PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Enrique Black (ranked 24247 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gatto Besti (ranked 24430 p4p, 605 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.

Black
vs
Besti

153 cm
19
177 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
19
181 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Enrique Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gatto Besti!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Leandro Rodrigues and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Besti misses with a two punch combination.
Black went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Besti takes a swing at Black's ribcage but misses.
As Besti tries to get set, Black tries to push him back and clinch up but Besti manages to avoid the attempt.
Black fails with the takedown
and Besti counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Black throws a lazy right hand but Besti sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gatto Besti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Black has a takedown stuffed.
Besti takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Enrique Black. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Besti fails to land with a series of punches.
As Besti tries to get set, Black tries to push him back and clinch up but Besti manages to avoid the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Black shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Besti manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Besti is adopting a defensive guard.
Black stopping the sweep attempt from Besti.
Besti trying to control the position here.
Besti is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Besti trying to control the position here.
Besti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Besti connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Black blocks a jab.
Black shoots in but no luck this time.
Nice sprawl there from Besti as Black shoots in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Black 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Black could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Black shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Black decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Black rushes Besti and presses him up against the cage.
Black jumps guard but Besti turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Black swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Besti turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Besti is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Black has escaped the position, nice work there.
Besti trying to control the action but Black is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to improve position but can't.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Besti is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Black knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gatto Besti dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Enrique Black's cut.
That's time! Black's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Black shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Besti but Besti pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Black staying out of range there.
Black is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Black misses with a wild combination.
A big right from Besti misses.
Besti misses with the combination.
Black drops down looking for a counter takedown but Besti sprawls and moves away.
We've been informed that Besti has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Besti throws a body punch but Black moves out of range.
Besti lands a jab to the nose.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Besti throws out a loose jab but Black uses good head movement to avoid it.
Black shoots in for a double leg but Besti sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Besti lands a glancing blow to the side of Black's head.
Besti dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Black. That did some damage!
Besti throws a right hand that misses

and Black counters by clinching up.

Black's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Besti is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Some wild striking there from Besti.
Besti's corner calls for a 1-2. Besti obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Besti gets a double leg takedown into Black's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black wants to control the position but Besti says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Besti is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Black is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Black might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Besti trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Black managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Besti working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Besti showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Black keeping full guard, as Besti tries to pass.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Besti has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Black drops his hands momentarily and Besti takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Besti gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Besti gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Black regains guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Besti's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Black not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Black is adopting a defensive guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Besti is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Besti trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Black looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gatto Besti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Enrique Black's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Black closes this distance looking for a takedown but Besti circles away.
Besti thows a left - swing and a miss!
Besti connects with a looping right hand.
Besti throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Besti. Black does a little dance to reset his feet.
Besti throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gatto Besti seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Black misses with a takedown attempt - Besti sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Besti swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Besti decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Black kicks Besti off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Besti scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Besti throws an overhand right that lands on Black's shoulder, as Black tries to avoid the shot.
Black attempts a counter takedown but Besti avoids it well and moves away.
Black takes one on the button.

Black shoots in and gets a takedown into Besti's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Besti is pulling down on Black's head. It's preventing any offense from Black, at least for the moment.
Let's hope that Besti has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Besti looking for a sweep. Not yet Besti, not yet.
Black wants to stand and escape but instead Besti has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Besti preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Besti working some strikes from top position.

Black had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Besti defends it easily.
Besti passes Black's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Besti scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Besti is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Besti wants to control but Black is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Besti throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Besti throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Gatto Besti is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Black is not content to let Besti control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Besti lands a really nice looking cross but Black seems unphased.
Enrique Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Besti rushes Black and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gatto Besti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Besti winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gatto Besti!