PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Raneiro Gaspare (ranked 6549 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chad Askren (ranked 6324 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.

Gaspare
vs
Askren

179 cm
18
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Raneiro Gaspare!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chad Askren!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaspare tries to close the distance and clinch but Askren swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Askren throws out a counter right but Gaspare avoids it with no problem.
Gaspare throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Askren counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nice shot by Askren.
Gaspare throws a lazy right hand but Askren sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Askren lands with a cross.
Gaspare wants to clinch up but Askren keeps it at a distance.
Askren tests Gaspare's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gaspare misses with an uppercut.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Askren! But no joy.
A decent looking cross lands there for Askren.
Gaspare misses with a looping right.
It seemed like Askren was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Gaspare throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Jab, jab by Askren - just one landing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Askren throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gaspare.
Raneiro Gaspare seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gaspare tries to close the distance and clinch but Askren swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Askren let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
A cross from Gaspare lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaspare tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Askren was well out of range. Poor timing from Gaspare.
Askren tries to counter with a clinch but Gaspare shakes him off and moves away.
Gaspare smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Askren lands a head shot.
Askren swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gaspare throws a shot from downtown. Askren moves away and avoids it.
Askren looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gaspare stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Gaspare fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Askren is out of range.
Askren is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Gaspare with a body shot.
Askren dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Askren connects with a right hand. Gaspare shakes it off.
Askren lands with an uppercut that bounces Gaspare off the cage and back into range.
Askren defending well as Gaspare loads up on a big left hand.
Nice defenses there by Askren.
A little jabbing left from Askren on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Gaspare misses with a hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gaspare misses with an uppercut. Askren saw that one coming.
Gaspare ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gaspare appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaspare throws a right hand that misses
and Askren counters with a straight right hand.
Jab, jab by Askren - just one landing.
We've been told by Gaspare's head coaches at White Lotus that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Askren misses with a body shot
and Gaspare counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Askren looks to land a left hand but Gaspare moved out of range nicely.

Gaspare clinches with his opponent.
Gaspare wants to get back to striking at distance but Askren won't allow it.
Askren throws a head punch that misses.
Askren can't find room to land a body shot as Gaspare controls the action.
Gaspare goes for a takedown in the clinch but Askren prevents it.
Askren gets through Gaspare's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Askren.

Gaspare breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren slips a jab from Gaspare.
Askren throws out a counter right but Gaspare avoids it with no problem.
Gaspare tries to clinch but Askren is having none of it.
Gaspare avoids the body shot from Askren.
Gaspare is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Gaspare tries to clinch but Askren moves out of range.
Askren takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Gaspare tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Askren manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gaspare thows a leg kick but Askren checks it
and Askren counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gaspare tries to close the distance and clinch but Askren swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Askren now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
A punch lands to the side of Gaspare 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Gaspare walks into a stiff left hand from Askren.
Gaspare throws a low kick, looking for Askren's leg but Askren calmly moves out of range.
Gaspare looks to score with a jab to the body but Askren is just out of range.
Askren let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Gaspare moves in looking to clinch but Askren pushes him off.
Gaspare's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Askren connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gaspare scrambles back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaspare misses with a lunging right hand
and Askren counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Askren drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gaspare tries to close the distance and clinch but Askren swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A countering left hand to the body from Askren misses.
Gaspare moves to clinch but Askren breaks away
and Askren counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Askren is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Gaspare had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Gaspare thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gaspare fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A cross from Askren lands.
Gaspare throws a big shot that misses.
Gaspare misses with a hook. Askren ducked under it nicely.
Askren slips a straight right by Gaspare.
Askren looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Gaspare takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Askren paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A chopping leg kick lands by Gaspare.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Askren dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Askren with a jab.

Gaspare pushes Askren up against the cage in a clinch.
Gaspare has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Askren is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Askren has a couple of punches blocked by Gaspare.
Askren goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gaspare prevents a body shot from Askren.
Askren lands a right hand.
Gaspare has had enough of the clinch but Askren keeps him there for the moment.
Askren scores with a nice hook to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askren misses with the head strike.
Askren lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Askren taking a breather.
Askren lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren gets underhooks to prevent Gaspare's takedown attempt.
Nice body punch from Askren - that landed with a thud.
Askren misses with a hook to the ribs.

