PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arturo Gatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaito Ishikawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Gatti
vs
Ishikawa

176 cm
31
185 lbs
12 - 19 - 0

185 cm
28
190 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Arturo Gatti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kaito Ishikawa!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Paulsen Ambrosius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gatti looks to land a combination but Ishikawa avoids it well.

Gatti closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Ishikawa quickly recovers to half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Gatti stands up and beckons Ishikawa to join him on the feet.
No joy there for Gatti, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gatti throws the kick towards the body but Ishikawa avoids it.
Gatti scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Ishikawa closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gatti takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Gatti gets back to half guard.
Gatti is trying to stand.
Gatti regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ishikawa wants to pass the guard but Gatti is keeping the position.
Gatti trying to keep a closed guard but Ishikawa is proving a slippery customer.
Gatti wants to get back to his feet but Ishikawa is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ishikawa cracks Gatti with a solid left hand.

Gatti manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Ishikawa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatti is controlling Ishikawa's trapped leg to prevent Ishikawa from advancing to side control.
Gatti has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Ishikawa prevents Gatti from standing back up.
Gatti taking some punishment here, with Ishikawa in his half guard.
Gatti trying to control from the bottom.
Gatti slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gatti lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Ishikawa!
Ishikawa wants to get back to his feet.
Gatti controlling from the full mount.
Ishikawa is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ishikawa can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gatti wants to control the pace but Ishikawa is squirming around nicely.
Gatti looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gatti'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.
Ishikawa is squirming around, avoiding Gatti's attempts to control the action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Arturo Gatti.
Ishikawa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gatti.
Gatti thuds a left hand into Ishikawa's body.
Gatti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ishikawa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatti lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Gatti stalks Ishikawa and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ishikawa's face. Ishikawa staggers backwards, shaken.
Gatti misses with a wild combination.
Ishikawa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Kaito Ishikawa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ishikawa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gatti lands a jab-cross combination.
Gatti scores with a nice right hand.
Ishikawa misses with a head kick.
Gatti throws a nice looking combination but Ishikawa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ishikawa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gatti.
Ishikawa is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Gatti.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ishikawa fails with a takedown attempt.
Arturo Gatti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kaito Ishikawa.
Gatti throws a shot to the body.
Ishikawa looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatti misses with a series of wild punches.
Jab by Gatti.
Gatti fails to land with a series of punches.
Ishikawa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ishikawa shoots in looking for a takedown. Gatti tries to sprawl out of it but Ishikawa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Gatti manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gatti is defended easily by Ishikawa.
Ishikawa closes the distance and clinches up with Gatti, looking for a takedown. Ishikawa pushes Gatti against the ropes but Gatti circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gatti!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ishikawa shoots in looking for a takedown but Gatti manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ishikawa's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Gatti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ishikawa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gatti scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Ishikawa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gatti but Gatti pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gatti clobbers Ishikawa with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arturo Gatti dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gatti stalks Ishikawa and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ishikawa's face. Ishikawa staggers backwards, shaken.
Arturo Gatti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gatti fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ishikawa.

Ishikawa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Gatti is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ishikawa throwing strikes from guard but Gatti blocks nicely.
Ishikawa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Gatti has his feet on Ishikawa's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gatti moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Ishikawa walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ishikawa throws a push kick but Gatti slaps the foot to one side.
Ishikawa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gatti lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A nice combination there by Gatti.
Ishikawa throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gatti!
Ishikawa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatti avoids a kick to the body.
Gatti closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Gatti closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Ishikawa is rocked!
Gatti Rushes Ishikawa and starts throwing punches like they are going out of style! Ishikawa is up against the ropes and has nowhere to go. Gatti Piles on the pressure and Ishikawa crumples to the floor! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Arturo Gatti!