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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gotrek Gurnisson (ranked 347 p4p, 763 weight class) and Saint Arai (ranked 36 p4p, 74 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gurnisson might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Pride Is The Devil - J Cole. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 170 cm
23
155
8 - 1 - 0 |
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170 cm
21
148
9 - 2 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin |
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BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gotrek Gurnisson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Saint Arai!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gurnisson misses the shot to the body.
Arai looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Gurnisson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Arai counters with a straight right hand.
Arai lands an overhand right.
Arai throws an off balance right hand
and Gurnisson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Arai won't be happy with that.
Arai is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Gurnisson is trying to get an arm triangle but Arai is defending well.
Gurnisson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Arai, who protects the arm well.
Arai is not content to let Gurnisson control the position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Arai tries to escape but Gurnisson is in control.
Arai tries to buck Gurnisson off but Gurnisson is having none of it.
Gurnisson prevents Arai from escaping the position.
You can see the frustration on Arai's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Arai is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Gurnisson is staying active.
Gurnisson tries for a kimura but Arai is defending well.
Arai tries to bench press Gurnisson off him but Gurnisson keeps the position.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gurnisson trying to control the position but Arai is working away.
Gurnisson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Who's going to make the next move?
Arai manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gurnisson's best efforts.
Arai is trying to stand.
Arai is trying to control but can't.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
A decent looking cross lands there for Arai.
Jab, jab by Arai - just one landing.
A cross from Arai lands.
Arai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Arai throws a nice looking combination but Gurnisson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Arai throws a body punch but Gurnisson moves out of range.
Saint Arai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gurnisson throws a sloppy body shot
and Arai counters with a straight right hand.
Gurnisson listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Arai loads up on a big right hand but Gurnisson slips the punch.
Gurnisson feinted with a counter takedown.
Arai falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gurnisson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Arai thinking.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gurnisson takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gurnisson throws a hook to the side of Arai's head but Arai sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Arai let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Gurnisson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gurnisson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gurnisson blocks a jab.
Arai looks to land a left hand but Gurnisson moved out of range nicely.
Some wild striking there from Arai.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Arai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gurnisson.
Arai avoids the body shot from Gurnisson.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Saint Arai will probably get the nod.
That's time! Gurnisson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.
A big right from Gurnisson misses.
Arai scores with the left hand. Gurnisson knows he should have avoided that one.
Arai throws a right hand that misses
and Gurnisson counters with a left to the body.
Gurnisson digs a good hook to Arai's body.
Gurnisson lands a jab to the nose.
Arai throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Arai misses with a hook.
Gurnisson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gurnisson is looking to wear down Arai with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gurnisson avoids the body shot from Arai.
Arai lands with a cross.
Arai misses with a straight left.
Arai throws a body punch but Gurnisson moves out of range.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Arai throws a predictable looking body shot
and Gurnisson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gurnisson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gurnisson has a takedown stuffed.
Arai slaps away a takedown attempt from Gurnisson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gurnisson swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Arai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Arai throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A counter left hand to the body from Gurnisson misses its target.
Arai misses with a lunging right hand
and Gurnisson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A telegraphed right hand from Arai misses the target.
Arai lands with a hook. Gurnisson tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arai swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Gurnisson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Arai takes a swing at Gurnisson's ribcage but misses.
Gurnisson slips a jab from Arai.
Some wild striking there from Arai.
Arai takes a swing at Gurnisson's ribcage but misses.
Gurnisson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jab by Arai.
A big left from Gurnisson misses.
Saint Arai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arai throws a body punch but Gurnisson moves out of range.
Saint Arai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gurnisson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Arai.
Arai just misses with a punch to the body.
Arai misses with a straight right.
A quick step to the side and Gurnisson tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
A shot to the body from Arai misses
and Gurnisson counters with a nice uppercut.
Arai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gurnisson.
Arai misses the shot to the body.
Gurnisson was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Arai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Arai moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Gurnisson scores with a jab. Arai acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A jab lands there for Gurnisson.
Arai wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arai scores with a nice right hand.
Arai takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gurnisson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Gurnisson slips a jab from Arai.
Arai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Arai throws a right and a left that both miss.
A little feinted left hand from Gurnisson on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Gurnisson misses with a shot to the body
and Arai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gurnisson lands with a straight right. Arai didn't see that one coming.
Gurnisson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Arai cracks Gurnisson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Arai misses with an uppercut. Gurnisson saw that one coming.
Arai lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Saint Arai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Gurnisson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Gurnisson.
Arai misses with a wild body shot.
Gurnisson gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Arai looks to land a combination. Gurnisson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gurnisson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Arai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Arai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gurnisson.
Gurnisson walks into a left hand.
Gurnisson misses with a straight left.
Gurnisson drives through and clinches with Arai against the cage.
Gurnisson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gurnisson misses with a left hand
and Arai counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Arai lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gurnisson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Arai! But no joy.
Gurnisson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Arai.
Gurnisson throws a body punch but Arai moves out of range.
