PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Henry Bates (ranked 3163 p4p, 3520 weight class) and Li Gong (ranked 263 p4p, 280 weight class). Li Gong has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Henry Bates's chin.

Bates
vs
Gong

197 cm
26
154
4 - 4 - 0

173 cm
19
146
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Heavy handed

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Henry Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Li Gong!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bates missing with a left hand there. Gong was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gong tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bates swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Bates!
Bates throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Bates looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gong is doing well to control the position and prevent Bates from advancing to side control.
Gong trying to hold on to Bates's head to control him but Bates postures up.
Gong is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Bates's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Bates's back!
Gong is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gong is continuing to stall.
Bates rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Gong prevents Bates from improving his position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gong in particular looking to stall.
The adventures of Gong the control monster continue. Boring.
Bates moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bates tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bates really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gong controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gong's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Gong decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Gong is looking to clinch.
Bates scores with a jab to the jaw.
Bates throws a body shot but no joy.
Gong wants to counter the offense by Bates and move into the clinch position.
Gong doesn't manage to clinch there - Bates circles away.
Bates is looking to counter punch.
A left and a right from Bates both land. Nice combination.
Bates lands with a nice combination. Gong backs away looking to recover.
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!
Bates misses with an uppercut.
Bates scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Bates shoots in but Gong avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bates sets himself, and Gong steps forward looking for the clinch! Bates avoids it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates lands with an uppercut that bounces Gong off the cage and back into range.
Bates takes a swing at Gong's ribcage but misses.
Gong is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Bates connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gong slips under a jab from Bates.
Gong staying out of range there.
Bates scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Bates fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Gong to the ground. Bates is now in Gong's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gong is on top in guard.

Bates on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bates tries to get out of the position.

Gong stands up from Bates's guard - Gong perhaps looking for a knockout.
Li Gong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bates moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bates fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gong on the side of the head.
Bates misses the shot to the body.
Bates swings for the body but Gong moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Gong misses the target.
Nice uppercut there from Bates.
Bates misses with a double jab.
Bates tries to bum rush Gong with a series of wild strikes but Gong uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gong gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Gong darts in and clinches Bates up against the cage.
Bates is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Gong tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bates blocking some punches.
Gong lands with a right to the head.
Gong stops a takedown attempt from Bates.
Gong stops a takedown attempt from Bates.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Henry Bates dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A jab from Bates misses.
Gong takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bates throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bates connects with a crisp jab.
Bates ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gong takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
A telegraphed right hand from Bates misses the target.
Bates lands with a straight right. Gong didn't see that one coming.
Gong tries to clinch up but Bates circles away and keeps his distance.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Gong in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Bates throws a jab but it's blocked by Gong.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gong moves out of range as Bates strikes.
Gong steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bates.
Henry Bates is winning the standup battle so far.
A telegraphed right hand from Bates misses the target.
Bates sets himself, and Gong steps forward looking for the clinch! Bates avoids it this time.
Bates is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Gong walks into a straight right hand from Bates.
It looks like Bates has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Jab, jab by Bates - just one landing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bates smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gong looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gong keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bates.
A big right from Bates misses.
Gong keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bates.
Bates throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gong on the side of the head.
Bates lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gong takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bates or perhaps it was just good defense by Gong, which made it look bad.
Bates misses with a hook. Gong ducked under it nicely.
Bates misses with a takedown attempt - Gong sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bates digs a good body shot into Gong's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Bates throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Bates swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gong steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bates.
Gong steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bates.

Gong closes the distance and pushes Bates back into the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bates drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gong gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Bates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bates is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Gong is defending well.
A short uppercut from Gong.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gong.
Gong tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gong scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A head punch on the inside from Bates fails to land.
Gong lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bates backwards.
Gong blocks an uppercut.
Gong digs a right hand underneath Bates's ribcage. Bates let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bates misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bates doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bates fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gong.
Bates is trying to drag Gong to the mat but Gong just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Gong makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bates blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gong working aggressively here.
Gong dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Gong lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bates working aggressively here.
Bates is working for takedown but Gong is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gong misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bates changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gong fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Gong clinches.
Bates tries a body shot but Gong blocks it.
Gong misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bates swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates is trying to drag Gong to the mat but Gong just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Bates wants a takedown.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gong.
Gong working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bates misses with a body punch.
Bates working aggressively here.
Gong tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bates's elbow.
Bates drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gong gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Bates working aggressively here.
Gong blocks a body shot from Bates.
Li Gong seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gong lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bates.
Bates is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gong pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bates changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gong fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Bates misses with a takedown

and Gong counters by moving into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Henry Bates will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gong clinches up with Bates and pushes him back against the cage.
Gong lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gong can't find room to land a body shot as Bates controls the action.
Gong has a couple of punches blocked by Bates.
Bates struggles to land a body shot inside as Gong controls his hands.
Bates looking for a takedown.
Bates wants a takedown but no success here.
Gong struggles to land a body shot inside as Bates controls his hands.
Bates is trying to drag Gong to the mat but Gong just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Bates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gong lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gong lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Bates is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gong can do to turn this around?
Gong lands an uppercut.

Bates is rocked!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gong.
Oh Bates is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bates tries to score a body lock takedown but Gong shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Still in the clinch, Gong scores with a nice short uppercut.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gong digs a right hand underneath Bates's ribcage. Bates let out a lung full of air as it connected.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gong lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bates backwards.
Gong creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Bates with a big uppercut! Bates tries to clinch up but Gong pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Bates to the mat! Bates covers up and Gong unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Li Gong!