PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gilbert Valur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Nathan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Valur might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to David Bowie - Let's Dance. Ray Nathan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Valur
vs
Nathan

186 cm
24
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
189 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Venom Combat Sports

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gilbert Valur!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ray Nathan!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valur shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nathan pinned against the cage. Nathan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nathan lands with a hook. Valur tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Nathan tests Valur's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Valur dives in and scores a takedown into Nathan's guard.
Valur would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nathan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Valur postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nathan looking for a sweep. Not yet Nathan, not yet.
Nathan controls Valur momentarily but Valur frees himself.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nathan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Valur trying to control the position from guard on top but Nathan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valur will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Nathan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Valur avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Valur stands up from Nathan's guard - Valur perhaps looking for a knockout.
A head kick misses from Valur.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Valur doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Nathan counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Valur fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gilbert Valur. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valur gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Nathan counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Valur shoots in looking for a takedown but Nathan manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Valur's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Valur throws a head kick that misses.
Valur is breathing heavily.
Valur throws a body shot but no joy.
Valur looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nathan is fending him off so far but Valur persists. Nope, Nathan circles away and we're back to standing.
Nathan throws out a counter right but Valur avoids it with no problem.
Nathan scores with a nice strike.
Valur with a poor takedown
and Nathan counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nathan wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nathan cracks Valur with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Valur falls to his knees and Nathan doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ray Nathan!
A relieved looking Ray Nathan thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.