PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Azumah Nelson (ranked 1714 p4p, 203 weight class) and Joe Gatsby (ranked 1059 p4p, 128 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Joe Gatsby enters the cage!

Nelson
vs
Gatsby

178 cm
28
148 lbs
16 - 8 - 1

178 cm
26
167 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 16 - 8 - 1, fighting out of New York, Azumah Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Gatsby!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Anthony Taglia and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gatsby takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Gatsby scores with a takedown into Nelson's guard.

Gatsby thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gatsby wants to control from the top but Nelson keeps moving.
Gatsby keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Nelson's head.
Gatsby tries to free his leg and advance position but Nelson is retaining full guard.
Gatsby is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gatsby throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gatsby throws an elbow that misses. Nelson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gatsby's guard. Nice move by Nelson!

Nelson decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gatsby, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatsby misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gatsby thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nelson sizes up Gatsby with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Gatsby scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Nelson makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Nelson changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gatsby throws a leg kick which misses Nelson's front leg but catches the back leg as Nelson tries to avoid it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gatsby closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gatsby lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nelson circles away quickly and effectively.
Nelson misses with a wild combination.
A big right from Gatsby misses.
Gatsby steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nelson.
Gatsby slips under a jab from Nelson.
Gatsby looks to land a left hand but Nelson moved out of range nicely.
Gatsby throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gatsby throws a jab when Nelson was well out of range.
Nelson throws a body punch but Gatsby moves out of range.
Nelson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gatsby sees it coming and avoids it easily.
As Nelson backs off Gatsby throws a huge counter combo but Nelson manages to avoid it all.
Azumah Nelson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gatsby throws a right and a left that Nelson avoids nicely.
Nelson lands a nice hook to Gatsby's body. Gatsby takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A low kick from Nelson is predictable there
and Gatsby counters with a stiff right hand.
Gatsby walks forward, straight into a front kick from Nelson.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Nelson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gatsby ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nelson scores with a nice strike.
Nelson throws a predictable looking body shot
letting Gatsby counter with a right hand.
Nelson takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Gatsby misses with a straight left.
Nelson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nelson looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Nelson!
Nelson misses with a few strikes there.
Gatsby walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nelson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Nelson throws a good cross that connects.

Gatsby closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Nelson quickly recovers to half guard.

Gatsby is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Nelson defends it well.

Gatsby is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatsby prevents Nelson from improving his position.
Gatsby is pressing down on Nelson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Nelson is holding on for now.

Gatsby wants to work for an arm triangle but Nelson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Nelson tries to kick Gatsby off but Gatsby keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

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.

Gatsby is working for a kimura but Nelson is defending it quite comfortably.

Gatsby seems to be working for a kimura but Nelson defends the submission attempt.

Gatsby is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nelson sees it coming and defends easily.

Gatsby wants to work for an arm triangle but Nelson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gatsby wants to pass to mount but Nelson is defending the position.
Gatsby wants to control but Nelson is keeping him busy.
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 Azumah Nelson will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gatsby checks a low kick from Nelson.
Gatsby misses with a wild combination.
Nelson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gatsby manages to avoid it.
Donk. Gatsby catches Nelson right on the button with a cross.
Nelson scores with a nice right hand.
Gatsby moves out of range of the strikes.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gatsby. That's going to slow Nelson down.
Gatsby dodges the punch combination from Nelson.
It looks like Nelson has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Nelson throws a leg kick but Gatsby sees it coming and moves out of range.
Gatsby uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nelson.

Nelson tries to sprawl but Gatsby drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Gatsby drops an elbow to the side of Nelson's head.
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!
Gatsby sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nelson defending well though.
Gatsby sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nelson defending well though.
Gatsby wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nelson keeps working.

Gatsby is working for a kimura but Nelson is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatsby throwing shots but Nelson is blocking nicely.
Gatsby trying to control the action but Nelson is working from the bottom.
Gatsby tries to pass to full mount but Nelson defends it.

Gatsby is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nelson looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gatsby moves nicely into side control.
Nelson is trying to get back to half guard.
Nelson manages to get back to half guard.
Gatsby stops Nelson from getting back to his feet.
Gatsby throwing shots but Nelson is blocking nicely.
Gatsby sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nelson defending well though.
Gatsby with the ground and pound but Nelson uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatsby landing with the ground and pound.
Gatsby wants to control from the top but Nelson keeps moving.
Nelson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gatsby.
Gatsby showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gatsby trying to control but Nelson is working from the bottom.
Gatsby throws a big right hand that misses.
Gatsby loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

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.
Gatsby wants to control from the top but Nelson keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nelson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gatsby throws a head kick that misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Nelson misses the target.
Nelson catches Gatsby with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Nelson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gatsby.
Nelson throws a jab but it's blocked by Gatsby.
Gatsby dips to his left and cracks Nelson with an uppercut!
Gatsby jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nelson scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gatsby in his tracks.
Nelson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Gatsby dives in and scores a takedown into Nelson's guard.
Nelson seems keen to control Gatsby's posture.
Nelson keeping full guard, as Gatsby tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Gatsby 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. This is the final round!

Nelson tries to sprawl but Gatsby drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Gatsby thows a huge punch but Nelson dodges it nicely.
Gatsby thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nelson is trying to stand.

Gatsby is looking for submissions but instead, Nelson has regained full guard.
Gatsby trying to control the position from guard on top but Nelson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gatsby drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gatsby jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gatsby trying to control but Nelson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson wants to get back to his feet but Gatsby is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gatsby missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gatsby trying to control but Nelson is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nelson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nelson scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Gatsby throws a nice looking combination but Nelson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nice shot lands for Nelson.
Gatsby tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nelson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nelson throws a combination. Gatsby tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Nelson scores with a jab.
Gatsby checks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Gatsby.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nelson shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Gatsby eats them both and turns towards Nelson to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Nelson lands with a nice body punch.

Gatsby bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Nelson is trying to buck Gatsby off.

Gatsby tries for a kimura but Nelson is defending well.
Gatsby trying to control the position but Nelson is working away.
Gatsby throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Gatsby is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Nelson looks calm but he's in trouble here. Gatsby gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Nelson is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Gatsby lets go of the hold and Nelson can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Joe Gatsby!
Joe Gatsby took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Revenge Clothing for their support in the buildup to the fight.
The defeated Azumah Nelson had this to say: 'the slowest learner I have ever had. lol had no chance'.