PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rob Elsworth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Morote Gari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Elsworth
vs
Gari

190 cm
19
209 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

200 cm
23
245 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Rob Elsworth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Morote Gari!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Daniel Bishop and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Elsworth throws a body punch but Gari moves out of range.
Elsworth is looking to clinch but Gari is avoiding it.

Gari clinches.

Gari breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gari tries a head kick but it misses.

Gari drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Elsworth has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Gari is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gari throwing strikes from guard but Elsworth blocks nicely.
Elsworth knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gari on the ground.
Gari throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Elsworth works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Elsworth looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gari is one step ahead there.
Elsworth is looking to sweep but instead, Gari has passed into half guard.
Gari prevents Elsworth from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elsworth is trying is best to control the position here.
Gari throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Elsworth is refusing to be controlled, as Gari sits in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gari pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Elsworth looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Elsworth doesn't manage to clinch there - Gari circles away.
Elsworth looks to land a combination but Gari avoids it well.
Gari throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Elsworth's waist but Elsworth gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gari off to one side.
Gari scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Elsworth doesn't seem bothered though.
Gari moves out of range of the strikes.

Elsworth instigates a clinch.

Gari breaks the clinch.

Gari moves into the clinch.
Elsworth wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gari can't get the takedown.
Elsworth scores a nice knee to the body.
Elsworth is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gari keeps control of Elsworth as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Elsworth pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gari takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Elsworth punishes Gari's body with a nice straight punch.
Elsworth fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gari looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gari looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elsworth throws a series of punches but Gari avoids them all with ease.
Elsworth throws a one two combo.

It looks like Morote Gari has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gari circles away from the clinch attempt
and Gari makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Elsworth really felt that one!
Gari avoids a punch combination nicely.
Elsworth uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gari.
Gari closes this distance looking for a takedown but Elsworth circles away.
Rob Elsworth has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Morote Gari.
Elsworth scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gari doesn't seem bothered though.

Elsworth rushes Gari and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Knees to the body from Elsworth.
Elsworth scores with a hook to the body.

Elsworth breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Elsworth lands a with a good body shot.
Gari throws a right and a left that Elsworth avoids nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Elsworth.
Elsworth works over Gari's head and body with a nice combination.
Rob Elsworth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Elsworth scores with a three punch combo!
Elsworth throws a sloppy head kick and Gari moves out of range easily.
Elsworth scores with a one two! Gari had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Elsworth scores with a one two! Gari had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Elsworth throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rob Elsworth is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elsworth throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Gari.
Gari is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Elsworth.
Elsworth tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gari misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gari takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Gari swinging wilding here.

Gari tries to keep at a distance but Elsworth has taken the fight into the clinch.

Gari successfully pulls guard.
Gari controls Elsworth momentarily but Elsworth frees himself.
Elsworth trying to control but Gari is working from the bottom.
Gari is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gari pulls Elsworth in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Elsworth stands up from Gari's guard - Elsworth perhaps looking for a knockout.
Elsworth tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gari was well out of range. Poor timing from Elsworth.
Gari ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Elsworth keeps Gari at a distance using the push kick.
Elsworth swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gari counters with a nice body shot.

Gari shoots in and bounces Elsworth off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gari controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gari trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Elsworth dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Morote Gari's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Elsworth misses with a double jab.
A head kick misses from Gari.
Elsworth misses with a series of wild punches.

Gari takes the fight into the clinch.

Elsworth escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Elsworth.

Gari closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Elsworth to the mat! Elsworth manages to get full guard.
Gari stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Elsworth swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Elsworth wants to stand and escape but Gari is having none of it.
Gari is in close to Elsworth's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Elsworth wants to get back to his feet but Gari is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gari's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Elsworth avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gari passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gari is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Elsworth is looking to improve his position.
Elsworth is controlling Gari's trapped leg to prevent Gari from advancing to side control.
Gari works his way into side control.
Gari takes a little break here. Elsworth wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Gari's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Gari has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gari is working Elsworth over with some ground and pound from side control.
Elsworth parries the strikes from Gari easily there. Gari is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Elsworth to escape.
Elsworth gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gari tries to pass the half guard into mount. Elsworth knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Elsworth is trying to stand.
Gari wants to pass the guard but Elsworth is defending well.
Elsworth wants to get back to full guard but Gari has passed into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gari has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Elsworth's face.
Gari raining down shots from the mount!
Gari wants to control the pace but Elsworth is squirming around nicely.
Gari is landing with some decent strikes but Elsworth is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Gari looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gari takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gari wants to control the pace but Elsworth is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elsworth wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Gari.
Elsworth tries to hold on but Gari postures up.
Gari has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Elsworth's face.
Gari punching from mount but Elsworth doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Gari trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gari throwing strikes here but Elsworth is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Elsworth is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gari controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Morote Gari showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Morote Gari's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gari comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Elsworth connects with a body shot.
Gari lands a nice hook to Elsworth's body. Elsworth takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Elsworth showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gari.
Gari lands with a nice combination. Elsworth backs away looking to recover.
Rob Elsworth is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Elsworth misses with a series of wild punches.
Gari shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Elsworth pinned against the cage. Elsworth gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Elsworth takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Elsworth throws a right and a left that Gari avoids nicely.
Elsworth tries to clinch but Gari is having none of it.
Gari throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Gari takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Elsworth moves into the clinch.
Elsworth is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gari has had enough of the clinch but Elsworth keeps him there for the moment.

Elsworth breaks the clinch.
Elsworth throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gari cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Elsworth closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Gari turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Gari manages to end up in side control.
Gari throws an elbow but Elsworth slips to the side and avoids it well.
Elsworth regains half guard.
Elsworth tries to kick Gari off but Gari keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gari wants to lay and pray for a moment but Elsworth keeps working.
Elsworth is trying to maintain the position but Gari is very close to passing his half guard.
Gari thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Elsworth's head.
Gari not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A shot to de liver by Gari. Beautiful body shot.
Gari shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Elsworth as he avoids it easily.
Elsworth displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Gari checks a leg kick.
Elsworth is looking to wear down Gari with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Gari shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Gari was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Gari looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gari takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gari punching from mount but Elsworth doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Morote Gari has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gari throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Elsworth because Gari loaded up on that one.
Elsworth is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Gari scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Elsworth?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elsworth wants to hold on but Gari pushes him away.
Gari content just to control the position here.
Gari punishing his opponent with strikes.
Gari dominating with strikes here.
A nice elbow there by Gari.
Elsworth wants to try and get back to his feet.
Gari lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Elsworth hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gari takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gari lands a big shot there that rocks Elsworth but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Gari controlling his opponent.
Gari thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Elsworth is squirming around, avoiding Gari's attempts to control the action.
Elsworth is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Morote Gari comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gari 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Morote Gari!