PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Franco Gomez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leandro Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gomez comes to the cage accompanied by Bad Motherfucker. The crowd seem to be enjoying Garcia's choice of entrance music: Beautiful Life by Armin Van Buuren. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gomez
vs
Garcia

172 cm
25
156 lbs
9 - 18 - 0

180 cm
24
148 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Franco Gomez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leandro Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomez fails to land the takedown.

Garcia shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gomez napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gomez is not content to let Garcia control the position.

Garcia working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gomez regains half guard.
Garcia wants to stand up but Gomez is controlling the position.
Garcia working Gomez over with strikes.
Garcia is looking to take a break and control but Gomez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gomez trying to control but Garcia postures up.
Garcia is trying to control the action in half guard but Gomez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez lands with a few short shots to the body.
Garcia is thwarting Gomez's attempts to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garcia prevents Gomez from improving his position.
Garcia trying to control from half guard but Gomez is working away.
Gomez is trying to stand.

Garcia is working for a kimura but Gomez is defending it quite comfortably.
Gomez is looking for a sweep. Garcia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez gets full guard.

Gomez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Garcia defends well.

Gomez looking for a guillotine here but Garcia defends easily.
Garcia passes into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garcia is controlling the pace.
It looks like Garcia is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia trying to control from half guard but Gomez is working away.
Gomez trying to hold on to Garcia's head to control him but Garcia postures up.
Gomez is trying to control but Garcia passes into side control!
Gomez wants to control but Garcia postures up.
Gomez is looking for a sweep.
Gomez regains half guard.
Gomez has a hand on Garcia's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Garcia takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Gomez hang on?
Gomez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Gomez's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Garcia has control of Gomez's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Gomez regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Gomez is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gomez tries to lock up and control but Garcia gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gomez can't escape the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gomez wants to control but Garcia is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Franco Gomez will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gomez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Gomez prevents Garcia from improving his position.
Garcia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gomez.
Gomez trying to control from half guard but Garcia is working away.

Gomez seems to be looking for submissions.

Gomez wants to work for an arm triangle but Garcia is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Gomez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Garcia has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia tries to get to full guard but Gomez has control of the leg.
Gomez is looking to take a break and control but Garcia is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gomez stops Garcia from getting back to his feet.
Garcia makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Garcia.
Gomez tries to free his leg and advance position but Garcia is retaining full guard.
Gomez passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Garcia does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Gomez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Garcia is just riding it out for now. Gomez eventually gives up the hold.
Garcia is trying to stand up here but Gomez is controlling him well.

Gomez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Gomez is looking for a kimura but Garcia is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gomez to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gomez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Garcia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gomez.
Garcia is not content to let Gomez control the position.
Garcia is looking to improve his position.
Gomez is keen to just control but Garcia is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gomez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Garcia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gomez.
Gomez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Garcia does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Garcia is trying to stand up here but Gomez is controlling him well.
Gomez wants to control but Garcia is keeping him busy.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Gomez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franco Gomez dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Garcia as Gomez shoots in.
Gomez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Garcia sprawls well. Garcia wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gomez gets slowly back to his feet.

Gomez looking to score a takedown here. Garcia is defending well but Gomez drives through and ends up in Garcia's guard.
Garcia manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Garcia looking to finish Gomez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gomez!
Garcia raining down hammerfists from mount.
Gomez is looking to improve his position but Garcia isn't that keen on the idea.

Garcia is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Gomez is surviving well by controlling Garcia's body position as best he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez avoids a series of strikes thrown by Garcia.

Garcia wants to finish this one by submission but Gomez is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Garcia.

Garcia looking for a guillotine from mount but Gomez is having none of it.
Garcia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Garcia thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Gomez stops Garcia from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Gomez sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Garcia's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Garcia's back!

Gomez looking for the choke but no joy.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Gomez working for a choke but Garcia reverses nicely into Gomez 's guard.
Garcia throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Garcia throwing strikes but missing.
Gomez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gomez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Garcia working some strikes from top position.
Garcia won't allow Gomez to sweep him here.
Garcia missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Franco Gomez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gomez managing to control the position.
Gomez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Garcia is controlling him.
Gomez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Garcia is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gomez is keeping the position for now.
Gomez controlling the position.
Leandro Garcia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gomez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Garcia is one step ahead there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Garcia tries to close the distance and clinch but Gomez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Garcia will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Franco Gomez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gomez avoids a punch combination nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gomez shoots for a double leg takedown but Garcia sprawls well. He's pushed Gomez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franco Gomez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gomez jabs Garcia to the body, keeping him at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Franco Gomez.
Well Gomez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franco Gomez!
Franco Gomez thanked the fans post fight for their support.