Arai circles away from the clinch attempt.
Arai takes a swing at Gurnisson's ribcage but misses.
Gurnisson appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Arai looks to score with a jab to the body but Gurnisson is just out of range.
Gurnisson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arai manages to avoid it.
Arai displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gurnisson throws out the jab.
Arai takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arai scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gurnisson has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gurnisson there as he acknowledges the shot.
Arai scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Gurnisson blocks a jab.
It looked like Gurnisson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Arai fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Nice body punch from Arai.
Arai lands a nice hook to Gurnisson's body. Gurnisson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Arai looks to score with a jab to the body but Gurnisson is just out of range.
A jab from Gurnisson misses.
Gurnisson takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Gurnisson ducks under a wild hook from Arai.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gurnisson misses with a left hand
and Arai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gurnisson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Arai misses with a hook.
It looked like Gurnisson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Arai digs a good body shot into Gurnisson's ribs.
Gurnisson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Arai lands a jab to the nose.
Arai swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gurnisson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Arai won't be happy with that.
Arai explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arai dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gurnisson was well out of range. Poor timing from Arai.
Arai with a jab.
Gurnisson throws a big shot that misses.
Arai looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Arai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
It looked like Gurnisson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Arai misses with a body shot.
Gurnisson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Arai.
Gurnisson dodges the punch combination from Arai.
Gurnisson looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Arai swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Saint Arai really dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!
Gurnisson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Arai ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A left and a right from Arai both land. Nice combination.
Arai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gurnisson throws the left hand but Arai avoids the punch easily.
It seemed like Arai was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Arai throws a shot from downtown. Gurnisson moves away and avoids it.
Arai misses with a looping left.
Gurnisson misses with a body punch
and Arai counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gurnisson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arai looks to land a combination but Gurnisson avoids it well.
Arai looks to score with a jab to the body but Gurnisson is just out of range.
Gurnisson misses the shot to the body.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Arai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gurnisson.
Arai lands a lovely overhand right.
Gurnisson throws a hook but Arai blocks it.
Gurnisson throws a jab when Arai was well out of range.
Arai comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Arai misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Gurnisson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Arai's guard.
Arai is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Arai not doing much here.
Arai trying to mount his opponent but Gurnisson defends it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gurnisson wants to control but Arai is keeping busy.
Gurnisson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arai pulls his head out easily.
Arai is looking to take a break and control but Gurnisson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Arai controlling the pace.
Arai is trying to control. Gurnisson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arai trying to control the pace.
Gurnisson actively working from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arai not doing much here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Arai trying to control from half guard but Gurnisson is working away.
The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
That's four 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.
Arai slaps away a takedown attempt from Gurnisson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Arai lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gurnisson circles away quickly and effectively.
Gurnisson swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
A looping hook to the body misses from Arai. Gurnisson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Arai moves out of range as Gurnisson strikes.
Arai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gurnisson moves away.
Gurnisson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Arai sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gurnisson somewhat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gurnisson takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Saint Arai dominated that fourth round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!
Arai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Arai falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gurnisson counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Arai swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Arai lunges at Gurnisson with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gurnisson's hand.
Arai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Arai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gurnisson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Gurnisson misses.
Arai lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gurnisson at a distance.
Arai looks to score with a jab to the body but Gurnisson is just out of range.
Arai works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Arai misses the jab.
Arai connects with a looping right hand.
Gurnisson takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Gurnisson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Gurnisson takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Gurnisson scores with a jab to the body.
Arai throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gurnisson takes one to the chin there.
Gurnisson blocks a jab.
Arai throws a shot to the body.
Gotrek Gurnisson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gurnisson misses the jab.
Arai lands a nice shot to the body.
Arai throws a body punch but Gurnisson moves out of range.
Donk. Arai catches Gurnisson right on the button with a cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Arai misses with a series of wild punches.
Arai just misses with a punch to the body.
An attempted straight right counter from Gurnisson misses the target.
Arai throws a hook to the side of Gurnisson's head but Gurnisson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Arai throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Arai rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gurnisson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gurnisson. Arai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gurnisson walks into a stiff left hand from Arai.
Arai misses with a looping right.
Arai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gurnisson manages to avoid it.
Gurnisson connects with a nice looking jab.
Saint Arai is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gurnisson slips a straight right by Arai.
Gurnisson was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Gurnisson scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Arai slips under a jab.
Gurnisson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Arai misses with a jab to the body
and Gurnisson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gurnisson punishes Arai's body with a nice straight punch.
Arai lands a jab-cross combination.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gurnisson closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Arai quickly recovers to half guard.
Arai is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Arai slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gurnisson throwing strikes from guard but Arai blocks nicely.
Gurnisson won't allow Arai to get back to his feet.
Arai is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Arai's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that's the end of the fight!
Saint Arai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Arai winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.
Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 45:50
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 45:50
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 45:50
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saint Arai!
Saint Arai is the new featherweight champion!
An out of breath Saint Arai thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
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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
52% |
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