PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Gatner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cee Tasz (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.

Gatner
vs
Tasz

170 cm
22
138 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 New York, Mike Gatner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cee Tasz!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, John Roberts and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gatner closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Tasz to the mat! Tasz manages to get full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gatner pushes down on Tasz's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Tasz looks like he's trying to stand up.

Tasz actively working from the bottom here.
Tasz wants to get back to full guard.
Gatner sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tasz defending well though.
Gatner wants to free his trapped foot but Tasz is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Gatner has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Gatner wants to control but Tasz is keeping him busy.
Tasz tries to kick Gatner off but Gatner keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatner is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gatner is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Tasz is squirming around, avoiding Gatner's attempts to control the action.
Gatner has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Tasz's face.
Gatner blocks Tasz's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Gatner is in the full mount, landing strikes.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tasz can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tasz is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gatner working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Gatner content just to control the position here.
Gatner is in the full mount, landing strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gatner working Tasz over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tasz is in all sorts of trouble here.

Gatner wants to finish this one by submission but Tasz is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Gatner.
Gatner looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tasz wants to control but Gatner is having none of it.
Gatner wants to control the pace but Tasz is squirming around nicely.
Gatner controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tasz is looking to escape.
Tasz is trying desperately to improve position.
BOOM! Gatner connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tasz throwing hammer fists to the chest of Gatner. What's that going to do exactly?
Tasz is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Gatner dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gatner looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tasz is fending him off so far but Gatner persists. Nope, Tasz circles away and we're back to standing.

Tasz gets caught flat footed, as Gatner shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Tasz is looking for a triangle but Gatner pushes his legs off easily.
Tasz trying to strike off his back.
Gatner working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Tasz's head.

Gatner gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Gatner avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Tasz tries a low kick but Gatner avoids it.
Mike Gatner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gatner closes the distance and clinches up with Tasz, looking for a takedown. Gatner pushes Tasz against the cage but Tasz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Tasz blocks a low kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatner throws a head kick that misses.
Gatner fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Gatner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Tasz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gatner to the mat! Gatner manages to get full guard.
Tasz wants to control from the top but Gatner keeps moving.
Tasz looking to pass the guard.
Gatner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Tasz has gone for a leg lock! Gatner slips out almost immediately though and dives into Tasz's guard.
Tasz wants to sweep here but Gatner controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tasz is adopting a defensive guard.
Tasz wants to improve his position but instead Gatner has moved into half guard.
Gatner is trying to control the action in half guard but Tasz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tasz tries to roll over but Gatner keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tasz is trying to maintain the position but Gatner is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tasz manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mike Gatner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gatner trying to stand up but can't free himself from Tasz's guard.
Gatner trying to control but Tasz is working from the bottom.
Tasz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tasz 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tasz wants to stand up but Gatner is controlling him.
Gatner wants to control from the top but Tasz keeps moving.

We're going to have a standup here because Mike Gatner wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Tasz shoots in for a double leg but Gatner sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Tasz drives through and clinches with Gatner against the cage.
Gatner is pressed up against the cage. Tasz has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gatner down to the mat. Gatner avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tasz looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Gatner shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mike Gatner will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gatner looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tasz!
Gatner is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Tasz tries to lock up and control but Gatner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gatner lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Tasz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Tasz is wriggling around trying to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tasz is squirming around, avoiding Gatner's attempts to control the action.

Gatner wants to finish this one by submission but Tasz is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Gatner.
Gatner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tasz is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatner breaks from Tasz's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Tasz flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Gatner sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Gatner here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Gatner prevents Tasz from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gatner with a couple of short strikes.
Gatner landing shots from mount.
Tasz tries to lock up and control but Gatner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Gatner.
Tasz really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Tasz tries to hold on but Gatner postures up.
Tasz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tasz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gatner kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Tasz is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gatner tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatner postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Tasz looks a forlorn figure.

Gatner looking to secure an arm triangle but Tasz defends it well.
Tasz is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tasz tries to hold on but Gatner postures up.
Gatner looking to control but Tasz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gatner takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Tasz tries to hold on but Gatner pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cee Tasz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tasz throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Gatner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gatner, 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Mike Gatner!
Judge John Roberts scores the fight for Mike Gatner!
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight for Mike Gatner!

Mike Gatner wins by unanimous decision!