PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jona Qarase (ranked 2741 p4p, 3759 weight class) and Francis Gane (ranked 271 p4p, 339 weight class). Qarase comes to the cage accompanied by Tavaka by Voqa Kei Munia. The key to victory for Jona Qarase has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Qarase
vs
Gane

170 cm
26
147
3 - 1 - 0

165 cm
28
148
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

BE Younick
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jona Qarase!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Francis Gane!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, John Kavanagh and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gane drives through with a takedown into Qarase's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Gane working some strikes from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gane postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Qarase avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gane with a flurry of punches that miss.
Qarase is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Gane working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Gane advances to half guard.
Gane sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Qarase defending well though.
Gane landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Gane is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Qarase avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gane.
Qarase wants to get back to full guard.
Qarase has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gane is working away from the top position though.

Gane is looking for a kimura here.
Qarase trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gane is nestled in close to Qarase, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Gane winds up and cracks Qarase with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Qarase manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Qarase looking for a sweep. Not yet Qarase, not yet.
Gane postures up.
Qarase looking for a sweep. Not yet Qarase, not yet.
Gane connects with a couple of short punches.
Gane wants to control from the top but Qarase keeps moving.
Qarase wants to sweep but no luck.
Gane in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gane missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Qarase pulls Gane in close to prevent any damage.
Gane with a flurry of punches that miss.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gane accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Gane drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gane jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Qarase trying to control the position.
Gane keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Qarase's head.
Gane lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Gane connects with a couple of short punches.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gane makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Qarase is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gane postures up in Qarase's guard and throws a big left but Qarase blocks it.
Qarase trying to control the position here.
Gane has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gane wants to control from the top but Qarase keeps moving.
Qarase has Gane pulled in close to control his posture.
Gane postures up and lands a big shot to Qarase's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gane's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gane works over Qarase with some ground and pound from guard.
Gane lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gane looking to pass the guard.
Gane content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gane accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gane throws a big elbow that misses.
Gane stands up over Qarase, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Qarase is trying to keep Gane in close.
Qarase has momentary wrist control but Gane slips an elbow through the middle.
Qarase knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gane on the ground.
Qarase is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gane scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Qarase lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gane is looking to stand up but Qarase isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Qarase wants to stand and escape but instead Gane has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Qarase looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gane is one step ahead there.
Gane trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gane chips away with some ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Gane drops back looking for a leg! Qarase is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Qarase manages to kick Gane off! Gane jumps back into Qarase's guard.
Qarase utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gane wants to pass the guard but Qarase is keeping the position.
Qarase working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gane.
Qarase avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Francis Gane dominated that round.
That's time! Qarase's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gane shoots in but Qarase avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Qarase's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gane under the eye.
Gane fails with the takedown
letting Qarase counter with a right hand.
Gane slips a jab and a cross from Qarase.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gane gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Qarase counters with a nice uppercut.
Jona Qarase has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Francis Gane.
Qarase lands a really nice looking cross but Gane seems unphased.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Qarase lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Qarase connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Qarase scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gane in his tracks.

Gane is rocked!
No luck for Gane with that takedown attempt.
Gane with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Qarase to score with a decent uppercut.
Qarase stuffs the takedown attempt from Gane. Gane gets slowly back to his feet.
Gane has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gane there as he acknowledges the shot.
Jona Qarase is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gane misses with a takedown attempt
and Qarase connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gane has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Qarase feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Gane sprawling to the canvas! Gane rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Qarase finish him?!
Gane is still on wobbly legs! Can Qarase finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gane gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Qarase counters with a beautiful right hand that knocks Gane out cold! What a finish! Qarase is going crazy, running around the mat, summersaulting off the corner posts and screaming into the cameras. Something tells me he's pretty happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Jona Qarase!
An out of breath and clearly excited Jona Qarase thanked Bondi MMA 🏝️ for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).