PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hades Hug (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonel Gatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hug's entrance music is Animal I Have Become . A fine choice. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Leonel Gatti was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Hug
vs
Gatti

207 cm
46
285 lbs
35 - 30 - 1

199 cm
38
261 lbs
14 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 30 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Hades Hug!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leonel Gatti!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Elvis Blanc and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hug is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Gatti's half guard.
Hug is trying to control the action in half guard but Gatti is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hug trying to control the pace.
Hug tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Hug tries to pass to full mount but Gatti defends it.
Gatti tries to get to full guard but Hug has control of the leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hug decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Hug misses with a double jab
and Gatti counters with an outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Gatti, right into the meat.

Hug lands a big head kick that sends Gatti tumbling to the mat! Hug takes a step backwards and waves Gatti back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Gatti is rocked!

It looks like Leonel Gatti has been cut.
Gatti misses the shot to the body.
Gatti is still on wobbly legs! Can Hug finish him?
Gatti throws a low kick but Hug avoids it.

Hug closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gatti to the mat! Gatti manages to get full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hug wants to control from the top but Gatti keeps moving.
Hug showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gatti seems to have recovered his senses.
Hug wants to stand but Gatti has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Gatti has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hug can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Hug not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gatti has his foot on Hug's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hug works his way back into a safe position though.
Gatti has control of Hug's left arm, preventing Hug from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hug controlling from the top position.

Hug stands up from Gatti's guard - Hug perhaps looking for a knockout.
A combination from Hug does no damage.
Gatti scores with a shot to the body.
A shot to the liver by Gatti. Beautiful body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatti dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hug misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gatti feints the counter takedown.
Hug is breathing heavily.
Gatti lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Hug tries to bum rush Gatti with a series of wild strikes but Gatti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hug moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Hug misses with a double jab

and Gatti counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hug won't be happy with that.
Gatti trying to control the position but Hug is working away.
Gatti tries to move into full mount but can't pass Hug's legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Gatti is trying to get an arm triangle but Hug is defending well.
Gatti taking a breather here.
Gatti trying to control the action but Hug is working from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gatti prevents Hug from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hades Hug dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Leonel Gatti's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gatti connects with an inside leg kick.
Hug throws a series of punches but Gatti avoids them all with ease.
Hug throws a nice looking combination but Gatti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hug pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hug throws a right and a left that Gatti avoids nicely.

Hug shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gatti's guard.
Hug has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Gatti has his foot on Hug's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hug works his way back into a safe position though.

Gatti looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hug won't allow Gatti to sweep him here.
Hug wants to stand but Gatti is controlling his posture from full guard.

Gatti has his foot on Hug's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hug works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hug stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gatti swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hug is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gatti is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hug won't allow Gatti to sweep him here.
Gatti looking to control.
Hug wants to stand but Gatti has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Gatti is trying to control the position but Hug postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Gatti dodges the punch combination from Hug.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hug throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gatti.
Gatti is looking for the big counter here.
Hug tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hades Hug is winning the standup battle so far.
Hug misses with a series of wild punches.
Gatti throws a leg kick which misses Hug's front leg but catches the back leg as Hug tries to avoid it.
Gatti avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hug throws a right hand that Gatti ducks under and follows up with a left that Gatti also avoids with ease.
Gatti feints a counter leg kick.
Gatti moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hug swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hug takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gatti with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Hug walks into a jab.
Gatti jabs Hug to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Hug fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gatti tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Hades Hug seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gatti scoring well with a low kick there.
Hades Hug is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gatti. That's going to slow Hug down.
Hug takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Gatti lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hug takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gatti paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Hug takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Hug is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Hug shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Hug was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Hug wants to stand but Gatti is controlling his arm.
Gatti can't do much from the bottom here.
Gatti is looking for a sweep.
Hades Hug overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatti prevents Hug from improving position.
Hug wants to stand but Gatti is controlling his arm.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gatti manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Gatti wants to pass to mount but Hug is defending the position.
Gatti seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hug does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hug is trying to escape back to his feet but Gatti uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Hug prevents Gatti from moving into mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Leonel Gatti will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Leonel Gatti's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Hug has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gatti.

Hug decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gatti is looking to improve his position.
Hug sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Gatti looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gatti is looking to get back to full guard here but Hug has managed to pass to side control instead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hug decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatti turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gatti blocks a head kick by Hug.
No joy there for Hug, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hug will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice uppercut there from Gatti.
Hug swinging wildly here.
Gatti drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Hug defends it well.
Hug throws a head kick that misses.
Gatti scores with a jab to the body.

Hug is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Gatti's half guard.
Gatti makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gatti.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gatti has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Gatti wants to sweep but no luck.
Hug wants to stand but Gatti has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hug stopping the sweep attempt from Gatti.
Gatti not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hug wants to get up but he can't break Gatti's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gatti lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Hug's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Hug is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gatti is controlling him.
Hug can't keep his opponent in guard - Gatti advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gatti is controlling the pace.
Gatti is looking to take a break and control but Hug is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hug is looking to escape.
Gatti not doing much here.
Gatti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hug keeps working.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hug won't allow Gatti to pass to mount.

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 Hades Hug.
I think Hug has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hades Hug!
After the fight, Hades Hug was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
Leonel Gatti was interviewed post fight and said 'Congratulations to the winner. I tried my best. Some days things don't work out. '.