PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dharya Bhate (ranked 1061 p4p, 578 weight class) and Gopnik Skwat (ranked 96 p4p, 52 weight class). Bhate comes to the cage accompanied by Diwali Madness. 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.

Bhate
vs
Skwat

178 cm
23
145
7 - 4 - 0

168 cm
23
140
7 - 1 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Pulling Guard

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dharya Bhate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gopnik Skwat!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Reed Andrews and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Skwat lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Bhate sprawling to the canvas. Skwat follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Bhate hang on?

Bhate is rocked!
Skwat is looking to advance position but Bhate won't allow it.
Oh Bhate is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bhate seems to have got his legs back now.

Bhate looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bhate has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Skwat escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Skwat!
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!
Bhate manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Bhate is working for a kimura but Skwat is defending it quite comfortably.
Skwat wants to control but Bhate is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Skwat looking for submissions off his back.

Bhate looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Skwat actively working from the bottom here.
Bhate is looking to advance position but Skwat won't allow it.

Bhate is looking for a kimura but Skwat is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bhate to get the leverage.
Skwat wants to control but Bhate is keeping busy.

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.

Bhate is working for an americana but Skwat has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Bhate was thinking about the submission.

Bhate drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Skwat manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bhate has Skwat in his guard.

Bhate seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Skwat sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Bhate looking for a guillotine here but Skwat defends easily.

Bhate has an active guard here but Skwat has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Skwat moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Bhate.
Bhate is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Skwat is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Skwat manages to capitalize on a mistake by Bhate to take his back!
Our spies down at at Gronk Apes inform us that Skwat has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Skwat is hanging on to Bhate's back as he tries to escape.
Bhate is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Skwat controlling the positon.
Skwat is hanging on to Bhate's back as he tries to escape.
Bhate rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Bhate has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Skwat escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Skwat!
Bhate manages to work his way to half guard, despite Skwat's best efforts.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gopnik Skwat dominated that round.
That's time! Bhate's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Skwat swings away with a body shot that misses
and Bhate counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bhate throws a sloppy body shot
and Skwat counters with a low kick, right behind Bhate 's knee.
Skwat looks to land a left hand but Bhate moved out of range nicely.
Skwat moves out of range as Bhate strikes.
Bhate uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Skwat.
Bhate blocks a head kick by Skwat.
Skwat's jab looks to have found its range, popping Bhate under the eye.
Skwat throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bhate lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Good standup being displayed there by Bhate as he connects with a hook.
Skwat lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bhate's sensitive parts.
Bhate misses with a hook to the body
letting Skwat counter with a right hand.
Gopnik Skwat seems to be getting the better of the standup.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bhate missing with a left hand there. Skwat was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Skwat ducks under a wild hook from Bhate.
Skwat takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Skwat scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skwat throws the kick towards the body but Bhate avoids it.
An attempted straight right counter from Bhate misses the target.
Skwat rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Bhate counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Skwat misses with a body shot.
Skwat has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Skwat gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Skwat cracks Bhate with a nice body shot.
Nice body punch from Skwat - that landed with a thud.
Skwat lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
A right hook to the body lands for Skwat.
Skwat lands with a right to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Skwat.
Skwat can't find room to land a body shot as Bhate controls the action.
Bhate misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Skwat lands a nice uppercut.
Skwat lands with a short shot to the head.
Bhate misses with a hook from the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Skwat creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
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!
Skwat lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skwat scores with a shot to the side of Bhate's head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Skwat.
Bhate misses with the head strike.
Bhate misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Skwat lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short body shot lands from Skwat as the two fighters clinch.
Skwat blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Skwat scores with a nice hook to the head.
Skwat scores with a shoulder strike.
Bhate tries to throw a body punch but Skwat avoids it by throwing Bhate back against the cage.
Skwat lands a nice uppercut.

Skwat jumps guard and drags Bhate to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Bhate drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Skwat manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bhate has Skwat in his guard.

Bhate wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bhate has an active guard here but Skwat has managed to pass into half guard.

Bhate looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Skwat keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Bhate is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Skwat pulls his head out easily.
Bhate is trying to get back to full guard.
Skwat passes the guard and advances to mount!
Bhate keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skwat controlling the position easily from mount.
Skwat fails to advance to Bhate's back.
Gopnik Skwat has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bhate is desperately trying to improve his position but Skwat has a good base and remains in mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gopnik Skwat showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Bhate digs a good body shot into Skwat's ribs.
Nice straight punches there by Bhate. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Bhate.
Skwat throws a body kick that misses.
A counter left hand to the body from Bhate misses its target.
Skwat ducks right into an uppercut from Bhate.
Skwat swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Skwat misses with an uppercut
and Bhate counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Skwat lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Skwat tries to move into range but Bhate moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Skwat steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bhate.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bhate. Skwat does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bhate takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Skwat waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bhate.
Bhate with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Skwat to score with a decent uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Skwat uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bhate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bhate connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bhate misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Skwat.
Bhate takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Bhate takes a swing at Skwat's ribcage but misses.
Skwat wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Skwat throws a low kick, looking for Bhate's leg but Bhate calmly moves out of range.
Skwat blocks a jab.
Bhate bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Skwat and Bhate goes tumbling to the canvas! Skwat follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bhate actively working from the bottom here.
Skwat content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Bhate looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skwat uses his free foot to push down on Bhate's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Bhate.
Skwat sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Bhate working to try and regain half guard.
Skwat looking to control and managing it successfully.
Skwat is continuing to stall.
Skwat manages to capitalize on a mistake by Bhate to take his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Bhate's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Skwat slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Skwat has the hooks in. Bhate is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Skwat is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Bhate defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Bhate tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skwat controlling from the back.
You can see the frustration on Bhate's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Skwat is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Let's hope that Skwat 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.
Dharya Bhate has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Gopnik Skwat comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Skwat has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gopnik Skwat!