PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Luque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sawyer Bowen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luque comes to the cage accompanied by Last Man Standing - People in Planes. Bowen has chosen Prepare The Masses as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Sawyer Bowen struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 136.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Luque
vs
Bowen

168 cm
19
141 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

190 cm
20
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gabriel Luque!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sawyer Bowen!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Viktor Lagutenko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Luque gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Bowen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Luque might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bowen with a nice head shot there.
Luque is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bowen trying to control the position from guard on top but Luque is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Luque manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bowen manages to get himself to full guard.
Bowen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bowen looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luque tries to free his leg and advance position but Bowen is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowen looking to control.
Luque controlling from the top position.
Bowen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Bowen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Luque won't allow Bowen to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bowen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bowen is looking for submissions but instead, Luque has regained full guard.
Bowen prevents Luque from getting back to his feet.
Bowen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Bowen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bowen trying to control but Luque is working from the bottom.
Luque is trying to keep Bowen in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowen won't allow Luque to sweep him here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Luque closes the distance and clinches up with Bowen, looking for a takedown. Luque pushes Bowen against the cage but Bowen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Luque with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bowen looks gassed!
Luque tries for a takedown but Bowen circles away easily

and Bowen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Luque wants to sweep here but Bowen controlling him for the moment.
Luque wants to get back to his feet but Bowen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Luque holds on and takes a little breather.
Luque not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Luque is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Luque manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Luque fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sawyer Bowen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A head kick misses from Luque.
Luque lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Luque misses with a takedown

and Bowen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Luque is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Bowen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Bowen's back!

Bowen is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Luque gets his way!
Bowen trying to get back to his feet but Luque is in full control for now.
Bowen is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luque lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Bowen hold on?!
Luque punches the canvas rather than the man.
Bowen rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Luque thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bowen's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Luque sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Bowen is looking to control Luque's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bowen avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luque with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Bowen trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Luque thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Bowen is desperately trying to improve his position but Luque has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Luque wants to control the pace but Bowen is squirming around nicely.
Luque avoids the attempt from Bowen to control.
Luque prevents Bowen from getting the reversal.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bowen tries to hold on but Luque pushes him away.

Luque looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gabriel Luque will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Luque wants to clinch.
Luque uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bowen.

Bowen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Luque decides to pull guard.
Bowen is looking to advance position but Luque has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Luque scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bowen?
Bowen is trying desperately to improve position.

Luque working for a submission but Bowen is keeping him at bay.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luque throws some wild stikes that Bowen manages to avoid easily.
Bowen is working to get back to half guard.
Luque looking to control but Bowen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

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.
Luque lands a nice shot to the head.
Luque is landing with some decent strikes but Bowen is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Luque looking to control but Bowen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Luque looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Bowen flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luque misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Bowen tries to reverse the position but Luque maintains control.
Luque tries to control but Bowen wriggling away.
Bowen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Luque lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Luque punching from mount but Bowen doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Luque scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Bowen bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Luque wants to sweep here but Bowen controlling him for the moment.
Luque bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bowen's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Luque pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bowen is keeping the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gabriel Luque showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Luque 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Gabriel Luque!