PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leonel Gatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seljak Badel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leonel Gatti could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Seljak Badel's chin.

Gatti
vs
Badel

199 cm
31
254 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

194 cm
26
255 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leonel Gatti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Seljak Badel!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Jeff Smith and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Badel closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gatti to the mat! Gatti manages to get full guard.
Badel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Gatti wants to sweep here but Badel controlling him for the moment.
Gatti bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Badel's guard.

Badel controls Gatti momentarily but Gatti frees himself.

Badel working for submissions but it's allowed Gatti to get to half guard.
Gatti not doing much here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gatti trying to pass the guard but Badel defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Badel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Badel flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Gatti is thwarting Badel's attempts to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gatti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Badel keeps working.
Gatti wants to pass the guard but Badel is defending well.
Gatti passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Badel!
Badel tries to hold on but Gatti pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Badel is working to get back to half guard.
Badel wants to control but Gatti is having none of it.
Gatti controlling from mount.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Badel wants to hold on but Gatti pushes him away.
Gatti tries to control but Badel wriggling away.
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.
Gatti is looking to work his way around to Badel's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Gatti wants to control the pace but Badel is squirming around nicely.
Badel wants to control but Gatti is having none of it.
Gatti content just to control the position here.

Gatti goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Badel is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatti is trying to control the position but Badel postures up.
Gatti is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Gatti is trying to control the action in half guard but Badel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Badel wants to control but Gatti is keeping busy.

Gatti is working for a kimura but Badel is defending it quite comfortably.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Badel looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Badel scores with a punch to the head.
Gatti on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

It looks like Leonel Gatti has been cut.
A low kick from Gatti misses
and Badel counters with a straight right hand.
Seljak Badel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
No joy there for Badel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gatti walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Badel checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Gatti looks to land a left hand but Badel moved out of range nicely.
Badel is looking for the big counter here.
Gatti dodges the punch combination from Badel.
Seljak Badel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gatti throws a leg kick but Badel moved away.
The crowd cheers as Badel lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gatti doesn't seem phased though.
Gatti lands a nice leg kick that just misses Badel's sensitive parts.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Gatti checks a leg kick.
Badel connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gatti. Gatti circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badel misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gatti feinted with a counter takedown.
Gatti scores with a jab to the body.

Badel gets the takedown into side control.
Gatti tries to buck Badel off but Badel is having none of it.
Gatti sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Gatti wants to control but Badel is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Badel passes the guard and advances to mount!
Gatti is squirming around, avoiding Badel's attempts to control the action.
Gatti gets back to half guard.
Gatti keeping control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Badel missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Gatti wants to get back to full guard.
Badel throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Gatti actively working from the bottom here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Badel connects with a nice short shot to Gatti's temple.
Gatti tries to roll over but Badel keeps him under control.

Gatti is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Badel pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badel lands with a punch from half guard.
Gatti is staying active underneath Badel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Badel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gatti gets full guard.
Badel trying to control the position from guard on top but Gatti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gatti looking for a sweep. Not yet Gatti, not yet.
Badel throws a big elbow that misses.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
The fighters circling - Gatti throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gatti has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gatti there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatti scores with a nice right hand.
Badel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Gatti shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Badel working for a triangle but Gatti defends it easily.
Gatti sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Badel's guard.
Gatti seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Badel does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gatti has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gatti controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seljak Badel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Leonel Gatti's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gatti looks for a takedown but Badel sprawls well.
Badel misses with the combination.
Gatti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Badel.
Gatti bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gatti tries to counter with a takedown but Badel is quick to defend against it.
A left and a right from Badel both land. Nice combination.

Badel fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gatti sprawls well initially but Badel persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gatti manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Leonel Gatti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Gatti had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Badel defends it easily.

Badel is sitting in close to Gatti's body. Gatti has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Badel is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Badel is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Gatti.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Leonel Gatti!
Leonel Gatti looked relieved post fight as he said the following; 'Yeah!, I was confident I could win I tell you. I want to thank the guys at my camp in las vegas. '.