PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gregorius Manitori (ranked 5215 p4p, 509 weight class) and Petey Williams (ranked 7341 p4p, 587 weight class). Williams comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Wild Thing kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Petey Williams will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Manitori
vs
Williams

180 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gregorius Manitori!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Petey Williams!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Santiago Holmes and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Williams!
Williams with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A punch combination from Manitori misses.

Williams gets a clinch.
Williams tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Manitori just stands there and leans against the cage.

Manitori turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Manitori manages to end up in side control.
Williams wants to get back to his feet but Manitori is dominant here and he's now got Williams's back!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Manitori really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Williams.
Manitori seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Williams for as long as he can get away with.
Williams trying to get back to his feet but Manitori is in full control for now.
Williams is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manitori trying to control.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Manitori controlling the positon.
Williams trying to get back to his feet but Manitori is in full control for now.
Manitori is hanging on to Williams's back as he tries to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Williams is trying to get back to his feet but Manitori has full control of the position and if anything, Williams has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Manitori slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Williams breaks Manitori's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Manitori escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Williams gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Williams is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Williams trying to control but Manitori is working from the bottom.
Williams won't allow Manitori to sweep him here.
Manitori is looking to sweep but instead, Williams has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manitori keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Manitori trying to control but Williams postures up.
Williams prevents Manitori from improving his position.
Manitori wants to get back to his feet.

Williams postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Manitori to stand up.
Manitori shoots in but Williams avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Williams looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Williams thuds a left hand into Manitori's body.
Manitori fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Williams throws a counter combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Williams. Those never looked like landing.
Manitori takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Williams throws a series of punches but Manitori avoids them all with ease.
Manitori avoids a punch combination nicely.
Petey Williams is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Williams fails in his attempt to clinch.
As Williams tries to get set, Manitori tries to push him back and clinch up but Williams manages to avoid the attempt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Manitori.

Manitori instigates a clinch.
Williams has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A frustrated look appears on Williams's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Manitori's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Petey Williams seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Williams wants to clinch up but Manitori keeps it at a distance.
A punch combination from Williams misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petey Williams dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Manitori throws a sloppy head kick and Williams moves out of range easily.
Williams misses with a jab, cross combination.
Williams misses with a body kick.
Manitori looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Williams is fending him off so far but Manitori persists. Nope, Williams circles away and we're back to standing.
Williams tries a head kick but it misses.
Manitori doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Williams counter with a right hand.
Williams throws a sloppy head kick and Manitori moves out of range easily.
Williams lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Manitori circles away quickly and effectively.
Williams throws a series of punches but Manitori avoids them all with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Manitori.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gregorius Manitori. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Williams moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams throws a half hearted mid kick.
Williams throws a right hand that Manitori ducks under and follows up with a left that Manitori also avoids with ease.

Manitori moves into the clinch.

Manitori breaks the clinch.
Manitori fails with a takedown attempt.
Williams has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Williams misses with a few strikes there.
Manitori quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Williams throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Manitori.
Williams throws a series of punches but Manitori moves out of range.
Williams doesn't manage to clinch there - Manitori circles away.
Manitori is trying hard to land a takedown here. Williams sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Williams throws a series of punches but Manitori moves out of range.
Williams is breathing heavily.

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

Williams manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Manitori keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice right hand lands inside from Manitori.
Williams tries to break the clinch but Manitori is controlling the position.
Manitori is pushing Williams up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Manitori stalls.
Manitori seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Manitori tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Williams just stands there and leans against the cage.
Williams working hard to break the clinch.
Manitori tries to pull guard but Williams won't allow it.
Manitori prevents Williams from breaking the clinch.
Manitori prevents Williams from breaking the clinch.
Williams wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams can't break the clinch.

Manitori manages to pull guard.
Manitori keeping moving, preventing Williams from controlling successfully.

Manitori is working an open guard so Williams takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Manitori misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Manitori misses with a jab, cross combination.

Manitori manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Williams on his heels. He'll look to pass Williams's guard now, I'm sure.

Manitori stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Manitori doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Williams counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Petey Williams seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Danga de danga de dang - Williams scores with a four punch combination!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Williams lands a nice looking body shot.
Williams lands a jab-cross combination.
Williams moves in looking to clinch but Manitori pushes him off.
Manitori wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Williams's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Williams duly obliges.
A left lands for Williams.
Williams moves in looking to clinch but Manitori pushes him off.
Manitori is looking for a counter combo.
Williams throws a low kick but Manitori moves out of range easily.
Manitori throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Williams.
Manitori fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Williams throws a counter combo.
Williams lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Manitori backs up against the cage.
Williams's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Williams duly obliges.
Manitori dives in for a single leg takedown but Williams sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petey Williams showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get 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.

Williams fails to land with a series of punches.
Manitori throws the kick towards the body but Williams avoids it.
Manitori dodges the punch combination from Williams.
Williams will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Manitori has Williams up against the cage in a clinch.
Manitori lands a nice elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Manitori successfully pulls guard.
Williams is fighting to break Manitori's control of his arms but Manitori is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Williams decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Manitori, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams tries to bum rush Manitori with a series of wild strikes but Manitori uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Manitori feinted with a counter takedown.
Gregorius Manitori is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Williams misses with a combination
and Manitori counters with an inside leg kick.
Williams takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Manitori.
Manitori is staying tight to Williams's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Williams tries to improve position but can't.
Manitori working the ground and pound.
Williams is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Manitori has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Manitori works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manitori wants to control but Williams is keeping him busy.

Manitori decides to stand back up.
Williams is looking to clinch.
Williams looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Williams pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Manitori back to the cage. Williams follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Manitori has Williams up against the cage in a clinch.
Williams is trying to break free.
Manitori lands a good knee to the midsection. Williams won't want to take too many of those.
Manitori scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Manitori breaks the clinch.
Williams misses with a double jab.
As Williams backs away, Manitori returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Williams fails to land with a series of punches.
Manitori is looking to counter punch.

Manitori gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Manitori stalling in the clinch.

Manitori jumps into guard, dragging Williams to the mat.
Manitori has control of Williams's left arm, preventing Williams from doing any damage.
Williams slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Manitori seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Williams preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Williams stands up from Manitori's guard - Williams perhaps looking for a knockout.
Williams tries a head kick but it misses.

Manitori clinches up with Williams and pushes him back against the cage.
Manitori slows down the pace here.
Manitori lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Petey Williams is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Manitori lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Williams.
Williams letting Manitori take a breather here.
Gregorius Manitori has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Williams is trying to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gregorius Manitori showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Williams 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 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Petey Williams!
Petey Williams spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.