PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sheng Li Gao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon Plant (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.

Li Gao
vs
Plant

185 cm
18
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sheng Li Gao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Simon Plant!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Plant walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A solid body kick from Gao.
Gao fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Plant.
Gao pushes Plant away with a front kick.
Plant tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gao was well out of range. Poor timing from Plant.
Gao throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Plant shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gao pinned against the cage. Gao gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Plant tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gao throws a shot to the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Gao finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Plant swings for the body but Gao moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Plant. Gao does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gao goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Plant throws a body punch but Gao moves out of range.
Gao slaps away a takedown attempt from Plant, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gao slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Sheng Li Gao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Plant has a takedown stuffed.
Sheng Li Gao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Simon Plant.

Plant closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Gao did well to prevent Plant getting side control.
Plant is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Gao is looking for a sweep. Plant is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plant is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Plant passes to full mount!
Gao taking shots to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gao tries to lock up and control but Plant gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plant sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gao tries to hold on but Plant pushes him away.
Gao really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Plant controlling his opponent.
Plant raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plant controlling the pace for now.
Plant raining down shots from the mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gao in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gao stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Gao thows a body shot but no joy.
Plant on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Gao lands a lovely overhand right.
Gao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Plant closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gao quickly recovers to half guard.
Gao trying to hold on to Plant's head to control him but Plant postures up.
Plant keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Simon Plant has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Gao scores with a kick to the body.
Horrible takedown by Plant or perhaps it was just good defense by Gao which made him look bad.
Plant fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gao avoids it really well and circles away.
Plant throws a body punch but Gao moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Gao.
Gao avoids the body shot from Plant.
Gao throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gao throws a front kick that sends Plant stumbling back into the cage.

Plant shoots in and bounces Gao off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Plant works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plant passes the guard and advances to mount!
Plant breaks from Gao's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Plant content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plant avoids the attempt from Gao to control.
Gao is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Gao is bucking up trying to escape but Plant cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gao can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Plant showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gao lands a nice looking body kick.
Gao avoids the body shot from Plant.
Plant tries for a takedown but Gao sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Plant avoids the head kick by Gao.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Plant crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Gao - the referee stops the clock and Plant gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Gao. Plant manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Gao connects with an inside leg kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gao.

Plant scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Plant controls the position.
Plant landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plant remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Gao is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plant controlling the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Simon Plant hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Plant shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Plant controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plant looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gao with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plant is controlling the pace.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Simon Plant hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Plant shoots in and bounces Gao off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sheng Li Gao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Plant stopping the sweep attempt from Gao.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simon Plant comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Plant 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Simon Plant!
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight for Simon Plant!
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight for Simon Plant!

Simon Plant wins by unanimous decision!