PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Claudio Gadelha (ranked 2239 p4p, 106 weight class) and Ashton Knuckles (ranked 3297 p4p, 150 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gadelha might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Melle Mel - Step Off. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gadelha
vs
Knuckles

162 cm
26
145 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

160 cm
30
147 lbs
9 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Claudio Gadelha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ashton Knuckles!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knuckles looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gadelha takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Knuckles is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gadelha.
Gadelha throws a jab when Knuckles was well out of range.
Gadelha scores with a jab to the body.
Knuckles lands with a good body shot.
Gadelha on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Knuckles throws the left hand but Gadelha avoids the punch easily.
Knuckles shoots for a double leg takedown but Gadelha sprawls well. He's pushed Knuckles's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Knuckles scores with a sloppy right hand. Gadelha should have avoided that one.
Knuckles has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Knuckles will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gadelha fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A looping hook to the body misses from Knuckles. Gadelha does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gadelha is looking to counter the offense by Knuckles and move into the clinch.
A decent looking cross lands there for Knuckles.
Knuckles looks to land a body kick but Gadelha moved away.
Gadelha wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Gadelha's jab looks to have found its range, popping Knuckles under the eye.

Gadelha moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles tries to land knees in the clinch but Gadelha avoids the damage to the body.
Knuckles looking to throw knees to the head but Gadelha is blocking nicely.
Knuckles tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gadelha avoids it.
Knuckles wants to take the fight to the mat but Gadelha manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Knuckles is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Claudio Gadelha has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ashton Knuckles.
Knuckles blocks a body shot from Gadelha.
A short right from Gadelha on the inside.
Knuckles fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gadelha lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Knuckles backwards.
Knuckles is working for takedown but Gadelha is calmly controlling the position for now.
Knuckles prevents a body shot from Gadelha.
Knuckles dodges an elbow strike from Gadelha.
Knuckles avoiding damage as Gadelha throws knees to the body.
Gadelha blocks an uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gadelha.
Gadelha takes a knee to the side of the body.
Gadelha wants a takedown.
Gadelha tries to throw a body punch but Knuckles avoids it by throwing Gadelha back against the cage.

Knuckles pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gadelha lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Knuckles is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gadelha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Knuckles pushes Gadelha up against the cage in a clinch.
Gadelha has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Gadelha can't find room to land a body shot as Knuckles controls the action.
A short left from Knuckles.
Knuckles will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Gadelha up against the cage.
Gadelha takes a shot to the head.
Gadelha can't get the takedown.

Gadelha jumps guard and drags Knuckles to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Gadelha pulls Knuckles in close to prevent any damage.
Knuckles throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gadelha works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gadelha keeping full guard, as Knuckles tries to pass.
Knuckles must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Gadelha throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gadelha keeping moving, preventing Knuckles from controlling successfully.
Knuckles cracks Gadelha with a solid left hand.
Knuckles forces his way into half guard.
Gadelha is pressing down on Knuckles's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gadelha is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Gadelha bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Knuckles's guard.

Gadelha trying to control but Knuckles is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gadelha won't allow Knuckles to sweep him here.
Gadelha wants to control from the top but Knuckles keeps moving.
Knuckles manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gadelha manages to get himself to full guard.

Knuckles missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gadelha looking to hit a scissor sweep but Knuckles is one step ahead there.
Knuckles slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Knuckles working the ground and pound but Gadelha is defending the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ashton Knuckles will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gadelha lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Gadelha.

Knuckles has Gadelha up against the cage in a clinch.
Knuckles pushes Gadelha back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gadelha misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gadelha is working Knuckles over against the cage.
Ashton Knuckles seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Knuckles tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gadelha takes an elbow to the forehead.
Knuckles lands a hook that snaps the head of Gadelha backwards.
Gadelha has had enough of the clinch but Knuckles keeps him there for the moment.

Gadelha jumps guard.

Gadelha is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Knuckles defends well.
Gadelha working a defensive guard here.
Gadelha has Knuckles pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Knuckles trying to control the position from guard on top but Gadelha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Knuckles looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Knuckles tries to stand but Gadelha is controlling from the bottom.
Knuckles wants to control from the top but Gadelha keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Gadelha working for a triangle but Knuckles defends it easily.
Knuckles preventing the sweep.
Gadelha trying to keep a closed guard but Knuckles is proving a slippery customer.
Knuckles throws a big elbow that misses.
Gadelha controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Knuckles fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gadelha sprawls well initially but Knuckles persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Knuckles lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Knuckles is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles working over Gadelha with some ground and pound. Gadelha looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Still in half guard, Knuckles seems content to control.
Knuckles seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gadelha does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gadelha moves into full guard.
Gadelha has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Gadelha working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Knuckles.
Knuckles wants to control from the top but Gadelha keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Knuckles might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gadelha haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Knuckles scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Knuckles loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Knuckles throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Knuckles throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gadelha tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Gadelha has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Knuckles can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ashton Knuckles has got the better of the ground game so far.
Knuckles throws an elbow that misses. Gadelha uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Knuckles's guard. Nice move by Gadelha!

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knuckles wants to sweep here but Gadelha controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ashton Knuckles 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! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Knuckles moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Ashton Knuckles is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Knuckles looks to score with a jab to the body but Gadelha is just out of range.
Knuckles scores with the left hand. Gadelha knows he should have avoided that one.
Knuckles throws a right hand that Gadelha ducks under and follows up with a left that Gadelha also avoids with ease.
Knuckles takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Gadelha tries to keep at a distance but Knuckles has taken the fight into the clinch.
Knuckles tries to break the clinch but Gadelha is controlling the position.
Gadelha has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gadelha softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Knuckles tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gadelha just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knuckles stalling in the clinch but Gadelha improves position.

Knuckles pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ashton Knuckles seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab lands there for Gadelha.

Knuckles darts in and clinches Gadelha up against the cage.
Knuckles misses with an elbow over the top.
Gadelha lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gadelha misses with a punch to the body.
Still in the clinch, Knuckles scores with a nice short uppercut.

Gadelha pulls Knuckles into guard.
Gadelha looking for a sweep. Not yet Gadelha, not yet.
Gadelha is working hard here to advance position.
Knuckles loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Knuckles wants to control from the top but Gadelha keeps moving.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Knuckles's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Knuckles looking to sit in guard and control but Gadelha gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gadelha slips nicely into half guard.
Knuckles wants to control but Gadelha is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gadelha passes to side control.
Knuckles can't do much from the bottom here.

Gadelha looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Knuckles gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gadelha is looking for a kimura here.
Gadelha looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Knuckles is looking for a sweep. Gadelha is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Gadelha looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Knuckles is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Knuckles is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Knuckles wants to control but Gadelha is keeping busy.
Claudio Gadelha has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gadelha is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Claudio Gadelha.
I think Knuckles 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ashton Knuckles!
Ashton Knuckles managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Juggernaut And Gladiators(90% Laundry), into his post fight interview.
In defeat, Claudio Gadelha stepped up to the mic, saying 'Ouch that hurt!'.