PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Oscar Bukele (ranked 2276 p4p, 2503 weight class) and Gaetano Villacci (ranked 292 p4p, 314 weight class). Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. Oscar Bukele looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Bukele
vs
Villacci

177 cm
25
170
5 - 4 - 0

178 cm
25
170
4 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Oscar Bukele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gaetano Villacci!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Glass and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Villacci scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Bukele doesn't seem bothered though.
Villacci lands with an uppercut that bounces Bukele off the cage and back into range.
Bukele definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Bukele takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Villacci fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Villacci looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Villacci connects with a nice looking jab.
Villacci lands with an uppercut that bounces Bukele off the cage and back into range.

Nice combo by Villacci! Oh, that's hurt him - Bukele falls to the canvas and Villacci follows him into side control.

Bukele is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bukele tries to buck Villacci off but Villacci is having none of it.
Oh Bukele is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Villacci tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Villacci has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Villacci looks winded!
Bukele is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Villacci's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Bukele blocking the ground and pound attempt from Villacci.
Villacci is trying to control. Bukele wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bukele preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Villacci is looking to advance position but Bukele won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bukele is looking for a sweep. Villacci is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bukele seems to have got his legs back now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bukele controlling the position for now.
Villacci sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bukele defending well though.
Villacci trying to control the action but Bukele is working from the bottom.
Bukele avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Villacci.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bukele manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Villacci loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Villacci pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bukele is keeping the position for now.
Bukele wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Villacci throws an elbow that misses. Bukele uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Villacci's guard. Nice move by Bukele!

Villacci is looking for a triangle but Bukele pushes his legs off easily.

Villacci escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bukele gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bukele controlling from the top position.
Bukele passes Villacci's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Villacci tries to roll over but Bukele keeps him under control.
Bukele landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Bukele content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Villacci wants to improve his position but Bukele is controlling well.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Bukele connects with a nice short shot to Villacci's temple.
Villacci wants to get back to full guard.
Bukele looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Villacci with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bukele content to control rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bukele wants to control but Villacci is keeping him busy.
Villacci is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bukele is controlling the pace.
Bukele scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gaetano Villacci dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Villacci scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Bukele fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Villacci to the ground. Bukele is now in Villacci's guard.
Villacci is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bukele engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Villacci is looking for a triangle but Bukele pushes his legs off easily.
Bukele passes Villacci's left leg - he's now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Villacci works his way to full guard. Good work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Villacci throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bukele sitting in guard here, content to control.
Villacci has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Villacci is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bukele with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bukele pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Villacci is keeping the position for now.
Bukele works over Villacci with some ground and pound from guard.
Bukele lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Bukele scoring with some ground and pound.
Villacci working a defensive guard but Bukele passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bukele lands a nice short elbow.
Bukele with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Oscar Bukele overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Villacci is looking for a sweep. Bukele is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Villacci is still trying to improve position.
Bukele seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Villacci has hold of Bukele's hands but Bukele slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bukele scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Villacci tries to get to full guard but Bukele has control of the leg.
Bukele slows the pace down in half guard.
Bukele looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Bukele stalling.
Villacci is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bukele takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Bukele slips a nice elbow through Villacci's hands, connecting with Villacci's forehead.
Villacci trying to control but Bukele postures up.
Villacci tries to roll over but Bukele keeps him under control.
Villacci is trying to control but can't.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Villacci stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Bukele fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Villacci sprawls well initially but Bukele persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Villacci is defending against the submission attempts here by Bukele.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bukele scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Oscar Bukele dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Bukele takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Bukele tries to clinch but Villacci is having none of it.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Villacci enables Bukele to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Villacci manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Villacci trying to keep a closed guard but Bukele is proving a slippery customer.
Bukele controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bukele trying to control but Villacci is working from the bottom.
Villacci keeping full guard, as Bukele tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bukele postures up and lands a big shot to Villacci's brow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bukele wants to pass the guard but Villacci is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Villacci is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Villacci working for a triangle but Bukele defends it easily.
Bukele lands a couple of digs.

Villacci throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bukele showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bukele advances position into side control!
Check out the look on Bukele's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Bukele has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Villacci wants to control but Bukele postures up.
Villacci is looking to reverse the position.
Bukele working the ground and pound.

Bukele tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Villacci is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bukele landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Villacci is looking for a sweep.
Villacci wants to control but Bukele postures up.
Bukele in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Villacci is letting Bukele control him for a moment.
Villacci tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Bukele presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Bukele landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bukele controlling from the full mount.
Villacci tries to reverse the position but Bukele maintains control.
Bukele with good strikes from the mount here!
Villacci takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Bukele lands a heavy elbow.
Villacci tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Villacci is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Bukele is working for a guillotine from mount but Villacci frees his head quite easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oscar Bukele showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bukele has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Oscar Bukele!
Our winner, Oscar Bukele, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.