PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Devin Tucker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kelvin Gastelum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Tucker
vs
Gastelum

185 cm
21
170 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

180 cm
19
180 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Devin Tucker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kelvin Gastelum!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Skip Squint and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tucker misses with a few strikes there.
A nice side step and Gastelum releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Tucker shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Gastelum has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Tucker is on him like a limpet, forcing Gastelum back against the cage.
I was talking to Tucker's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Gastelum tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gastelum tries to throw a body punch but Tucker avoids it by throwing Gastelum back against the cage.
Gastelum doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tucker holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Gastelum has had enough of the clinch but Tucker keeps him there for the moment.

Tucker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tucker avoids the head kick by Gastelum.
As Gastelum looks to move away, Tucker throws a big counter combo but Gastelum just gets out of the way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gastelum tries a head kick but it misses.
Gastelum throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sloppy strikes from Gastelum. Those never looked like landing.

Tucker clinches up with Gastelum and pushes him back against the cage.
Tucker has Gastelum pressed against the cage, preventing Gastelum from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Gastelum is trying to trip Tucker. He has hold of a leg but Tucker is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gastelum persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Gastelum with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gastelum won't allow Tucker to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tucker is on top in guard.

Gastelum really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tucker. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tucker accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tucker postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gastelum can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tucker controls the pace.
Tucker throws a big elbow that misses.

Tucker stands up from Gastelum's guard - Tucker perhaps looking for a knockout.
Gastelum digs a good body shot into Tucker's ribs.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tucker breaks from the clinch.
Gastelum throws a body kick, spinning off balance

so Tucker counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Gastelum manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Gastelum lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tucker backwards.
Tucker manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Tucker jumps into guard, dragging Gastelum to the mat.
Tucker has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Gastelum has passed into side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tucker holding on.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gastelum wants to control but Tucker is keeping him busy.
Gastelum is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Gastelum working away.
Tucker is looking to regain half guard here but Gastelum keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kelvin Gastelum will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gastelum's corner calls for a 1-2. Gastelum obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Gastelum scores with a jab to the body.
Gastelum throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tucker half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Gastelum leaves Tucker with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Gastelum rushes Tucker and presses him up against the cage.

Tucker decides to pull guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tucker is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tucker lands strikes from half guard.
Tucker not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tucker is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Gastelum doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Tucker.
Gastelum keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Gastelum is trying to control but Tucker manages to pass to mount!
Gastelum is in a horrible position here. Tucker smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Tucker tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tucker pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Tucker misses with a head shot.
Tucker scoring with strikes but Gastelum is staying in there.
Tucker 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.
Gastelum really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Tucker looking to control and managing it successfully.
Gastelum 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tucker raining down shots from the mount!
Tucker controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tucker has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Tucker lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Tucker lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Devin Tucker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gastelum is in a horrible position here. Tucker smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tucker looking for a guillotine from mount but Gastelum is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Devin Tucker dominated that second round.
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!

Tucker closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Gastelum did well to prevent Tucker getting side control.

Gastelum makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Gastelum's jab looks to have found its range, popping Tucker under the eye.

Tucker gets a clinch.

Gastelum is trying to trip Tucker. He has hold of a leg but Tucker is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gastelum persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tucker looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Gastelum puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Tucker wants to get back to full guard.
Gastelum is taking a breather. Tucker says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Tucker gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker pulls Gastelum in close to prevent any damage.
Gastelum won't allow Tucker to sweep him here.

Tucker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Tucker escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gastelum gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gastelum looking to sit in guard and control but Tucker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Tucker stopping the sweep attempt from Gastelum.
Tucker scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gastelum manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tucker manages to get himself to full guard.

Tucker wants to sweep here but Gastelum controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tucker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tucker controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Tucker seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gastelum for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tucker's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Further stalling from Tucker.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kelvin Gastelum.
I think Gastelum 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Kelvin Gastelum!