Negi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Negi breaks from the clinch.
Negi stuns Montoya with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Negi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Montoya as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Negi wants to clinch
and Negi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Negi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Montoya wants to clinch up but Negi keeps it at a distance.
Negi moves in looking to clinch but Montoya pushes him off.
Negi closes the distance and clinches up with Montoya, looking for a takedown. Negi pushes Montoya against the cage but Montoya circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Montoya is looking to counter punch.
Wilfredo Montoya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anirudh Negi.
Montoya swats away the attempt to clinch by Negi.
Montoya swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Montoya rushes Negi and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Montoya has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Negi avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Montoya prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Negi wants a takedown.
Negi prevents the takedown attempt.

Montoya pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Negi looks for the body kick but Montoya saw that one coming.
Montoya tries a head kick but it misses.
Montoya throws a left and a right that both miss

and Negi counters with a single leg into guard. Montoya didn't expect that.
Montoya looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Montoya has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Negi has passed into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Negi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Montoya is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negi wants to control but Montoya is keeping him busy.
Montoya sneaks back into half guard.
Montoya is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Negi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Negi's back!
Montoya keeps control of the position as Negi tries to break free.
Negi is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Montoya controlling well, preventing Negi from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Negi is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Negi is trying to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Montoya lands an elbow to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Wilfredo Montoya.
I think Montoya has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wilfredo Montoya!