PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Francesco Gattuso (ranked 5146 p4p, 480 weight class) and Kung Po (ranked 1039 p4p, 137 weight class). Francesco Gattuso has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gattuso
vs
Po

181 cm
20
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
177 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

THE END 32

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Francesco Gattuso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kung Po!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gattuso lands a jab.
Po fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gattuso manages to avoid it.
Gattuso swings widly with a right hand
and Po counters with a straight right hand.

Gattuso moves into the clinch.
Po tries a body shot but Gattuso blocks it.
Po tries to throw a body punch but Gattuso avoids it by throwing Po back against the cage.
Gattuso pushes Po back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Po looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Po lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gattuso backwards.
Po misses with a punch on the inside.
A left hand lands to the body for Gattuso.
Gattuso misses with an elbow strike.
Gattuso tries to work over Po's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Po lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from Po fails to land.
Po misses with a short punch on the inside.
Po lands a hook to the side of the 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!
Po's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Po fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gattuso lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Po backwards.
Still in the clinch, Po scores with a nice short uppercut.
Po misses with a punch on the inside.
Gattuso has a couple of punches blocked by Po.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gattuso tries to throw a body punch but Po avoids it by throwing Gattuso back against the cage.
Gattuso is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Po is keeping busy.
Gattuso scores with a shot to the side of Po's head.
Gattuso working aggressively here.
Po lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gattuso lands a right hand.
Gattuso tries to throw a body punch but Po avoids it by throwing Gattuso back against the cage.
Gattuso blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Po throws a head punch that misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gattuso.
Gattuso blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Po.
A short right from Po on the inside.
Po lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gattuso backwards.
Gattuso is working Po over against the cage.
Gattuso goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Po misses with the head strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gattuso.
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!
A right handed body shot lands from Gattuso.
Po swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gattuso goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso misses with the head strike.
Po blocks an uppercut.
Po misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gattuso lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Gattuso lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Po blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gattuso misses with a hook from the clinch.
Po tries a body shot but Gattuso blocks it.
Still in the clinch, Gattuso scores with a nice short uppercut.

