PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Francis Gauthier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Madrid (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gauthier
vs
Madrid

181 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Francis Gauthier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tony Madrid!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Madrid looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Madrid goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Gauthier circles away from the clinch attempt.

Gauthier feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Gauthier is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Gauthier stands up from Madrid's guard - Gauthier perhaps looking for a knockout.
Madrid tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gauthier swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Madrid is looking to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gauthier.
Gauthier keeps the fight on the outside.

Madrid gets caught flat footed, as Gauthier shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Madrid really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gauthier. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Madrid wants to stand up but Gauthier is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gauthier slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Gauthier postures up in Madrid's guard and throws a big left but Madrid blocks it.
Gauthier tries to free his leg and advance position but Madrid is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gauthier missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gauthier seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Madrid uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Madrid fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tony Madrid is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Gauthier gets the takedown into side control.
Madrid looks gassed!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Gauthier's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Madrid gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Gauthier looking to control and managing it successfully.
Gauthier in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

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.
Gauthier looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gauthier controlling from mount.
Gauthier seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Madrid for as long as he can get away with.
Gauthier wants to take Madrid's back but he can't do it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Good work by Madrid as he checks the leg kick.
Gauthier fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Madrid.

Gauthier bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Madrid parries the strikes from Gauthier easily there. Gauthier is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Madrid to escape.

Gauthier decides to stand back up. Gauthier steps back and let's Madrid get back to his feet.
Gauthier is looking to land body kicks.

Gauthier clinches.

Gauthier has picked Madrid up - he's going for a ride! Gauthier dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gauthier trying to advance position but Madrid counters by regaining guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gauthier looking to pass the guard.
Gauthier is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Madrid pushes Gauthier off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gauthier fails with the takedown.

Gauthier clinches up against the cage.
Madrid unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gauthier lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gauthier wants to break free but Madrid has control.
Madrid pushes off an throws an elbow but Gauthier leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gauthier on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Madrid tries to land knees in the clinch but Gauthier avoids the damage to the body.
Gauthier scores with a nice hook to the head.
Madrid trying to land knees to the body.

Gauthier successfully pulls guard.
Gauthier wants to sweep here but Madrid controlling him for the moment.
Madrid wanted to stand there but Gauthier had control of the position.
Gauthier on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Gauthier tries to get out of the position.

Madrid gets to his feet. Gauthier looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Madrid wants to clinch

and Gauthier counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Madrid wants to get back to his feet but Gauthier is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gauthier showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gauthier wants to control from the top but Madrid keeps moving.
Madrid wants to get back to his feet but Gauthier is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francis Gauthier dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gauthier closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Madrid to the mat! Madrid manages to get full guard.
Madrid wants to stand up but Gauthier is controlling him.
Gauthier lands a couple of digs.
Gauthier sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Gauthier decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Madrid gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gauthier trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Gauthier stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Madrid tries to clinch but Gauthier moves out of range.
Madrid moves in looking to clinch but Gauthier pushes him off.
Madrid darts in trying to clinch

and Gauthier counters by clinching up.
Madrid lands a knee to the body.
Madrid landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Madrid throws a knee to the head but misses.

Madrid manages to break the clinch.
Gauthier avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Madrid tries to clinch but Gauthier is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gauthier circles away from the clinch attempt.
Madrid tries to clinch

and Gauthier counters with a takedown into side control.
Gauthier misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Gauthier decides to take the fight back to the feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Gauthier shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Gauthier keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Gauthier decides to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gauthier drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Gauthier decides to stand back up.

Gauthier looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gauthier stalling.
Gauthier not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gauthier trying to control the pace.
Madrid looks like he's trying to stand up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gauthier is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Francis Gauthier showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gauthier, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:26
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Francis Gauthier!