PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dario Gonza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Szulinski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gonza
vs
Szulinski

200 cm
25
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dario Gonza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Martin Szulinski!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Santiago Holmes and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonza tries to clinch there but Szulinski circles away.
Gonza fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gonza fails with a takedown attempt.
Gonza throws a left and a right that both miss
and Szulinski counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gonza thinking.
Szulinski wants to clinch up but Gonza keeps it at a distance.
Gonza moves in looking to clinch but Szulinski pushes him off.
Gonza shoots in looking for a takedown but Szulinski manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gonza's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dario Gonza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gonza tries to clinch up but Szulinski circles away and keeps his distance.

Szulinski clinches up with Gonza and pushes him back against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Szulinski.
Gonza throws an elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Szulinski.
Szulinski scores a nice knee to the body.
Szulinski stalls.
Szulinski keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gonza's efforts to push away.
Szulinski unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Gonza is trying to maintain a safe position but Szulinski gets an underhook and turns Gonza into the cage.
A knee to the head by Szulinski.
Gonza drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Szulinski gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Szulinski taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonza takes a knee right on the jaw!
Szulinski working Gonza over with knees to the body.
Gonza has had enough of the clinch but Szulinski keeps him there for the moment.
Szulinski is pushing Gonza up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Szulinski lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Szulinski unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gonza lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Gonza gets control of Szulinski's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gonza will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Gonza keeping full guard, as Szulinski tries to pass.
Szulinski must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szulinski trying to control the position from guard on top but Gonza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gonza is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Gonza seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Szulinski does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gonza controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Dario Gonza.
Gonza pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szulinski tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gonza shoots in looking for a takedown. Szulinski tries to sprawl out of it but Gonza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Szulinski manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Gonza tries to close the distance and clinch up but Szulinski swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Szulinski fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gonza looks to score with a jab to the body but Szulinski is just out of range.
Gonza misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dario Gonza will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gonza moves in looking to clinch but Szulinski pushes him off.

Szulinski gets a clinch.
Gonza drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Szulinski gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Gonza fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gonza can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dario Gonza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gonza drops down looking for an ankle pick but Szulinski pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gonza misses with a takedown attempt - Szulinski sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonza tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Szulinski defends well and Gonza ends up having to push Szulinski into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Gonza tries to pull guard but Szulinski holds him up against the cage and eventually Gonza drops back down to his feet.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Szulinski landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Szulinski has Gonza pressed against the cage.
Szulinski digs a right hand into Gonza's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gonza's gas tank.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Szulinski takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Szulinski keeps control of Gonza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A short right from Szulinski on the inside.
Gonza is trying to drag Szulinski to the mat but Szulinski just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Gonza wants a takedown but no success here.
Gonza stalling in the clinch but Szulinski improves position.
Szulinski scores with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szulinski lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Szulinski should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Szulinski using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Szulinski landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Gonza is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Szulinski gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Szulinski lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Gonza takes a knee right on the jaw!
Szulinski landing knees to the head.
Gonza is trying to break the clinch but Szulinski has him pressed against the cage.
A knee to the head by Szulinski.
Szulinski stalls.
Gonza misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szulinski lands a good knee to the midsection. Gonza won't want to take too many of those.
Come on Szulinski - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A short left from Szulinski.
Szulinski landing knees to the head.
Szulinski lands with a right to the head.
Szulinski lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Gonza jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Szulinski walks away with a smile on his face. Gonza gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gonza tries to clinch
letting Szulinski counter with a right hand.
Gonza is looking to clinch.

Gonza clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Szulinski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Szulinski drops his hands momentarily and Gonza takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gonza darts in looking for a takedown but Szulinski gets double underhooks and turns Gonza into the cage.
Gonza can't break the clinch.
Szulinski has Gonza pushed against the cage.
Martin Szulinski seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Gonza takes a knee right on the jaw!
Come on Szulinski - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A body shot lands from Szulinski.
Szulinski lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Szulinski lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Szulinski landing knees to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szulinski with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Gonza goes for a takedown attempt but Szulinski pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Gonza fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dario Gonza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gonza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Szulinski doesn't manage to clinch there - Gonza circles away.

Szulinski gets a clinch.
Gonza jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Szulinski walks away with a smile on his face. Gonza gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Dario Gonza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonza ducks right into an uppercut from Szulinski.
Gonza darts in looking for a takedown but Szulinski gets double underhooks and turns Gonza into the cage.
Szulinski taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Gonza jumps guard but Szulinski turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Szulinski lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Szulinski prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gonza tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Szulinski just stands there and leans against the cage.
Szulinski connects with a nasty looking knee right to Gonza's face.
Szulinski's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Szulinski lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szulinski scores with a knee to the head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Szulinski with a knee to the head.
Szulinski lands a good knee to the midsection. Gonza won't want to take too many of those.
A short left from Szulinski.
Szulinski with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Szulinski is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Gonza is trying to break the clinch but Szulinski is controlling him.
Szulinski connects with a knee to the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Szulinski takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Szulinski is pressed up against the cage. Gonza has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Szulinski down to the mat. Szulinski avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonza shoots in looking for a takedown. Szulinski tries to sprawl out of it but Gonza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Szulinski manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Gonza shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Szulinski's guard.
Gonza pushing down on Szulinski's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Szulinski is refusing to be controlled, as Gonza sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Martin Szulinski.
I think Szulinski 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Szulinski!