PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Big Mike (ranked 3892 p4p, 4869 weight class) and Cory Gnotts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cory Gnotts has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Mike
vs
Gnotts

185 cm
21
250
1 - 0 - 0

199 cm
21
265
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Big Mike!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cory Gnotts!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gnotts fails to land the takedown.
Mike misses with a wild body shot.
Mike throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Gnotts decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mike's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gnotts wants to control from the top but Mike keeps moving.

Gnotts drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gnotts jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gnotts trying to control the position from guard on top but Mike is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gnotts thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mike on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mike tries to get out of the position.
Gnotts passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gnotts is chipping away with strikes.
Mike wants to get back to his feet.

Gnotts working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
An elbow from Gnotts crashes against the mat.
Gnotts trying to control the position but Mike is working away.
Mike is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gnotts throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Mike is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Mike is looking to get back to his feet here but Gnotts is keeping cool and he's managed to take Mike's back.
Gnotts somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Mike trying to get back to his feet but Gnotts is in full control for now.
Mike might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Mike staying busy and making it hard for Gnotts to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gnotts missing with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gnotts is looking to control Mike but Mike is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Mike trying to get back to his feet but Gnotts is in full control for now.
Gnotts thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Well, with Gnotts on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Mike is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Mike covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Mike knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gnotts on the ground.
Gnotts tries to keep control of the position but Mike is staying busy.
Mike is trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gnotts is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Mike. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gnotts trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Gnotts has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mike is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cory Gnotts dominated that round.
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.

Mike throws a body punch but Gnotts moves out of range.
Gnotts avoids the body shot from Mike.
Gnotts tries to counter by closing the distance.
Mike fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gnotts tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mike manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mike throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mike misses with a looping right.

Mike decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mike is thwarting Gnotts's attempts to control the position.
Gnotts has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gnotts looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gnotts wants to improve his position but Mike is controlling well.
Mike controlling the action here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mike lands a nice short elbow.
Mike content to control rather than advance.
Mike is nestled in close to Gnotts, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

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.
Gnotts is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mike scores with a couple of nice shots.
Mike looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gnotts tries to get to full guard but Mike has control of the leg.
Mike lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ground and pound from Mike.
Mike looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gnotts with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Gnotts is trying to maintain the position but Mike is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mike controlling the action here.
Gnotts wants to get back to full guard.
Gnotts is pressing down on Mike's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mike controlling from the top position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mike's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cory Gnotts has got the better of the ground game so far.

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.
Mike working some strikes from top position.
Mike is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Mike scoring with punches to the head and body.
Gnotts controls Mike momentarily but Mike frees himself.
Mike is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gnotts wants to sweep here but Mike controlling him for the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mike working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gnotts's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Big Mike dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Mike shoots in and gets a takedown into Gnotts's guard.

Gnotts looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mike slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mike chips away with some ground and pound.
Mike showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mike with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mike content to stall in guard here.

Gnotts escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mike gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mike chips away with some ground and pound.
Mike postures up and lands a big shot to Gnotts's brow.
Cory Gnotts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Big Mike is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mike has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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.
Mike not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mike's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Further stalling from Mike.
If it seems like I'm not saying a lot, it's just because Mike is stinking the place up with his stalling.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Gnotts moves out of range of the strikes.
Mike throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gnotts misses with a straight left.
Gnotts uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mike.

Mike closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gnotts quickly recovers to half guard.
Gnotts is looking for a sweep. Mike is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Gnotts is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mike pulls his head out easily.
Gnotts takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mike working Gnotts over with strikes.
Mike drops an elbow to the side of Gnotts's head.
Still in half guard, Mike seems content to control.
Mike landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Mike controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gnotts tries to roll over but Mike keeps him under control.
Mike is taking a breather. Gnotts says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mike lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Big Mike showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mike has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Big Mike!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Big Mike!
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Big Mike!

Big Mike wins by unanimous decision!
Big Mike 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.