PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Eusebio Sullivan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dexter Gore Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dexter Gore Jr will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sullivan
vs
Gore Jr

173 cm
25
140 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

175 cm
24
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eusebio Sullivan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dexter Gore Jr!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Columbo Gatti and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sullivan avoids the head kick by Gore Jr.

Gore Jr instigates a clinch.
Gore Jr throws an elbow that misses.

Sullivan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gore Jr misses with a double jab.
Sullivan seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Sullivan stuffs the takedown.
Sullivan tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Gore Jr manages to circle out of the way.

Gore Jr gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gore Jr is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Sullivan is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gore Jr jumps guard and drags Sullivan to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Sullivan scoring with some ground and pound.
Gore Jr has a closed guard, preventing Sullivan from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan with a nice head shot there.

Gore Jr looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sullivan has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Gore Jr looking to control.
Gore Jr wants to sweep here but Sullivan controlling him for the moment.
Gore Jr controls Sullivan momentarily but Sullivan frees himself.
Sullivan not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sullivan wants to stand but Gore Jr has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Gore Jr working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sullivan controls from within his opponent's guard.

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

Gore Jr clinches with his opponent.
Gore Jr fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Eusebio Sullivan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dexter Gore Jr.
Sullivan jumps guard but Gore Jr stands there with Sullivan around his waist. Sullivan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sullivan being controlled against the cage.

Gore Jr ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gore Jr no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sullivan lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gore Jr wants to sweep here but Sullivan controlling him for the moment.

Sullivan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gore Jr utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sullivan looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sullivan wanted to stand there but Gore Jr had control of the position.

Gore Jr pushes Sullivan off and gets back to his feet.
Sullivan connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gore Jr's hands.
Gore Jr is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gore Jr is leaning against Sullivan and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Sullivan stops a takedown attempt from Gore Jr.
Gore Jr taking a breather.
Sullivan tries to pull guard but Gore Jr holds him up against the cage and eventually Sullivan drops back down to his feet.
Gore Jr jumps guard but Sullivan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gore Jr is looking for a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Gore Jr dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gore Jr has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gore Jr jumps guard but Sullivan stands there with Gore Jr around his waist. Gore Jr gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sullivan makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sullivan tries to pull guard but Gore Jr won't allow it.
Sullivan managing to block the knees to the body from Gore Jr.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Sullivan has Gore Jr pushed against the cage.

Sullivan manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sullivan has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gore Jr can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gore Jr wants to control from the top but Sullivan keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gore Jr drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sullivan looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sullivan looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sullivan!

Gore Jr is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Sullivan swings around for an armbar but Gore Jr sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Sullivan's guard.
Gore Jr slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gore Jr throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gore Jr wants to control from the top but Sullivan keeps moving.
Sullivan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sullivan is really struggling to control Gore Jr but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Sullivan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gore Jr wants to control from the top but Sullivan keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sullivan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gore Jr is aware though and is defending well.
Sullivan keeping moving, preventing Gore Jr from controlling successfully.

Sullivan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gore Jr doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gore Jr manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Gore Jr gets to his feet - Sullivan follows without any prompting.

That's four 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.
Sullivan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Gore Jr gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gore Jr is trying to push Sullivan away but Sullivan has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Sullivan tries to pull guard but Gore Jr forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Sullivan tries to pull guard but Gore Jr holds him up against the cage and eventually Sullivan drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eusebio Sullivan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gore Jr using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sullivan has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sullivan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gore Jr smiles and moves away.
Dexter Gore Jr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gore Jr fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dexter Gore Jr will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Sullivan looks to land a body kick but Gore Jr moved away.
Gore Jr misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gore Jr shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sullivan pinned against the cage. Sullivan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gore Jr lands a jab to Sullivan's midsection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gore Jr lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sullivan backs up against the cage.

Gore Jr closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan avoiding damage as Gore Jr throws knees to the body.

Sullivan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sullivan throws the left hand but Gore Jr avoids the punch easily.
Sullivan moves out of range of the body kick.

Sullivan tries to keep at a distance but Gore Jr has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sullivan avoids a wild elbow strike from Gore Jr.

Sullivan manages to break the clinch.
Sullivan fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gore Jr shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sullivan as he avoids it easily.
Eusebio Sullivan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dexter Gore Jr.
Gore Jr darts in looking for a takedown but Sullivan gets double underhooks and turns Gore Jr into the cage.
Gore Jr looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sullivan is fending him off so far but Gore Jr persists. Nope, Sullivan circles away and we're back to standing.
Gore Jr has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gore Jr takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gore Jr misses with a two punch combination.
Sullivan tries to counter by clinching up but Gore Jr breaks away and moves out of range.
Gore Jr misses with a low kick.
Sullivan fails to land with a series of punches.

Sullivan tries to keep at a distance but Gore Jr has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gore Jr fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gore Jr wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gore Jr wants to break free but Sullivan has control.
Gore Jr can't get the takedown.

Sullivan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Gore Jr with that takedown attempt.
Gore Jr looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sullivan tries to counter by clinching up but Gore Jr breaks away and moves out of range.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sullivan working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Sullivan stands up from half guard.

Gore Jr clinches with his opponent.
Gore Jr tries to score a body lock takedown but Sullivan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Sullivan is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gore Jr to keep the fight standing.

Sullivan pulls guard.
Gore Jr loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sullivan keeping moving, preventing Gore Jr from controlling successfully.
Eusebio Sullivan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dexter Gore Jr is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Sullivan manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

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 Eusebio Sullivan.
I think Gore Jr 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dexter Gore Jr!