PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paul Gutch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrick Willingham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Gutch
vs
Willingham

174 cm
23
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
158 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paul Gutch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Patrick Willingham!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Willingham shoots in for a double leg but Gutch sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Willingham tries to keep at a distance but Gutch has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gutch has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Willingham is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Willingham tries to break free but Gutch pushes him back against the cage.
Gutch can't get the takedown.
Gutch tries for a takedown but Willingham manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Gutch. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Willingham breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gutch has a takedown stuffed.

Willingham lands a high kick to the side of Gutch's head that stuns him and send him tumbling down to the canvas! Willingham dives into guard, looking to finish.

Gutch is rocked!

It looks like Paul Gutch has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Willingham trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Willingham wants to control from the top but Gutch keeps moving.
Willingham in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Willingham tries to free his leg and advance position but Gutch is retaining full guard.
Gutch wants to sweep here but Willingham controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gutch lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Willingham!
Gutch looking to control but Willingham is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gutch controlling from mount.
Willingham is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gutch throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Gutch is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Willingham is surviving well by controlling Gutch's body position as best he can.
Gutch controlling his opponent.
Gutch throwing strikes here but Willingham is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willingham holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Gutch tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Willingham is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Gutch working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Gutch trying to control but Willingham is having none of it.
Willingham wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willingham is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Gutch throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Willingham working to try and regain half guard.
Gutch tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Gutch's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Willingham is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Patrick Willingham dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paul Gutch's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gutch works Willingham's body with a nice hook.
Willingham is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gutch sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gutch fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Willingham avoids it really well and circles away.
Willingham throws a nice looking combination but Gutch bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gutch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Willingham manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Willingham rushes Gutch and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A short right from Gutch on the inside.

Willingham manages to break the clinch.
Willingham tries for a takedown but Gutch sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Willingham has Gutch up against the cage in a clinch.
Gutch jumps guard but Willingham stands there with Gutch around his waist. Gutch gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Willingham is trying to pull guard but Gutch turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Paul Gutch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick Willingham.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gutch leaning against his opponent.
Willingham jumps guard but Gutch stands there with Willingham around his waist. Willingham gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Gutch leaning his opponent against the cage.

Willingham breaks the clinch.
Willingham tries to close the distance and clinch but Gutch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Willingham misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gutch is trying hard to land a takedown here. Willingham sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Willingham throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gutch leaves Willingham with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Willingham is breathing heavily.
Gutch takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willingham misses the jab.
Gutch throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Willingham's waist but Willingham gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gutch off to one side.
Gutch stuffs the takedown attempt from Willingham. Willingham gets slowly back to his feet.
Willingham throws a head kick but Gutch moves out of range.

Willingham tries to keep at a distance but Gutch has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gutch tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Willingham escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gutch throws a front kick aimed at Willingham's knee but Willingham avoids it well.
No luck for Gutch with that takedown attempt.
Gutch keeps the fight on the outside.
Willingham tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gutch swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Willingham. No joy for Gutch on that attempt.
Patrick Willingham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gutch looks for a takedown but Willingham sprawls well.
Gutch shoots in looking for a takedown. Willingham tries to sprawl out of it but Gutch keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Willingham manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Willingham checks a low kick from Gutch.
Willingham throws a head kick but Gutch moves out of range.
Willingham showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gutch.
Willingham shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gutch but Gutch pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Gutch pushes Willingham up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willingham wants a takedown but no success here.

Gutch drags the fight down to the ground.
Gutch 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.
Gutch trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Gutch controls Willingham momentarily but Willingham frees himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Willingham forces his way into half guard.
Gutch tries to get to full guard but Willingham has control of the leg.
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 Paul Gutch will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Paul Gutch's cut.
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!

Willingham circles away from the clinch attempt.
Willingham throws a head kick but Gutch moves out of range.
Gutch closes this distance looking for a takedown but Willingham circles away.
Gutch closes the distance and clinches up with Willingham, looking for a takedown. Gutch pushes Willingham against the cage but Willingham circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gutch defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Willingham.
Gutch tries to clinch up but Willingham circles away and keeps his distance.
Gutch circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gutch shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Willingham pinned against the cage. Willingham gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Gutch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gutch shoots in but Willingham avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gutch wants to clinch up but Willingham keeps it at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willingham closes the distance and clinches up with Gutch, looking for a takedown. Willingham pushes Gutch against the cage but Gutch circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Willingham moves in looking to clinch but Gutch pushes him off.
Gutch shoots in but no luck this time.
Willingham fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gutch will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gutch misses with a takedown attempt
and Willingham counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Gutch is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Willingham tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Patrick Willingham seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Willingham doesn't manage to clinch there - Gutch circles away.
Willingham keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Willingham throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gutch.
Gutch stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gutch wants it to stay on the feet.
Gutch pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willingham lands a front kick.

Willingham pushes Gutch up against the cage in a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Willingham can't break the clinch.
Willingham using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Willingham manages to break the clinch.
Gutch lands with a good body shot.
Gutch pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Paul Gutch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick misses from Willingham.
A head kick misses from Willingham.
Gutch is looking to clinch but Willingham is avoiding it.
Gutch shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Willingham defends it nicely.
Willingham moves in looking to clinch but Gutch pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willingham lands a nice looking kick to the body. Gutch takes a step back to recover.
Gutch throws a head kick that misses.
Gutch takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Gutch fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gutch takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Gutch shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Willingham pinned against the cage. Willingham gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Willingham shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Gutch moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willingham misses with a knee to the head.
Willingham pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Willingham tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gutch jumps guard but Willingham turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Willingham tries to break free but Gutch pushes him back against the cage.
Gutch tries for a takedown but Willingham manages to get underhooks.
Willingham tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gutch tries to break free but Willingham pushes him back against the cage.

Willingham breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Willingham instigates a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Willingham misses with a knee strike.
Gutch looking for a takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Patrick Willingham comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Willingham has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Patrick Willingham!