PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gary Whittaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Machene Rehel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rehel has chosen No more sorrow as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Whittaker
vs
Rehel

174 cm
22
256 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

194 cm
20
243 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gary Whittaker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Machene Rehel!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Steve Smith and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Whittaker bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rehel manages to work his way to half guard, despite Whittaker's best efforts.
Rehel is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rehel holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Whittaker tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Whittaker really is a fat lump.
Rehel trying to hold on to Whittaker's head to control him but Whittaker postures up.
Rehel is pressing down on Whittaker's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rehel is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rehel looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Whittaker is staying active underneath Rehel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rehel tries to pass the half guard into mount. Whittaker knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Still in half guard, Rehel seems content to control.
Let's hope that Rehel has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rehel prevents Whittaker from standing back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rehel slips a nice elbow through Whittaker's hands, connecting with Whittaker's forehead.
Whittaker is trying to get back to full guard.
Whittaker won't allow Rehel to pass to mount.
Whittaker is not content to let Rehel control the position.
Rehel looks gassed!
Rehel passes to full mount!
Whittaker throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rehel. What's that going to do exactly?
Rehel looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rehel's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Rehel lands a big shot there that rocks Whittaker but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Whittaker might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Whittaker is trying to escape the mount.

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.
Rehel takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Whittaker tries to reverse the position but Rehel maintains control.
Rehel takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Despite being in the dominant position, Machene Rehel just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rehel has his takedown stuffed

so Whittaker counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Whittaker tries to stand but Rehel is controlling from the bottom.
Rehel trying to keep a closed guard but Whittaker is proving a slippery customer.
Rehel is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Whittaker wanted to stand there but Rehel had control of the position.
Rehel is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Whittaker has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rehel is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rehel is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rehel tries for a takedown but Whittaker circles away easily
and Whittaker counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Whittaker tries a head kick but it misses.

Rehel closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rehel lands in his opponent's guard.
Whittaker wants to stand and escape but Rehel is having none of it.

Whittaker escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rehel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rehel trying to control but Whittaker is working from the bottom.
Rehel advances to half guard.
Rehel scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Whittaker looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker wants to get back to full guard.
Rehel controlling the action here.
Whittaker tries to roll over but Rehel keeps him under control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rehel in particular looking to stall.
Rehel tries to pass to full mount but Whittaker defends it.
Whittaker wants to get back to his feet.
Rehel keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rehel wants to pass the guard but Whittaker is defending well.
Well, if Rehel is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Rehel is tying to control. Whittaker wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Machene Rehel will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rehel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rehel dodges the punch combination from Whittaker.
Whittaker is looking to clinch.
Whittaker tries to close the distance and clinch but Rehel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A head kick misses from Whittaker.
Whittaker throws a body kick that misses.
Whittaker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rehel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Whittaker throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rehel.
Whittaker tries a head kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rehel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Whittaker wants to clinch.
Whittaker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whittaker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Whittaker moves in looking to clinch but Rehel pushes him off.
Whittaker misses with a body shot.

Rehel feints and as Whittaker raises his hands in defense, Rehel changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rehel stays in close to Whittaker's body and controls the position.
Rehel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Whittaker can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rehel controls the pace.
Whittaker wants to stand up but Rehel is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Rehel seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Whittaker manages to escape and get back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Whittaker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Whittaker drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Whittaker tries to free his leg and advance position but Rehel is retaining full guard.
Whittaker preventing the sweep.
Rehel is trying to keep Whittaker in close.
Rehel seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Whittaker stopping the sweep attempt from Rehel.
Whittaker being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker tries to free his leg and advance position but Rehel is retaining full guard.

Rehel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rehel is controlling Whittaker's posture.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Whittaker stands up and waves to Rehel to follow him.
Whittaker with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rehel counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Whittaker!
Rehel takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
A nice elbow there by Rehel.
Rehel breaks from Whittaker's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rehel controlling the pace for now.
Whittaker is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rehel controlling the position easily from mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, Machene Rehel just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Whittaker throws a body punch but Rehel moves out of range.

Whittaker scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Whittaker tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Whittaker is putting a hurting on Rehel here, landing some big shots from side control.

Whittaker stands up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Whittaker misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Machene Rehel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Whittaker drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rehel has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Rehel working a defensive guard here.
Whittaker postures up and lands a big shot to Rehel's brow.
Rehel preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Whittaker pushing down on Rehel's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Whittaker uses his free foot to push down on Rehel's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Rehel.
Rehel bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Whittaker throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rehel pushes down on Whittaker's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Rehel seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whittaker wants to get back to full guard.
Rehel seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Whittaker does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rehel is pressing down on Whittaker's thigh, looking to free his foot. Whittaker is holding on for now.
Rehel prevents Whittaker from standing back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rehel is taking a breather. Whittaker says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Whittaker wants to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rehel.
Rehel cracks Whittaker with a big elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rehel controls the position.

Rehel looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Whittaker sneaks out the side door and pushes Rehel away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Rehel bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Whittaker pushes Rehel away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Rehel gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rehel controlling the position.
Whittaker wants to get back to his feet but Rehel drags him back down.
Rehel just content to control the position.

Rehel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rehel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rehel is putting a hurting on Whittaker here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rehel controlling from side mount.
Whittaker is looking to regain half guard here but Rehel keeps moving and retains side control.
Whittaker is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rehel connects with a decent elbow.
Whittaker is pushing Rehel's head away, looking to escape. Rehel manages to hold on to the position though.
Whittaker takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Machene Rehel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rehel is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Whittaker is trying to buck Rehel off.
Rehel working the body and head with strikes.
Whittaker is trying to get back to his feet.
Whittaker is trying to improve his position.
Whittaker is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rehel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Rehel gets a takedown into half guard.
Whittaker is looking to escape.
Gary Whittaker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rehel scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Whittaker is looking to escape.
Whittaker is looking to improve his position.
Rehel not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Whittaker looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rehel wants to pass to mount but Whittaker is defending the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Whittaker throws the kick towards the body but Rehel avoids it.
Whittaker has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Machene Rehel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rehel winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Machene Rehel!