PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Gites (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cardinal Richelieu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gites
vs
Richelieu

171 cm
22
132 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
27
132 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Rōnin

Rōnin
Gilop®

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Gites!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cardinal Richelieu!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gites scores a takedown into full mount!

Gites has control of Richelieu's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Richelieu regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Gites trying to control but Richelieu is having none of it.

Gites goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Richelieu turns into him and now he's in Gites's guard.

Gites working for a triangle but Richelieu defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richelieu is looking to stand up but Gites won't let him.
Gites lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Richelieu!
Gites controlling the position easily from mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Richelieu can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gites looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Gites sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Gites working for a guillotine from mount but Richelieu is in no mood to give up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gites throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Richelieu because Gites loaded up on that one.
Gites wants to take Richelieu's back but he can't do it this time.
Richelieu sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Gites is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Richelieu sees it coming and defends easily.
Gites wants to pass the guard but Richelieu is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gites trying to control the action but Richelieu is working from the bottom.

Gites is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Richelieu doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gites.
Richelieu is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Some bone on bone action there as Richelieu checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Gites throws a hook but Richelieu avoids it easily.
Richelieu throws a head kick but Gites moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Richelieu. Those never looked like landing.
A punch combination from Gites misses.

Gites clinches.
Gites pushes Richelieu back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Richelieu lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Gites using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Richelieu has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Richelieu blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Richelieu with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gites tries to land knees in the clinch but Richelieu avoids the damage to the body.
Gites tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Richelieu's elbow.
Gites is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Richelieu gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gites misses with a knee to the head.
Richelieu lands an elbow just above Gites 's eye.
Gites blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gites with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Richelieu.
Gites tries to land a knee to the head but Richelieu blocks with his arms.
Gites is looking for a takedown.
Gites creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Richelieu is trying to maintain a safe position but Gites gets an underhook and turns Richelieu into the cage.
Gites using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Richelieu has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Richelieu tries to land a knee to the head but Gites blocks with his arms.
Gites is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Richelieu is defending well for now.
Richelieu blocks the elbow strike.
Gites drops down looking for an ankle pick but Richelieu pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Gites. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Richelieu tries to land a front kick but Gites steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Richelieu lands a nice shot to the body.
Gites misses with a straight left.
Richelieu feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gitess jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richelieu on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Richelieu misses with a double jab.
Gites misses with a right hand
and Richelieu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Richelieu connects with a nice looking jab.
Richelieu tries to bum rush Gites with a series of wild strikes but Gites uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
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!
No joy there for Richelieu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Richelieu stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gites.
Good work by Richelieu as he checks the leg kick.
Gites showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Richelieu.
Richelieu chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gites can pounce on him.
Gites jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richelieu misses with a series of wild punches.
A telegraphed right hand from Richelieu misses the target.
A combination from Gites does no damage.
A low kick from Gites misses
and Richelieu counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Richelieu throws a nice inside leg kick.
Gites showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Richelieu.
Gites dodges the punch combination from Richelieu.
Gites pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Richelieu takes a swing at Gites's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gites blocks a jab.
Gites thows a left - swing and a miss!

Gites throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Richelieu tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Gites is in Richelieu's guard.
Gites stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Richelieu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gites passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Gites is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Richelieu is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gites working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
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 John Gites will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Gites swings widly with a right hand
and Richelieu counters with a nice kick to the body.
Richelieu misses with a double jab.
Gites throws a one two combo.
Some wild striking there from Richelieu.
Gites pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Richelieu takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Gites misses with a looping left.
Richelieu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gites shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Richelieu but Richelieu pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Richelieu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richelieu lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gites backs up against the cage.
Gites throws an off balance right hand
and Richelieu counters with a nice kick to the body.
Cardinal Richelieu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gites fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Richelieu throws a series of punches but Gites avoids them all with ease.
Richelieu will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gites throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Richelieu counters with a left to the body.
John Gites seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gites throws a body punch but Richelieu moves out of range.
Richelieu swats away the attempt to clinch by Gites.
Gites slips a jab and a cross from Richelieu.
Richelieu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Gites counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richelieu throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gites.
Richelieu throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gites.
Nice body punch from Gites.
Gites throws a lazy uppercut
and Richelieu makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
The fighters circling - Gites throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gites misses with a hook. Richelieu ducked under it nicely.
A bone on bone clash there as Richelieu blocks the leg kick.
Richelieu throws a series of punches but Gites avoids them all with ease.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gites keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
No luck for Gites with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Gites. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gites closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Gites are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Gites trying to control the position but Richelieu is working away.

Gites tries for a kimura but Richelieu is defending well.
Richelieu is not content to let Gites control the position.
Cardinal Richelieu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gites tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gites wants to lay and pray for a moment but Richelieu keeps working.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gites working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Gites showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gites, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Gites!
John Gites made sure to mention his sponsor, Rōnin in his post fight interview.