PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Franco Veratti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gordo Nemrik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franco Veratti has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Veratti
vs
Nemrik

188 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
184 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Franco Veratti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gordo Nemrik!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Santiago Holmes and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Veratti takes one on the button.
Veratti moves out of range of the strikes.
Veratti checks the leg kick nicely there.
Nemrik looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Nemrik throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nemrik throws a solid leg kick but Veratti takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Nemrik.
Nemrik looks to score with a jab to the body but Veratti is just out of range.
Veratti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nemrik.
Veratti avoids the body shot from Nemrik.
Nemrik throws out a loose jab but Veratti uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nemrik throws a hook to the side of Veratti's head but Veratti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nemrik looks to land a left hand but Veratti moved out of range nicely.
Veratti uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nemrik.
Gordo Nemrik seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veratti throws a shot from downtown. Nemrik moves away and avoids it.
Veratti takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nemrik looks to land a right hand but Veratti moved out of range.
Nemrik is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Veratti misses with a right hand
and Nemrik counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nemrik swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nemrik throws a hook to the side of Veratti's head but Veratti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nemrik's jab looks to have found its range, popping Veratti under the eye.
Nemrik looks to land a right hand but Veratti moved out of range.
Veratti slips under a jab from Nemrik.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Veratti keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Veratti uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nemrik.
A slow jab from Veratti misses its intended target.
Nemrik just misses with a punch to the body.
Nemrik jabs Veratti to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Nemrik throws a big shot that misses.
Nemrik misses the shot to the body.
Nemrik throws the left hand but Veratti avoids the punch easily.
Veratti keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nemrik.
Nemrik throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Veratti sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nemrik throws a hook but Veratti blocks it.
Veratti misses the jab.
Nemrik keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A big right from Nemrik misses.
Veratti avoids the body shot from Nemrik.
Nemrik misses the shot to the body.
Nemrik throws a shot from downtown. Veratti moves away and avoids it.
Nemrik misses with a takedown attempt

and Veratti counters with a takedown into side control.
Veratti postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Veratti working the ground and pound.
Nemrik is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veratti working the ground and pound.
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!
Nemrik is looking to regain half guard here but Veratti keeps moving and retains side control.
Veratti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nemrik keeps working.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nemrik can do anything to dispel that myth.
Veratti scores with punches from side control.
Nemrik tries to bench press Veratti off him but Veratti keeps the position.
Veratti has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Veratti in side control lands a decent elbow.
Nemrik tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Veratti wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Veratti throws a strike aimed at the side of Nemrik's head but Nemrik avoids it well.
Nemrik is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Veratti scores with punches from side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Veratti cracks Nemrik with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Veratti working the ground and pound but Nemrik is defending the strikes.
Nemrik managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Veratti.
Veratti trying to control the position but Nemrik is working away.
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 Franco Veratti 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.

Nemrik shoots in looking for a takedown. Veratti tries to sprawl out of it but Nemrik keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Veratti manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nemrik throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Veratti moves out of range of the strikes.
The fighters circling - Veratti throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nemrik missing with a left hand there. Veratti was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nemrik misses with a wild body shot.
Nemrik feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Verattis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veratti steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nemrik.
Veratti ducks under a wild hook from Nemrik.
Nemrik works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Veratti just misses with a punch to the body.
Nemrik thows a body shot but no joy.
Nemrik scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Veratti doesn't seem bothered though.
Nemrik throws a body punch but Veratti moves out of range.
Veratti throws a hook to the side of Nemrik's head but Nemrik sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Franco Veratti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Veratti misses the shot to the body.
Nemrik steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Veratti.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Veratti slips a jab from Nemrik.
Nemrik missing with a left hand there. Veratti was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nemrik connects with the punch.
Nemrik defending well as Veratti loads up on a big left hand.
Nemrik throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Veratti takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Jab by Nemrik.
Veratti has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Veratti avoids the body shot from Nemrik.
Veratti uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nemrik.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veratti throws a hook to the side of Nemrik's head but Nemrik sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nice defenses there by Nemrik.
Nemrik just misses with a punch to the body.
Nemrik throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nemrik throws a body punch but Veratti moves out of range.
Nemrik digs a good body shot into Veratti's ribs.
A big right from Veratti misses.
Veratti keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Veratti moves out of range as Nemrik strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nemrik is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Veratti.
Gordo Nemrik seems to be getting the better of the standup.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Veratti enables Nemrik to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Veratti manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Nemrik postures up.
Veratti looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Veratti manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nemrik manages to get himself to full guard.
Veratti is looking to work some ground and pound but Nemrik has wrist control.
Nemrik keeping full guard, as Veratti tries to pass.
Nemrik is trying to keep Veratti in close.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Veratti is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Veratti trying to control the position from guard on top but Nemrik is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordo Nemrik showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

The fighters circling - Nemrik throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nemrik swings for the body but Veratti moves out of range.
Nemrik throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nemrik does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Nemrik motions for Veratti to come forward. Nemrik throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nemrik fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Veratti manages to avoid it.
Veratti throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Veratti blocks a jab.
Veratti ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veratti moves out of range as Nemrik strikes.
Veratti throws a lazy right hand but Nemrik sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nemrik fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Veratti manages to avoid it.

Nemrik closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Veratti did well to prevent Nemrik getting side control.
Nemrik not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Veratti blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nemrik.
Veratti gets full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nemrik in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nemrik postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nemrik looking to sit in guard and control but Veratti gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Veratti passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Franco Veratti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nemrik tries to bench press Veratti off him but Veratti keeps the position.
Veratti working the head and body with strikes.
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!
Nemrik is trying to control Veratti's posture but Veratti avoids it.
Nemrik on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Nemrik sneaks back into half guard.
Veratti sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nemrik defending well though.
Veratti scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Nemrik moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veratti working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Veratti passes Nemrik's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Nemrik avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Veratti.
Ground and pound from Veratti.
Veratti is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Veratti will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Nemrik wants to improve his position but Veratti is controlling well.
Nemrik is staying active underneath Veratti, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Veratti working the head and body with strikes.
Veratti thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Nemrik's head.
Nemrik wants to control but Veratti is keeping busy.
Veratti looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Nemrik with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Veratti throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nemrik has hold of Veratti's hands but Veratti slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Veratti tries to pass the half guard into mount. Nemrik knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Veratti lands with a punch from half guard.
Nemrik is trying to control but can't.
Veratti lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Veratti not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Veratti is looking to take a break and control but Nemrik is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Veratti stalling away here and it's allowed Nemrik to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nemrik trying to keep a closed guard but Veratti is proving a slippery customer.
Veratti throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Franco Veratti showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Veratti 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franco Veratti!