PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jose Gomez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damon Rekker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gomez
vs
Rekker

175 cm
28
175 lbs
12 - 18 - 0

180 cm
26
180 lbs
10 - 15 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jose Gomez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Damon Rekker!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Daniel Franklin and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomez swats away the attempt to clinch by Rekker.
Rekker tries to clinch but Gomez moves away

and Gomez counters with a shoot takedown. Rekker fights it but they end up in guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Gomez wants to stand and escape but instead Rekker has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Rekker wants to stand but Gomez is controlling his posture from full guard.

Gomez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rekker defends it easily.
Rekker wants to get up but he can't break Gomez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Rekker got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gomez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rekker has managed to get both his arms back between Gomez's legs - danger averted.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gomez looking for a guillotine here but Rekker defends easily.

Gomez manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rekker closes the distance looking to clinch

and Gomez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rekker's guard now.

Gomez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gomez stops Rekker from standing up.
Gomez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rekker swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Gomez decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rekker, up you get!
Rekker tries to clinch up.
Gomez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Gomez does no damage.
Rekker tries to clinch

and Gomez counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Gomez goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rekker has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Gomez but great work by Rekker.

Rekker tries for a kimura but Gomez is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gomez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Rekker tries to stand and escape but Gomez is controlling the position.

Gomez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gomez controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Rekker wants to stand but Gomez has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

Rekker is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is trying to control but can't.

Rekker looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Rekker is trying to work for a kimura but Gomez is defending well.
Gomez makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gomez.
Gomez tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rekker gets to his feet - Gomez follows without any prompting.
Rekker closes the distance but Gomez moves to the side
and Gomez counters with a series of strikes. Rekker will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rekker tries to clinch there but Gomez circles away.
Rekker wants to clinch

and Gomez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rekker's guard.
Gomez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gomez wants to control from the top but Rekker keeps moving.
Gomez prevents Rekker from getting back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gomez passes Rekker's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Gomez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rekker is just riding it out for now. Gomez eventually gives up the hold.

Gomez gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Gomez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rekker wants to clinch but Gomez slips to the side
and Gomez counters with a three punch combo that has Rekker backing up. Rekker nods at Gomez to acknowledge the strikes.
Rekker tries to clinch there but Gomez circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Rekker. No joy for Gomez on that attempt.

Rekker closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rekker lands a nice elbow.
Gomez blocks an uppercut.
Rekker throws a punch but it's blocked by Gomez.
Good body shot from Rekker.
Gomez is trying to break the clinch but Rekker is controlling him.

Gomez has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rekker uses from the top position.
Gomez controls Rekker momentarily but Rekker frees himself.
Rekker must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Gomez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rekker defends it easily.
Rekker would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rekker trying to control the position from guard on top but Gomez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gomez 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.

Gomez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rekker can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Rekker gets to his feet. Gomez looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gomez.
Rekker tries to clinch there but Gomez circles away.
Rekker tries to clinch but Gomez is having none of it.
Rekker darts in trying to clinch
and Gomez counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rekker tries to close the distance and clinch but Gomez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rekker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gomez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gomez is looking to clinch but Rekker is avoiding it.
Rekker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gomez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Gomez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A punch combination from Rekker misses.
Rekker doesn't manage to clinch there - Gomez circles away.
Rekker closes the distance but Gomez moves to the side

and Gomez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
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!
Gomez looking to pass the guard.
Gomez prevents Rekker from getting back to his feet.
Gomez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rekker swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gomez drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rekker dives on top into guard.
Gomez trying to keep a closed guard but Rekker is proving a slippery customer.

Rekker thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Rekker gets to his feet. Gomez looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Rekker tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gomez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rekker closes the distance but Gomez moves to the side
and Gomez counters with a two punch combo.
Rekker tries to clinch up
and Gomez counters with a straight right hand.
Gomez fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomez shoots in and drives through. Rekker sprawls well.

Gomez shoots in and bounces Rekker off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gomez wants to control from the top but Rekker keeps moving.

Gomez gets to his feet - Rekker follows without any prompting.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
No luck for Gomez with that takedown attempt.
Damon Rekker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rekker tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Gomez counters with a single leg into guard. Rekker didn't expect that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Gomez dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rekker misses the jab.
Rekker tries to clinch but Gomez is having none of it.

Rekker clinches with his opponent.
Rekker makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rekker working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rekker connects with a knee to the head.
Rekker scores with a knee to the head.
Gomez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Still in the clinch, Rekker scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gomez tries to break free but Rekker pushes him back against the cage.
Rekker lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rekker fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rekker lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Gomez or not.
Gomez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gomez blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rekker goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gomez fails to pull guard.
Gomez jumps guard but Rekker turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rekker lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gomez backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rekker.
Rekker misses with a knee strike.
Rekker pushes Gomez back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rekker connects with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gomez is looking to break free of the clinch but Rekker has double underhooks.

Rekker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rekker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gomez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rekker wants to clinch up but Gomez keeps it at a distance.
Rekker darts in trying to clinch
and Gomez counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rekker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rekker fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rekker misses with a few strikes there.
Rekker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rekker tries to clinch

and Gomez counters with a single leg into guard. Rekker didn't expect that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gomez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gomez trying to control but Rekker is working from the bottom.
Jose Gomez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Rekker kicks Gomez off and gets to his feet.
Rekker wants to clinch up but Gomez keeps it at a distance.
Rekker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gomez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rekker tries to clinch up but Gomez circles away and keeps his distance.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rekker!
Jose Gomez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gomez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rekker is fending him off so far but Gomez persists. Nope, Rekker circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Gomez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rekker is looking to clinch.
Rekker tries to clinch but Gomez moves out of range.
Gomez circles away from the clinch attempt

and Gomez counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Gomez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rekker is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

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

Gomez shoots in and gets a takedown into Rekker's guard.
Rekker is looking to stand up but Gomez isn't so interested in that idea.
Gomez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rekker is keeping the position for now.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rekker wants to get back to his feet but Gomez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gomez trying to control the position from guard on top but Rekker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damon Rekker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gomez 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight for Jose Gomez!
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Jose Gomez!
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Jose Gomez!

Jose Gomez wins by unanimous decision!