PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Speedy Gamboa (ranked 24159 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jez Beltran (ranked 8495 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gamboa
vs
Beltran

171 cm
26
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

169 cm
22
153 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Speedy Gamboa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Jez Beltran!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Ben Watson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gamboa tries to clinch but Beltran is having none of it.
Gamboa scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Gamboa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Beltran sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Beltran looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Beltran is defended easily by Gamboa.
Beltran throws a right and a left that Gamboa avoids nicely.
Gamboa is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Beltran.
Gamboa lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gamboa lands with a hook. Beltran tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Beltran showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gamboa.
Beltran stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Beltran wants it to stay on the feet.
Beltran stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Beltran wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Speedy Gamboa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Beltran is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gamboa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Beltran blocks the leg kick.
Beltran tries to counter with a clinch but Gamboa shakes him off and moves away.

Gamboa has Beltran up against the cage in a clinch.

Beltran escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gamboa takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Gamboa closes the distance and clinches.

Beltran escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gamboa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Beltran tries to avoid it but Gamboa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Beltran to the ground. Beltran escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Beltran throws out a counter right but Gamboa avoids it with no problem.
Beltran dives in for a single leg takedown but Gamboa sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Gamboa fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Beltran looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gamboa lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Gamboa tries to clinch up.
Beltran misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gamboa has closed the distance and engaged Beltran in a clinch.
Beltran drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice body punch from Beltran - that landed with a thud.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gamboa jumps guard but Beltran stands there with Gamboa around his waist. Gamboa gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Gamboa looking to stall.
Gamboa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Beltran walks away with a smile on his face. Gamboa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gamboa throws a sloppy head kick and Beltran moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beltran keeps the fight on the outside.
Beltran throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gamboa fails with the takedown.
Beltran is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Beltran gets the takedown into side control.
Beltran wants to stand but Gamboa is controlling his arm.
Gamboa is trying to get back to half guard.
Gamboa wants to get back to his feet.
Gamboa is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Beltran is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gamboa is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Beltran wants to stand but Gamboa has his arm trapped.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gamboa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Beltran as he avoids it easily.
Beltran leaves Gamboa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Beltran displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gamboa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Speedy Gamboa will probably get the nod.
That's time! Gamboa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gamboa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gamboa is looking to counter the offense by Beltran and move into the clinch.
Beltran throws a head kick but Gamboa moves out of range.
Beltran is looking to land body kicks.
Beltran pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gamboa throws a counter high kick but Beltran was just alert enough to avoid it.
Beltran avoids the head kick by Gamboa.
Beltran wants to counter with a clinch but Gamboa pushes him away.
Gamboa looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Beltran fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gamboa tries for a takedown but Beltran sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gamboa with a lazy takedown attempt

and Beltran counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Beltran.

Gamboa has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Beltran off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gamboa shoots in for a takedown but Beltran shows good takedown defense.
Beltran is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Speedy Gamboa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Beltran throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gamboa stuffs the takedown.
Gamboa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Beltran paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Beltran stuffs the takedown.
Gamboa shoots in but Beltran avoids the takedown attempt easily.
No luck for Gamboa with that takedown attempt.
Beltran unleashes a big counter combination but Gamboa bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Beltran displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gamboa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Beltran closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Beltran lands in his opponent's guard.
Beltran wants to stand but Gamboa is controlling his posture from full guard.
Beltran controlling from the top position.

Beltran got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gamboa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Beltran has managed to get both his arms back between Gamboa's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gamboa has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Beltran has passed into side control.

Beltran wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gamboa, who protects the arm well.
Beltran trying to control the position but Gamboa is working away.
Beltran lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's four 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.
Beltran looks up at the clock and then as Gamboa takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Beltran smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Beltran looking to control but instead Gamboa has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Beltran trying to mount his opponent but Gamboa defends it.
Gamboa trying to control from the bottom.
Gamboa is staying active underneath Beltran, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gamboa works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gamboa wants to sweep here but Beltran controlling him for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Beltran stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gamboa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jez Beltran showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Beltran shoots in for a takedown but Gamboa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Beltran looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Beltran misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Beltran pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Beltran slaps away a takedown attempt from Gamboa, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Beltran feints the counter takedown.
Gamboa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gamboa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Beltran swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Beltran feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Gamboa pushes Beltran off and scrambles back to his feet.
Jez Beltran seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A left and a right from Gamboa both land. Nice combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beltran avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Beltran closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gamboa quickly recovers to half guard.
Beltran takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Beltran tries to pass to full mount but Gamboa defends it.
Beltran wants to take a breather but Gamboa is having none of it.
Gamboa is trying to maintain the position but Beltran is very close to passing his half guard.
Beltran wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gamboa keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gamboa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Beltran seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gamboa shoots for a double leg takedown but Beltran sprawls well. He's pushed Gamboa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Beltran circles away from the clinch attempt.

Beltran pushes Gamboa up against the cage in a clinch.
Beltran is trying to pull guard but Gamboa turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Speedy Gamboa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jez Beltran.
Beltran digs a right hand underneath Gamboa's ribcage. Gamboa let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Gamboa has had enough of the clinch but Beltran keeps him there for the moment.
Beltran tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gamboa avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gamboa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Beltran jumps guard but Gamboa turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Gamboa tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Beltran smiles and moves away.
Gamboa throws a nice looking combination but Beltran bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gamboa tries to clinch but Beltran moves out of range.
Beltran throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gamboa's waist but Gamboa gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Beltran off to one side.
Beltran swings for the body but Gamboa moves out of range.
Gamboa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Beltran defends it nicely.
Gamboa throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gamboa enables Beltran to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gamboa manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Gamboa has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Beltran off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Beltran shoots for a takedown but Gamboa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Gamboa. No joy for Beltran on that attempt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Beltran changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gamboa looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Gamboa explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Speedy Gamboa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gamboa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Beltran as he jumps to the side.
Beltran unleashes a big counter combination but Gamboa bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Beltran misses with an attempted mid kick.
Beltran tries to clinch up but Gamboa circles away and keeps his distance.
Gamboa fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Speedy Gamboa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gamboa 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Speedy Gamboa!