PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Wesley Gattuso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Dox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gattuso comes to the cage accompanied by doo doo doo. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Gattuso
vs
Dox

170 cm
26
148 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

169 cm
21
134 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Wesley Gattuso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paul Dox!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Albert Achterberg and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gattuso gets a clinch.
Dox is trying to break the clinch but Gattuso is controlling him.

Gattuso escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dox tries to clinch but Gattuso moves away
and Gattuso counters with a one-two to the body.
Gattuso throws a sloppy head kick and Dox moves out of range easily.
Dox looks to land a combination but Gattuso avoids it well.
Dox throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Gattuso throws a solid leg kick but Dox takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Gattuso.
Dox shoots and misses

and Gattuso holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Gattuso is pushing Dox up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Gattuso missing with knees to the body.
Gattuso landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Gattuso has Dox pressed against the cage.
Gattuso comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Paul Dox has been cut.
Gattuso pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Gattuso breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gattuso tries to close the distance and clinch but Dox swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gattuso tries to clinch there but Dox circles away.
Gattuso tries to clinch but Dox moves out of range.
Dox tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Gattuso counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gattuso working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Gattuso lands a damaging elbow.
Gattuso misses with a knee to the head.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Dox tries to throw a body punch but Gattuso avoids it by throwing Dox back against the cage.
Dox trying to control the position but instead, Gattuso has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dox into the cage.

Gattuso breaks the clinch.
Dox throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

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.
Dox throws a head kick that misses
and Gattuso counters with a stiff right hand.
Dox misses with a takedown
and Gattuso cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gattuso misses the shot to the body.
Gattuso wants to clinch.
Gattuso tries to clinch but Dox is having none of it.
Gattuso throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gattuso looks to land a combination but Dox avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gattuso closes the distance and clinches.
Gattuso throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dox blocks an elbow strike from Gattuso.
Gattuso trying to control the position but instead, Dox has worked for underhooks and has pushed Gattuso into the cage.
Gattuso looking to throw knees to the head but Dox is blocking nicely.
Gattuso avoids the elbow strike from Dox, against the cage.
Gattuso stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Gattuso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gattuso tries to clinch but Dox is having none of it.
Dox darts in trying to clinch

and Gattuso holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Gattuso tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Gattuso putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Dox in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gattuso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gattuso tries to clinch up but Dox circles away and keeps his distance.
Gattuso is breathing heavily.
Dox tries to clinch up
and Gattuso counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Wesley Gattuso is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dox ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gattuso moves away.
Dox slips a jab and a cross from Gattuso.
Dox moves to clinch but Gattuso breaks away

and Gattuso counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gattuso landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Gattuso tries a knee to the head but Dox blocks it.
Dox wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gattuso is pushing Dox up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Dox breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wesley Gattuso dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paul Dox's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gattuso darts in trying to clinch
and Dox counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Gattuso tries to clinch up.
Gattuso uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dox.
Dox misses the shot to the body.

Gattuso gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gattuso looking to throw knees to the head but Dox is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gattuso throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gattuso with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gattuso keeps control of Dox as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gattuso throws a knee to the head but misses.

Gattuso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gattuso darts in trying to clinch
and Dox counters with a nice low kick that buckles Gattuso's knee momentarily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dox takes a swing at Gattuso's ribcage but misses.
Dox circles away from the clinch attempt.

Gattuso has closed the distance and engaged Dox in a clinch.
Gattuso prevents the takedown attempt.
Gattuso has Dox pressed against the cage, preventing Dox from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gattuso stalling against the cage.
Gattuso misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gattuso is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Dox on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gattuso taking a breather.
Gattuso has Dox pressed against the cage, preventing Dox from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Dox has had enough of the clinch but Gattuso keeps him there for the moment.
Gattuso with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

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.
Gattuso tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Dox fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gattuso tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gattuso missing with knees to the body.
Dox stalling in the clinch but Gattuso improves position.
Dox working aggressively here.

Dox breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gattuso wants to clinch up but Dox keeps it at a distance.
Dox fails with a takedown attempt.
Wesley Gattuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Dox.
Gattuso avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dox closes the distance but Gattuso moves to the side

and Gattuso counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dox on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dox wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dox tries to pull guard but Gattuso holds him up against the cage and eventually Dox drops back down to his feet.
Gattuso lands a nice elbow.

Dox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A punch combination from Gattuso misses.
Dox shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Gattuso counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Dox thinking.

Gattuso has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gattuso lands a nice shot to the body.

Gattuso pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gattuso scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Gattuso is looking to clinch.
Dox takes a swing at Gattuso's ribcage but misses.
Gattuso fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dox wants to clinch
and Gattuso counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Dox shoots and misses

and Gattuso counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Gattuso.
Gattuso dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Dox takes a knee right on the jaw!
A frustrated look appears on Dox's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gattuso throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dox blocks it with crossed arms.
Gattuso tries to land a knee to the head but Dox blocks with his arms.
Gattuso with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gattuso throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dox blocks it with crossed arms.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dox wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gattuso has him pressed against the cage.
Dox struggles to land a body shot inside as Gattuso controls his hands.
Dox misses with a knee strike.
Dox wants to stall.

Dox's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wesley Gattuso dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Paul Dox's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Dox throws a big shot that misses.
Dox shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gattuso counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gattuso using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dox has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Gattuso with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Gattuso breaks the clinch.
Gattuso blocks a head kick by Dox.
Gattuso tries to close the distance and clinch up but Dox swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gattuso tries to clinch up
and Dox counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dox pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dox gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gattuso counters by clinching up.
Gattuso lands an elbow just above Dox 's eye.
Gattuso leaning his opponent against the cage.
Dox tries to stall but Gattuso uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Gattuso using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dox has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Gattuso with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gattuso misses with an elbow over the top.

Gattuso manages to break the clinch.
Dox misses with a double jab.
Dox tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dox fails with the takedown

and Gattuso counters by clinching up.
Paul Dox has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wesley Gattuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Dox.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gattuso manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Dox fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gattuso lands a right hand that snaps the head of Dox backwards.
Dox takes a knee right on the jaw!

Dox is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Gattuso can't fight it off and eventually Dox manages to take the fight to the floor. Gattuso looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Dox trying to control the position from guard on top but Gattuso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gattuso looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Dox passes into side control.
Gattuso is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Dox has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Dox can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gattuso is looking to escape.
Dox prevents Gattuso from getting the reversal.
Dox can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gattuso is looking to escape.
Wesley Gattuso is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dox throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

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.
Gattuso holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Dox tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Gattuso is looking to get to half guard.
Dox throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Gattuso is just holding on here. Dox manages to take his back.
Dox has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dox tries to get the hooks in deep but Gattuso pushed the leg off.

Dox is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Gattuso has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Dox has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Gattuso taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Dox doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Paul Dox!