PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Damato (ranked 2337 p4p, 3939 weight class) and J Gay G (ranked 203 p4p, 317 weight class). Damato comes to the cage accompanied by Thunderstruck. Gay G has chosen Down as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that J Gay G was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Damato
vs
Gay G

170 cm
31
150
14 - 32 - 0

169 cm
39
151
26 - 33 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 32 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocco Damato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 33 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, J Gay G!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Nard Betker and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Gay G.
Damato takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Gay G scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A lazy left from Gay G finds it's target.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gay G.
As Gay G tries to get set, Damato tries to push him back and clinch up but Gay G manages to avoid the attempt.
We've been hearing reports that Damato has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Damato takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Damato takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Gay G scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Damato takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
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!
Gay G looks to score with a jab to the body but Damato is just out of range.
Gay G lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Gay G with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Gay G lands a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gay G smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gay G tests Damato's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gay G has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Gay G cracks a nice hook into Damato's ribs.
A shot to the liver by Gay G. Beautiful body shot.
A punch lands to the side of Damato 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Gay G gets caught napping as Damato dives in and scores a takedown. Gay G manages to retain guard.
Damato missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Damato in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Damato with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Damato postures up in Gay G's guard and throws a big left but Gay G blocks it.
Damato throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gay G is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Damato throwing strikes from guard but Gay G blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gay G has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Gay G can't keep his opponent in guard - Damato advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Damato scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gay G is trying to get back to full guard.
Gay G blocking the ground and pound attempt from Damato.

Damato is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gay G defends it well.
Gay G is trying to get back to full guard.
Damato not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Damato wants to work for an arm triangle but Gay G is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gay G controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Damato missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Damato sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gay G defending well though.
Gay G is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Damato wants to take a breather but Gay G is having none of it.

Damato is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gay G defends it well.
Damato thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Damato missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gay G keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gay G is trying to get back to full guard.
Gay G is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Gay G is still trying to improve position.
Damato throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Damato not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Damato wants to work for an arm triangle but Gay G is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Damato is working for a kimura but Gay G is defending it quite comfortably.
Damato thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gay G is trying to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

J Gay G dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Damato doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Damato with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gay G to score with a decent uppercut.
Gay G turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gay G takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gay G scores with a jab to the body.
J Gay G seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gay G bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Damato's head backwards.
Gay G lands a body shot.
Gay G connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Jab by Gay G.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A left lands for Gay G.
Gay G has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gay G connects with a body shot.
Damato takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Gay G.
Gay G with a jab.
Gay G cracks Damato with a good jab.
Gay G lands a lovely overhand right.
Damato on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Gay G closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gay G throws a knee to the head but misses.
Damato stalling in the clinch but Gay G improves position.
Gay G landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Gay G misses with a hook to the ribs.
Damato looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Gay G lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Damato avoiding damage as Gay G throws knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gay G tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Damato avoids it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gay G lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gay G just misses with a elbow thrown towards Damato's brow.
Gay G tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Damato blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gay G has Damato pressed against the cage.
Gay G pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Gay G.
Gay G with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gay G gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Damato.
Gay G using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Damato has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gay G has Damato pressed against the cage, preventing Damato from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Damato blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Damato blocks an uppercut.
Gay G with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Damato jumps guard but Gay G turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Damato on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gay G misses with an elbow over the top.
Gay G tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gay G throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Damato blocks it with crossed arms.
Gay G lands a shoulder strike.
Gay G tries a knee to the head but Damato blocks it.
Gay G throws an elbow that misses.
Gay G pushes off an throws an elbow but Damato leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gay G throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gay G tries to land a knee to the head but Damato blocks with his arms.
Gay G with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gay G misses with an elbow over the top.
Gay G working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gay G pushes off an throws an elbow but Damato leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gay G has Damato pushed against the cage.
Gay G tries to land a knee to the head but Damato blocks with his arms.
Gay G tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gay G tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Damato jumps guard but Gay G stands there with Damato around his waist. Damato gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Damato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gay G throws an elbow but it's blocked.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

J Gay G showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Damato's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Decent striking displayed by Gay G there.
Damato takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Gay G just misses with a punch to the body.
Gay G catches Damato with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Damato gets cracked there but stands up to it.
J Gay G seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gay G scores with a jab to the body.
Damato ducks right into an uppercut from Gay G.
Damato takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Gay G throws out a loose jab but Damato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Damato swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gay G lands with a nice body punch.
Gay G tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Damato was well out of range. Poor timing from Gay G.
Damato feinted with a counter takedown.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damato on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Damato takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gay G lands a right hook to the body.

Gay G closes the distance and pushes Damato back into the cage.
Gay G misses with a punch to the body.
J Gay G seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Gay G tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Damato tries a body shot but Gay G blocks it.
A knee to the head by Gay G.
Gay G throws an elbow but it misses.
Gay G tries a knee to the head but Damato blocks it.
Gay G throws a knee to the head but misses.
Damato tries to pull guard but Gay G forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Damato is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gay G to keep the fight standing.

Damato is trying to trip Gay G. He has hold of a leg but Gay G is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Damato persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Damato working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damato throws a big elbow that misses.
Gay G seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Damato stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Gay G fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Damato tries to move into range but Gay G moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Damato shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gay G pinned against the cage. Gay G gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Damato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice shot lands for Gay G.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Gay G. Beautiful body shot.

Gay G rushes Damato and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gay G with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gay G missing with knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gay G throws an elbow but misses.
Gay G tries a body shot but Damato blocks it.
Gay G looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gay G with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gay G looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gay G throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gay G comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gay G misses with a knee strike.
Gay G takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gay G looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Damato manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Gay G is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gay G postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
J Gay G is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gay G chips away with some ground and pound.
Gay G trying to control the position from guard on top but Damato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gay G is looking to work some ground and pound but Damato has wrist control.
Gay G looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gay G is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
J Gay G comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gay G winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Blasius scores the fight 26:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... J Gay G!
A relieved looking J Gay G thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.