PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bob Gaines (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alberto Del Rio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Del Rio is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Requiem for a dream. The key to victory for Bob Gaines has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Gaines
vs
Del Rio

170 cm
26
174 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

197 cm
20
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bob Gaines!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alberto Del Rio!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gaines changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Del Rio looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Del Rio takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Del Rio struggling a bit here.
Del Rio gets back to half guard.
Gaines throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gaines takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Del Rio wants to improve his position but Gaines is controlling well.
Del Rio trying to control here.
Gaines lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Gaines working Del Rio over with strikes.
Gaines landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gaines lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Del Rio on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Del Rio taking some punishment here, with Gaines in his half guard.
Ground and pound from Gaines.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Del Rio works his way to full guard. Good work.
Gaines might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Del Rio has momentary wrist control but Gaines slips an elbow through the middle.
Gaines stands up over Del Rio, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gaines connects with a couple of short punches.
Gaines postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Del Rio pushes Gaines off and gets back to his feet.
Del Rio misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Del Rio gets tackled into the cage by Gaines. Gaines maintains the clinch.

Gaines has hold of one of Del Rio's legs. Del Rio is fighting the takedown attempt but Gaines gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Gaines scoring with punches to the head and body.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Del Rio can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Del Rio 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.
Del Rio 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.
Del Rio is trying to keep Gaines in close.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gaines keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Del Rio's head.
Gaines scoring with some ground and pound.
Gaines scoring with some ground and pound.
Gaines lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gaines postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Del Rio really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gaines. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Del Rio wants to sweep but no luck.
Gaines is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Del Rio wriggles free and stands up.
Del Rio looks gassed!

Gaines shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaines scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Del Rio?
Gaines with good strikes from the mount here!
Del Rio tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Del Rio is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Gaines looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gaines landing strikes from the mount and Del Rio is in trouble!
Del Rio takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Gaines scoring with strikes but Del Rio is staying in there.
Del Rio is looking to get to half guard.
Gaines lands a big elbow.
Gaines working Del Rio over with strikes here.
Del Rio working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Del Rio tries to hold on but Gaines pushes him away.
Del Rio is working to get back to half guard.
Del Rio takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Gaines postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Del Rio looks a forlorn figure.
Gaines raining down hammerfists from mount.
Del Rio is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gaines landing strikes from the mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gaines is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Del Rio can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee warns Del Rio that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Del Rio tries to hold on but Gaines pushes him away.
Gaines scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Del Rio?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Gaines dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Del Rio tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Gaines counters with a single leg into guard. Del Rio didn't expect that.
Gaines stopping the sweep attempt from Del Rio.
Gaines has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Del Rio has momentary wrist control but Gaines slips an elbow through the middle.
Gaines landing with the ground and pound.
Gaines lands a couple of digs.
Del Rio wants to sweep here but Gaines controlling him for the moment.
Gaines working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Del Rio's head.

Del Rio working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gaines doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gaines manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gaines distracts Del Rio with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Del Rio is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Del Rio has momentary wrist control but Gaines slips an elbow through the middle.
Gaines landing some decent shots from guard.
Gaines postures up.
Gaines lands a couple of digs.
Gaines works over Del Rio with some ground and pound from guard.
Del Rio wants to sweep but no luck.
Gaines scoring with some ground and pound.
Gaines postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gaines with a nice head shot there.
Gaines keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Del Rio's head.
Gaines working some strikes from top position.
Gaines lands a couple of elbows.
Gaines works over Del Rio with some ground and pound from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Del Rio looking to control.
Gaines content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Gaines throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gaines working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Del Rio utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gaines throwing strikes but missing.
Gaines works over Del Rio with some ground and pound from guard.
Del Rio looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Del Rio is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gaines is controlling him.
Gaines works over Del Rio with some ground and pound from guard.
Gaines looking to pass the guard.
Gaines postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaines is in close to Del Rio's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Gaines stopping the sweep attempt from Del Rio.
Del Rio is trying to keep Gaines in close.
Gaines keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Del Rio's head.
Gaines lands a couple of digs.
Gaines lands a couple of digs.
Gaines chips away with some ground and pound.
Gaines won't allow Del Rio to get back to his feet.
Gaines lands a couple of digs.
Gaines is working Del Rio 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.
Gaines working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Del Rio not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gaines distracts Del Rio with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gaines landing some decent shots from guard.
Gaines throwing strikes but missing.
Del Rio managing to control the position.

Del Rio is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Gaines has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Del Rio is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Del Rio stops a takedown attempt from Gaines.
Del Rio scores with an uppercut up the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Gaines dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Del Rio with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gaines counters with a nice double leg into side control. Del Rio won't be happy with that.
Del Rio struggling a bit here.
Check out the look on Gaines's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Gaines lands a few punches from side control.
Gaines scoring with punches from side control.
Gaines lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Gaines connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Del Rio some visible discomfort.
Del Rio on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Gaines grinds an elbow into Del Rio's temple.
Gaines lands a few punches from side control.
Gaines landing a few strikes.
Gaines is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Del Rio can do to turn this around?
Gaines working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Del Rio can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gaines lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaines working the body and head with strikes.
Del Rio tries to bench press Gaines off him but Gaines keeps the position.
Del Rio can't do much from the bottom here.
Gaines scores with punches from side control.
You can see the frustration on Del Rio's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bob Gaines overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Del Rio takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Gaines working the head and body with strikes.
Del Rio can't do much from the bottom here.
Gaines landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaines working the head and body with strikes.
Gaines working away.
Gaines lands some shots froms side control.
Gaines working the body and head with strikes.
Del Rio on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Del Rio sneaks back into half guard.
Gaines working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gaines takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Del Rio blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gaines.
Del Rio makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Del Rio.
Gaines working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Gaines preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Del Rio is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Gaines manages to get to full guard.
Del Rio looking to pass the guard.
Gaines 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.
Gaines wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Del Rio manages to pass to side control.
Gaines wants to get back to his feet.

That's four 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.
Del Rio prevents Gaines from improving his position.
Gaines trying to control from the bottom.
Gaines pushes Del Rio off looking to stand but Del Rio dives back in and keeps control.
Del Rio trying to control from half guard but Gaines is working away.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alberto Del Rio.

Gaines tries to keep at a distance but Del Rio has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gaines wants a takedown but no success here.
Del Rio works on Gaines's body with a couple of short punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Del Rio is trying to force a seperation but Gaines has the dominant position.
Gaines can't get the takedown.
Del Rio lands with a light punch inside.
Alberto Del Rio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bob Gaines is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gaines blocks an elbow strike.
Del Rio lands a hook that snaps the head of Gaines backwards.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Gaines showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gaines, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Gaines!