Po is rocked!
Gattuso throws a head punch that misses.
Po is still on wobbly legs! Can Gattuso finish him?
Gattuso swings wildly with an uppercut but Po uses good head movement to avoid it.
Po tries a body shot but Gattuso blocks it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Po.
A head punch on the inside from Po fails to land.
Po seems to have recovered his senses.
Po throws a head punch that misses.
Po lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Gattuso pushes Po back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gattuso.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Po.
Gattuso goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gattuso can't find room to land a body shot as Po controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Po lands an uppercut.
Po swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gattuso misses with some punches.
Po misses with the head strike.
Po working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Po has a couple of punches blocked by Gattuso.
Po lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Gattuso lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Gattuso.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gattuso.
A head punch on the inside from Po fails to land.
Gattuso misses with a body punch.
Gattuso working aggressively here.
I was talking to Gattuso's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Gattuso lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Gattuso works on Po's body with a couple of short punches.
Po scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Po trying to stall but Gattuso improves his position.
Gattuso misses with a punch on the inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Po fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gattuso blocks a body shot from Po.
Gattuso lands a shot to the body.
Po looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Po doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gattuso throws a punch but it's blocked by Po.
Po has a couple of punches blocked by Gattuso.
Gattuso doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gattuso misses with some punches.
A short body shot lands from Gattuso as the two fighters clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Po.
Po fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Po lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Gattuso tries to throw a body punch but Po avoids it by throwing Gattuso back against the cage.
Po has a couple of punches blocked by Gattuso.
Gattuso tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Po trying to stall but Gattuso improves his position.
Po lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gattuso backwards.
Po working aggressively here.
Gattuso scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gattuso misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gattuso can't find room to land a body shot as Po controls the action.
Po swings wildly with an uppercut but Gattuso uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gattuso tries to throw a body punch but Po avoids it by throwing Gattuso back against the cage.
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 Francesco Gattuso will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A nice leg kick lands there from Po.
Kung Po has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gattuso throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Po counters with a stiff right hand.
Francesco Gattuso seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gattuso swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Po counters with a nice uppercut.
Gattuso misses with a series of wild punches.
Po throws out a counter right but Gattuso avoids it with no problem.
Gattuso pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A telegraphed right hand from Gattuso misses the target.
Po throws a leg kick which misses Gattuso's front leg but catches the back leg as Gattuso tries to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gattuso misses with a right hand
and Po counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gattuso throws a combination that misses
letting Po counter with a right hand.
Po tries a low kick but Gattuso avoids it.
Gattuso loads up on a big right hand but Po slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Po avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Po appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Po uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Po slips under a jab from Gattuso.
Gattuso throws a poor cross that misses
and Po counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gattuso throws a shot to the body.
Po displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gattuso throws out the jab.
Gattuso just misses with a punch to the body.
Po let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Gattuso tries to close the distance and clinch but Po swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gattuso rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Po counters with a nice uppercut.
Gattuso misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Po counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Gattuso is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Po moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Po lands a leg kick that knocks Gattuso off balance momentarily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gattuso takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Po clobbers Gattuso with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Po swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Po lands a nice hook to Gattuso's body. Gattuso takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Po lands a right hook to the body.
A big right from Po misses.
Gattuso appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Po.
Po tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gattuso was well out of range. Poor timing from Po.
Gattuso lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso missing with a left hand there. Po was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A jab from Gattuso misses.
Po looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gattuso pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gattuso throws a jab but it's blocked by Po.
Po was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
The fighters circling - Gattuso throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A little jabbing left from Po on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nice straight punches there by Po. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Po.
Gattuso thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gattuso uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Po.
Po walks into a stiff left hand from Gattuso.
Po connects with a solid leg kick.
Po moves out of range of the strikes.
Po doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Po ducks under a wild hook from Gattuso.
Po throws a sloppy body shot
and Gattuso counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Po ducks under a wild hook from Gattuso.
Gattuso misses with a hook
and Po counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Po displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gattuso throws out the jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Po jabs Gattuso right on the nose. Gattuso blinks but takes it well.
Po slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Po feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gattusos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Gattuso jabs Po right on the nose. Po blinks but takes it well.
Po blocks a jab.
Gattuso throws a left and a right that both miss
and Po counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gattuso thinking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kung Po 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Po uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gattuso.
Po falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gattuso makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A jab lands there for Gattuso.
Gattuso swings for the body but Po moves out of range.
Gattuso fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gattuso misses the shot to the body.
Po scores with a jab to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Po tries to clinch but Gattuso moves out of range.
Po throws a jab but it's blocked by Gattuso.
Po fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gattuso.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gattuso looks to land a left hand but Po moved out of range nicely.
Po looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Po connects with a body shot.
Gattuso misses with a hook to the body
letting Po counter with a right hand.
A good leg kick by Po.
Po connects with an inside leg kick.
Gattuso bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Po's head backwards.
Gattuso throws an off balance right hand
and Po counters with a right hand to the body.
Gattuso is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Po uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gattuso.
Gattuso backing away here, and Po unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Po misses with a leg kick
and Gattuso counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Po thinking.
Po scores with a leg kick.
Gattuso misses with a hook. Po ducked under it nicely.
As Gattuso backs off Po throws a huge counter combo but Gattuso manages to avoid it all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso walks into a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gattuso throws a combination that misses
and Po counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Po on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Po swings for the body but Gattuso moves out of range.
A lazy body kick from Po
and Gattuso counters with a nice body shot.
Po lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gattuso at a distance.
Po looks to land a left hand but Gattuso moved out of range nicely.
Po fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gattuso manages to avoid it.
Po connects with a jab.
Gattuso on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso keeps the fight on the outside.
Gattuso looks to throw the jab but Po is out of range.
Gattuso gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Po jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Po moves away from the strike by Gattuso.
Gattuso takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Po throws a body punch but Gattuso moves out of range.
Gattuso lands with a shot to the body.
Gattuso throws a combination that misses
and Po counters with a straight right hand.
Gattuso throws the left hand but Po avoids the punch easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Gattuso misses
and Po counters with an outside leg kick.
Po takes a shot to the body in his stride.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Po prevents a body shot from Gattuso.
Po misses with the head strike.
Po throws a head punch that misses.
Gattuso blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gattuso blocks an uppercut.
Gattuso lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Po backwards.
Gattuso tries to throw a body punch but Po avoids it by throwing Gattuso back against the cage.
Po prevents a body shot from Gattuso.
A nice left hand lands by Gattuso.
Po prevents a body shot from Gattuso.
Po misses with a punch to the body.
Gattuso struggles to land a body shot inside as Po controls his hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kung Po comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Po 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kung Po!
Kung Po decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.