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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Naoya Li (ranked 2670 p4p, 2849 weight class) and Joel Gomez (ranked 160 p4p, 172 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 168 cm
26
135
3 - 3 - 0 |
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190 cm
26
135
4 - 3 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin |
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Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Naoya Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Joel Gomez!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Edson Gomes and Thiago Cunha.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Gomez as Li shoots in.
Li misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Li shoots for a takedown but Gomez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Naoya Li. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li shoots in for a takedown but Gomez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Naoya Li seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A punch combination from Gomez misses.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gomez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Li tries to bum rush Gomez with a series of wild strikes but Gomez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gomez counters with a body kick.
Li drives through with a takedown into Gomez's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Gomez told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomez is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Gomez is looking for a triangle but Li pushes his legs off easily.
Li throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gomez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Li pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gomez is keeping the position for now.
Gomez has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Li off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Gomez throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Li moves into the clinch successfully.
Li has clasped his hands together around Gomez's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
We've been hearing that Li has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Li stands up and beckons Gomez to his feet.
Li dives in and grabs Gomez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gomez pushes down on Li's head and hops out.
Li misses the shot to the body.
Gomez is trying to counter with his kicks.
Li defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gomez.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gomez.
Gomez shoots for a double leg takedown but Li sprawls well. He's pushed Gomez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Li has managed to clinch.
Gomez is looking to take this one to the mat.
Gomez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Li prevents it.
Gomez goes for a takedown attempt but Li pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Li misses with a takedown attempt
and Gomez counters with a right hand to the body.
Li has his takedown stuffed
and Gomez counters with a three punch combo that has Li backing up. Li nods at Gomez to acknowledge the strikes.
Gomez tries for a takedown but Li circles away easily
and Li counters by clinching up.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Li pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gomez tries to score a body lock takedown but Li shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gomez looks winded!
Gomez works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Gomez trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Li looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Li is pulling down on Gomez's head. It's preventing any offense from Gomez, at least for the moment.
Gomez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomez stopping the sweep attempt from Li.
Li keeping moving, preventing Gomez from controlling successfully.
Li has his foot on Gomez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gomez works his way back into a safe position though.
Gomez trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gomez wants to pass the guard but Li is keeping the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Joel Gomez will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!
Li pushes Gomez up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Li.
It looks like Joel Gomez has been cut.
Gomez can't get the takedown.
Li breaks the clinch.
Gomez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Li avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Gomez.
Li is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Gomez is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gomez with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Li wants to hold on but Gomez pushes him away.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Li is trying to stand up.
Li working to try and regain half guard.
Li is working hard here to advance position.
Gomez looking to control but Li is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Li is now in Gomez's guard. A big mistake from Gomez there, giving up the dominant position!
Gomez wants to stand and escape but Li is having none of it.
Gomez keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Joel Gomez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gomez keeping full guard, as Li tries to pass.
Gomez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Li defends it easily.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Li accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Li wants to control from the top but Gomez keeps moving.
Li might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gomez is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Gomez tries to score a body lock takedown but Li shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Li prevents a takedown attempt there.
Naoya Li has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joel Gomez.
Li escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gomez pushes Li off and gets back to his feet.
Gomez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Li avoids it really well and circles away.
Li is looking to counter with a body kick.
Li gets in close and instigates a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gomez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Li pulls his leg out and moves away.
Li bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close second round but I would say that Naoya Li will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Joel Gomez's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!
Gomez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Li tries to clinch up but Gomez circles away and keeps his distance.
Gomez is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Li doesn't manage to clinch there - Gomez circles away.
Gomez shoots in but no luck this time.
Li shoots and misses
and Gomez counters with a three punch combo that has Li backing up. Li nods at Gomez to acknowledge the strikes.
Joel Gomez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Li dives in and scores a takedown into Gomez's guard.
Li would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gomez dives on top into guard.
Li keeping moving, preventing Gomez from controlling successfully.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez looking to pass the guard.
Li wants to sweep here but Gomez controlling him for the moment.
Li is trying to keep Gomez in close.
Li working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gomez.
Li is trying to keep Gomez in close.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gomez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Li 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.
Gomez advances position into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Li is looking to reverse the position.
An elbow from Gomez crashes against the mat.
Gomez is looking to take a break and control but Li is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gomez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Li knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Li is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Li can't do much from the bottom here.
Li tries to improve position but can't.
That's four 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.
Gomez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Li, who protects the arm well.
An elbow from Gomez crashes against the mat.
Gomez throws a strike aimed at the side of Li's head but Li avoids it well.
Li tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Gomez easily slips into full mount!
Li is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Li is trying desperately to improve position.
And that's the end of the fight!
Joel Gomez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gomez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:29
In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Joel Gomez!
Joel Gomez took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
36% |
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