PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eduardo Motta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neto Gattario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Motta comes to the cage accompanied by . Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Motta
vs
Gattario

189 cm
21
213 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

192 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Motta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Neto Gattario!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gattario closes the distance and pushes Motta back into the cage.
Gattario looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Motta fails to pull guard.

Gattario manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Motta drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gattario dives on top into guard.

Motta is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gattario working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Motta's head.

Motta escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gattario gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Motta has his foot on Gattario's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gattario works his way back into a safe position though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gattario is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Gattario avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gattario works over Motta with some ground and pound from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Motta working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Gattario has passed into half guard!

Motta looking for submissions off his back.
Gattario sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Motta looking for submissions off his back.
Nice strikes from Gattario there.

That's two 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.
Gattario trying to control the pace.

Motta looking for subs from the bottom but Gattario mounts him!
Motta taking shots to the head.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Gattario cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Gattario really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Motta. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gattario controlling from mount.
Gattario can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Motta is looking to escape.
Motta is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattario trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gattario with shots to the head and body - Motta looks very uncomfortable down there.
Gattario looking to control but Motta is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gattario prevents Motta from getting the reversal.
Gattario is landing with some decent strikes but Motta is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Gattario has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Motta's face.
Motta can't escape the position.

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.
Motta sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Gattario tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Gattario working over Motta with some ground and pound. Motta looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Gattario is controlling the pace.

Motta looking for submissions off his back.

Motta looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Gattario is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Motta defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eduardo Motta dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gattario scores with a sloppy right hand. Motta should have avoided that one.
Motta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gattario circles away.
Motta shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Motta shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eduardo Motta. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gattario feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Gattario wants to pass the guard but Motta is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Motta is looking for a triangle but Gattario pushes his legs off easily.

Motta working for submissions but it's allowed Gattario to get to half guard.
Gattario is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gattario wants to pass the guard but Motta is defending well.

Motta actively working from the bottom here.
Gattario trying to control the action but Motta is working from the bottom.
Gattario scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Motta manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gattario keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Motta's head.
Gattario has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Motta is proving hard to escape from.

Gattario avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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.
Gattario wants to stand but Motta is controlling his posture from full guard.
Eduardo Motta overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gattario trying to control the position from guard on top but Motta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Motta looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gattario has picked Motta up and slammed him! Motta can't keep hold of the triangle and Gattario manages to pass to side control!
Motta sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Gattario trying to control the action but Motta is working from the bottom.

Motta actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattario trying to pass the guard but Motta defending well.

Motta looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Motta looking for submissions off his back.

Motta looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
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. Gattario connects with a nice short shot to Motta's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Motta with a poor takedown

and Gattario counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Motta's guard now.
Gattario with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Motta working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gattario doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gattario manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Motta looking for a guillotine here but Gattario defends easily.

Motta has his foot on Gattario's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gattario works his way back into a safe position though.
Gattario stays in close to Motta's body and controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Neto Gattario will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Motta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Motta with a poor takedown

and Gattario counters with a single leg into guard. Motta didn't expect that.

Motta looking for a guillotine here but Gattario defends easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gattario's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gattario trying to control the position from guard on top but Motta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gattario must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Motta throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Motta looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Motta has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gattario is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Motta.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Motta gets back to half guard.

Motta looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Motta is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Gattario pulls his head out easily.
Motta taking some punishment here, with Gattario in his half guard.
Motta is looking to improve his position.
Gattario is trying to control the action in half guard but Motta is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two 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.
Motta gets back to full guard.

Gattario gets to his feet - Motta follows without any prompting.

Gattario closes the distance and pushes Motta back into the cage.

Gattario is trying to trip Motta. He has hold of a leg but Motta is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gattario persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Gattario trying to control the position from guard on top but Motta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gattario avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Motta throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattario trying to control but Motta is working from the bottom.

Motta looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Motta can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gattario controls the pace.

Motta throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gattario is working Motta over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Motta is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Motta is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Motta isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gattario stacks Motta on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Gattario!
Gattario controls the position.
Motta sneaks back into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gattario perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
It looks like Gattario is going to stand back up.

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 Eduardo Motta.
I think Motta 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eduardo Motta!