PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gunnar Mandela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chest Montaray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mandela
vs
Montaray

182 cm
21
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Gunnar Mandela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Chest Montaray!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Steven Brown and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mandela defending well as Montaray loads up on a big left hand.

Mandela scores with a takedown into Montaray's guard.
Montaray is trying to control the position but Mandela postures up.

Mandela avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mandela has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Montaray holds on and takes a little breather.
Montaray looking for a sweep. Not yet Montaray, not yet.

Montaray working for a triangle but Mandela defends it easily.
Mandela stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Montaray swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mandela wants to control from the top but Montaray keeps moving.
Mandela postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandela wants to control from the top but Montaray keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mandela moves in looking to clinch but Montaray pushes him off.
Mandela has a takedown stuffed.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mandela.
Mandela throws a head kick that misses.
Montaray tries to clinch but Mandela moves away

and Mandela decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Montaray's guard.
Mandela trying to control but Montaray is working from the bottom.
Montaray looking to control.

Montaray looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Montaray looks gassed!
Montaray manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Montaray can't control as he wanted to and Mandela manages to get the fight back to his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandela is refusing to be controlled, as Montaray sits in half guard.
Mandela is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mandela is not content to let Montaray control the position.
Mandela tries to kick Montaray off in order to stand up. Montaray Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Montaray is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mandela knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mandela throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.

Montaray thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mandela tries to clinch but Montaray moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montaray tries to clinch up

and Mandela counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Montaray is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mandela is fighting to break Montaray's control of his arms but Montaray is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Mandela preventing the sweep.
Montaray tries to strike from the bottom.
Montaray trying to control the position.
Mandela being controlled here momentarily.

Montaray looking for a guillotine here but Mandela defends easily.

Montaray has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mandela can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mandela avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Montaray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mandela manages to get himself to full guard.
Mandela is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Montaray tries to free his leg and advance position but Mandela is retaining full guard.
Mandela is trying to control the position but Montaray postures up.
Mandela keeping moving, preventing Montaray from controlling successfully.

Mandela looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Montaray passes Mandela's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Mandela manages to get to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mandela decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ground and pound from Mandela.

It looks like Chest Montaray has been cut.
Mandela looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Montaray has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mandela is working away from the top position though.
Mandela wants to pass the guard but Montaray is defending well.
Mandela looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Montaray with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Montaray is refusing to be controlled, as Mandela sits in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mandela in particular looking to stall.
Montaray is breathing heavily.

Mandela is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Montaray trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandela lands with a punch from half guard.
Mandela scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Montaray is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mandela scores with a couple of nice shots.

Montaray looking for submissions off his back.
Mandela seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Montaray does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mandela winds up and cracks Montaray with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Montaray tries to roll over but Mandela keeps him under control.
Ground and pound from Mandela.
Montaray moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Montaray tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Montaray is trying to control the position from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Montaray is on top in guard.
Montaray works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montaray is keen to just control but Mandela is a slippery customer.

Montaray is looking for a kimura here.
Montaray trying to pass the guard but Mandela defending well.
Montaray throwing shots but Mandela is blocking nicely.
Mandela is looking to control Montaray's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mandela avoid being mounted?
Still in half guard, Montaray seems content to control.

Montaray is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mandela blocking the ground and pound attempt from Montaray.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mandela trying to control here.
Mandela avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Montaray.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mandela shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Montaray fails with the takedown
and Mandela counters with an outside leg kick.
Mandela shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Montaray as he jumps to the side.
Montaray stuffs the takedown attempt from Mandela. Mandela gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gunnar Mandela. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mandela keeps Montaray at a distance using the push kick.
Mandela goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Mandela tries to clinch up.
Mandela closes the distance looking to clinch

and Montaray counters with a takedown into side control.

Montaray decides to stand up, so the ref orders Mandela to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Mandela with a lazy takedown attempt

and Montaray counters with a shoot takedown. Mandela fights it but they end up in guard.
Montaray trying to control but Mandela is working from the bottom.

Montaray drops back looking for a leg! Mandela is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Mandela manages to kick Montaray off! Montaray jumps back into Mandela's guard.

Mandela looking for a guillotine here but Montaray defends easily.
Mandela pulls Montaray in close to prevent any damage.
Mandela can't keep his opponent in guard - Montaray advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Montaray takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Chest Montaray has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Montaray is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mandela defends it well.
Montaray is keen to just control but Mandela is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chest Montaray will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Chest Montaray's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Mandela throws a nice outside leg kick.

Montaray has Mandela up against the cage in a clinch.
Mandela tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Montaray smiles and moves away.
Montaray has his takedown stuffed

and Mandela counters with a takedown into side control.
Montaray is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Mandela's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Montaray gets full guard.
Mandela stopping the sweep attempt from Montaray.
Montaray working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mandela.
Montaray lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mandela!

Montaray is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Mandela is surviving well by controlling Montaray's body position as best he can.
Montaray looking to control and managing it successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montaray wants to control the pace but Mandela is squirming around nicely.
Mandela is working to get back to half guard.
Montaray forces the positional change into back control.
Mandela turns into Montaray and is now in his guard.
Montaray keeping moving, preventing Mandela from controlling successfully.
Mandela lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Mandela drops back, looking for a kneebar! Montaray looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Montaray looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Montaray!
Mandela is looking for a sweep.
Montaray throws an elbow but Mandela slips to the side and avoids it well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Montaray seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Mandela is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Mandela can't do much from the bottom here.
Montaray trying to control the action but Mandela is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Mandela's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mandela shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Montaray counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Mandela!
Mandela keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Mandela is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mandela is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mandela regains half guard.
Mandela is pressing down on Montaray's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Montaray won't allow Mandela to sweep him here.
Montaray tries to free his leg and advance position but Mandela is retaining full guard.
Mandela looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Montaray missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Montaray stays in close to Mandela's body and controls the position.
Mandela is trying to keep Montaray in close.
Montaray trying to control but Mandela is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mandela avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Montaray shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Montaray was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Montaray is working for a guillotine from mount but Mandela frees his head quite easily.

Montaray has hold of Mandela's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Mandela manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Montaray working for a guillotine from mount but Mandela is in no mood to give up.

Montaray wants to finish this one by submission but Mandela is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Montaray.
Montaray content just to control the position here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mandela tries to hold on but Montaray postures up.
Montaray looking to control and managing it successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chest Montaray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Montaray 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Chest Montaray!