Askren breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gaspare throws a lazy uppercut
and Askren counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Chad Askren seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gaspare is looking to clinch.
Gaspare throws a lazy right hand but Askren sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gaspare looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gaspare throws a leg kick
and Askren makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gaspare lands a leg kick that knocks Askren off balance momentarily.
Askren uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Gaspare takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaspare throws a shot to the body.
Askren has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gaspare throws a hook to the side of Askren's head but Askren sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Askren checks a low kick from Gaspare.
Askren looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Gaspare misses with a body shot.
Askren throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gaspare chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Gaspare moves into range and clinches up with Askren.
Gaspare changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Askren fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raneiro Gaspare. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gaspare looks to throw the jab but Askren is out of range.
Gaspare misses with a body shot.
Askren swings for the body but Gaspare moves out of range.
Gaspare misses with a left hand

and Askren counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Askren swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Askren keeps control of Gaspare as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaspare wants to stall.

Askren pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Askren scores with a hook.
Gaspare looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Gaspare tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Askren paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gaspare misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Askren counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Askren swats away the attempt to clinch by Gaspare.
Gaspare tries to close the distance and clinch but Askren swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gaspare ducks right into an uppercut from Askren.
Askren circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gaspare tries to clinch but Askren moves out of range.
Askren looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Askren uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren lands with a shot to the body.
Askren cracks a nice hook into Gaspare's ribs.
Gaspare slips a jab and a cross from Askren.
Askren throws a right and a left that Gaspare avoids nicely.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gaspare throws a body punch but Askren moves out of range.
Askren scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Askren moves away from the strike by Gaspare.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Askren! But no joy.
Askren connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gaspare momentarily.
Gaspare's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gaspare duly obliges.
Gaspare drops his hands momentarily and Askren takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gaspare tries to clinch up but Askren circles away and keeps his distance.
Jab from Askren.
Askren throws a good cross that connects.
Gaspare keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Askren showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A slow jab from Gaspare misses its intended target.
Gaspare has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gaspare there as he acknowledges the shot.
Askren scores with a punch to the head.
Askren avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gaspare connects with a single shot there.
Gaspare throws a body punch but Askren moves out of range.
Gaspare lands an overhand right.
Askren pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gaspare jabs Askren right on the nose. Askren blinks but takes it well.
Gaspare lands with a straight right. Askren didn't see that one coming.
Askren lands with a shot to the body.
Gaspare looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Askren scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Askren throws a combination. Gaspare tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Gaspare pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Askren now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Gaspare ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Askren throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gaspare sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gaspare throws a hook but Askren avoids it easily.
Askren connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gaspare misses with a wild body shot.
A countering left hand to the body from Askren misses.
Gaspare loads up on a big right hand but Askren slips the punch.
Gaspare is looking to clinch.
It seemed like Askren was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Gaspare misses with a hook.
Gaspare tries to clinch up
and Askren counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Raneiro Gaspare has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gaspare looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gaspare wants to clinch up but Askren keeps it at a distance.
Gaspare moves in looking to clinch but Askren pushes him off.
Gaspare throws an off balance right hand
and Askren counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gaspare misses the jab.
A little jabbing left from Askren on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Gaspare is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Askren throws out a counter right but Gaspare avoids it with no problem.
Askren bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Gaspare's head backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gaspare moves to clinch but Askren breaks away
and Askren counters with a straight right hand.
Askren misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaspare wants to clinch.
Askren connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Askren circles away from the clinch attempt.
Chad Askren is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A big left from Gaspare misses.
Gaspare throws a left and a right that both miss
and Askren counters with a straight right hand.
Gaspare misses with a double jab
and Askren cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Askren moves out of range of the body kick.
Askren lands with an uppercut that bounces Gaspare off the cage and back into range.
Gaspare tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Askren manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Askren lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gaspare tries to clinch but Askren moves out of range.
Nice body punch from Askren.
Askren slips under a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gaspare has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Askren finds it's way round the side to connect with Gaspare's head.
Askren feints a jab promting Gaspare to slip. Askren then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Gaspare slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Askren lands a lovely overhand right.
Askren uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gaspare.
Gaspare throws a right hand that misses
and Askren counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gaspare misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chad Askren comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Askren has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chad Askren!