PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Darren Weeks (ranked 1645 p4p, 1701 weight class) and Justin Gaethje (ranked 213 p4p, 220 weight class). Justin Gaethje has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Weeks
vs
Gaethje

180 cm
27
168
8 - 5 - 0

175 cm
24
165
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Darren Weeks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Justin Gaethje!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Russell Pearce and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Weeks forces Gaethje back against the cage and clinches.
Weeks is looking for a takedown.
Weeks keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gaethje's efforts to push away.
Gaethje tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Weeks blocks a body shot from Gaethje.
Gaethje has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Gaethje breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Weeks takes one to the side of the head.
Gaethje slips a jab and a cross from Weeks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gaethje. That's going to slow Weeks down.
Weeks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gaethje lands a nice shot that snaps Weeks's head back.
Weeks throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gaethje's waist but Gaethje gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Weeks off to one side.

Weeks rushes Gaethje and presses him up against the cage.
Gaethje wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaethje misses with the head strike.
Gaethje wants to get back to striking at distance but Weeks won't allow it.
Gaethje is pressed up against the cage. Weeks has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gaethje down to the mat. Gaethje avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darren Weeks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gaethje swats away the attempt to clinch by Weeks.

Weeks forces Gaethje back against the cage and clinches.
Weeks blocks a body shot from Gaethje.
Gaethje can't find room to land a body shot as Weeks controls the action.
Gaethje swings wildly with an uppercut but Weeks uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gaethje has a couple of punches blocked by Weeks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaethje is pressed up against the cage. Weeks has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gaethje down to the mat. Gaethje avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Weeks rushes Gaethje and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gaethje misses with the head strike.
Gaethje stops a takedown attempt from Weeks.
Weeks prevents Gaethje from breaking the clinch.
Gaethje lands a hook that snaps the head of Weeks backwards.
Weeks drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Weeks has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Gaethje is trying to keep an underhook but Weeks manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Gaethje wants to improve his position but Weeks is controlling well.
Weeks thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gaethje's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaethje taking some punishment here, with Weeks in his half guard.
Gaethje is trying to get back to full guard.
Weeks not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Weeks 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.
Weeks thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Weeks not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gaethje wants to get back to full guard.
Weeks thows a huge punch but Gaethje dodges it nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gaethje blocking the ground and pound attempt from Weeks.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Gaethje can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gaethje desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Weeks seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Gaethje felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Gaethje is trying to control but can't.
Weeks tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gaethje knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaethje trying to control but Weeks postures up.
Gaethje controlling the position well.
Gaethje avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Weeks.
Ground and pound from Weeks.
Weeks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gaethje defending well though.
Weeks not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Weeks missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Weeks working over Gaethje with some ground and pound. Gaethje looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

It looks like Justin Gaethje has been cut.
Nice strikes from Weeks there.
Weeks not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Weeks throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Weeks dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Justin Gaethje's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Weeks lands a brutal head kick. Gaethje looks out on his feet and Weeks throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Darren Weeks!
Darren Weeks seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.