PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Arturo Gatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vo Nguyen Giap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arturo Gatti has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Gatti
vs
Nguyen Giap

176 cm
24
163 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

177 cm
18
158 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Arturo Gatti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vo Nguyen Giap!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Lou da Vinci and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giap tries to clinch up.
Gatti tries a head kick but it misses.
Gatti swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Giap moves into the clinch.
Giap is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gatti gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Giap is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gatti pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Giap goes for a takedown in the clinch but Gatti prevents it.
Arturo Gatti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vo Nguyen Giap.
Gatti has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A frustrated look appears on Gatti's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gatti wants to break the clinch but can't.
Giap tries for a takedown. No joy.
Giap tries to pull guard but Gatti won't allow it.
Gatti is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gatti wants to get back to striking at distance but Giap won't allow it.
Gatti gets underhooks to prevent Giap's takedown attempt.
Giap tries to pull guard but Gatti won't allow it.
Giap prevents Gatti from breaking the clinch.
Gatti has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Giap tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gatti wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gatti wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Giap has him pressed against the cage.
Gatti is trying to break free.
Giap drops down looking for an ankle pick but Gatti pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gatti avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Giap tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A combination from Gatti does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giap is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Arturo Gatti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Giap tries to clinch
and Gatti counters with a two punch combo.
Gatti throws a series of punches but Giap avoids them all with ease.
Gatti will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gatti throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Gatti looks to land a combination but Giap avoids it well.
Giap slips a jab and a cross from Gatti.
Gatti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Giap moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gatti throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gatti throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Giap counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gatti can't break the clinch.
Gatti prevents a takedown attempt there.
Giap is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gatti gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Giap tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gatti smiles and moves away.
Giap fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gatti listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Giap closes the distance but Gatti moves to the side
and Gatti counters with a three punch combo that has Giap backing up. Giap nods at Gatti to acknowledge the strikes.
Gatti throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gatti. That's going to slow Giap down.
Giap shoots in for a takedown but Gatti shows good takedown defense.
Gatti throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Giap wants to clinch but Gatti slips to the side
and Gatti counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Giap is lucky that one didn't land flush.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Giap tries to clinch but Gatti is having none of it.
Gatti misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some wild striking there from Gatti.
Gatti throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Giap moves into the clinch.

Gatti breaks the clinch.
Giap moves in looking to clinch but Gatti pushes him off.
Gatti scores with a one two! Giap had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Gatti throws a combination. Giap tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Giap fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gatti's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gatti duly obliges.
Gatti tries to bum rush Giap with a series of wild strikes but Giap uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gatti throws a left and a right that both miss

and Giap holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Giap has Gatti pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gatti manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gatti looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

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

Gatti stands up from Giap's guard - Gatti perhaps looking for a knockout.
Gatti throws a sloppy head kick and Giap moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giap blocks a leg kick.
Giap doesn't manage to clinch there - Gatti circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Giap looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gatti stalks Giap and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Giap's face. Giap staggers backwards, shaken.
Giap tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gatti swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Giap tries to clinch up but Gatti circles away and keeps his distance.
Giap fails with a takedown attempt.
Giap tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gatti counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A combination from Gatti does no damage.
Gatti swinging wildly here.
Giap tries to clinch there but Gatti circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arturo Gatti dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The fight stays on the outside here - Giap looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gatti displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Giap.
Giap tries to clinch but Gatti moves out of range.
Gatti shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Giap eats them both and turns towards Gatti to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
The fight stays on the outside here - Giap looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gatti will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice takedown defense from Gatti. No joy for Giap on that attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giap fails with an attempt to clinch.
Giap misses with a hook to the body
and Gatti counters with a left and a right that stings Giap.
Giap doesn't manage to clinch there - Gatti circles away.
Giap tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gatti manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giap moves in looking to clinch but Gatti pushes him off.
Gatti lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Giap circles away quickly and effectively.
Gatti misses with the combination.
Gatti misses with a head kick.
Gatti throws a nice looking combination but Giap bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Giap darts in trying to clinch
and Gatti counters with a two punch combo.
A punch combination from Gatti misses.
A punch combination from Gatti misses.

Giap has closed the distance and engaged Gatti in a clinch.
Giap is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gatti gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Arturo Gatti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vo Nguyen Giap.
Giap has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Gatti is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gatti gets underhooks to prevent Giap's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gatti wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gatti prevents a takedown attempt there.
Giap is breathing heavily.
Giap goes for a takedown attempt but Gatti pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Giap dodges the punch combination from Gatti.
Gatti throws a nice looking combination but Giap bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Giap avoids a punch combination nicely.
Giap throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gatti swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gatti throws a series of punches but Giap avoids them all with ease.
Gatti lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Giap at a distance.
Gatti is working the combinations to good effect here.
A combination from Gatti does no damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab from Gatti.
Gatti tries a head kick but it misses.
Gatti misses with a double jab.
Arturo Gatti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gatti looks to land a combination. Giap sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gatti throws a right hand that Giap ducks under and follows up with a left that Giap also avoids with ease.
Gatti avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Giap tries to clinch
and Gatti counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Giap is looking to clinch.
Gatti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gatti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Giap moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Giap closes the distance but Gatti moves to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Arturo Gatti is winning the standup battle so far.

Giap has closed the distance and engaged Gatti in a clinch.
Gatti can't break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giap tries for a takedown. No joy.
Giap is trying to drag Gatti to the mat but Gatti just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Gatti wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Giap changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gatti fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Giap dodges the punch combination from Gatti.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Gatti throws a right hand that Giap ducks under and follows up with a left that Giap also avoids with ease.
Giap shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gatti sprawls well. Gatti wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Giap gets slowly back to his feet.
Giap misses with a left hand
and Gatti counters with a series of strikes. Giap will be more careful next time no doubt.
Giap tries to clinch up
and Gatti counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gatti looks to land a combination but Giap avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arturo Gatti dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Gatti misses with a wild combination.
Gatti swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Giap counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Giap drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gatti gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Gatti lands with a light punch inside.
Giap is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gatti pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gatti is looking to break free of the clinch but Giap has double underhooks.
Giap tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gatti smiles and moves away.
Arturo Gatti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vo Nguyen Giap.
Gatti throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gatti shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Giap eats them both and turns towards Gatti to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Gatti throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gatti scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gatti throws a combination that misses

and Giap counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Giap.
Gatti wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Giap has him pressed against the cage.
Gatti has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Giap wants a takedown but no success here.
Giap takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giap can't get the takedown.
Gatti tries to break free but Giap pushes him back against the cage.
Giap has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Gatti is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A short right from Gatti.
Giap tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gatti avoids it.
Gatti is trying to break the clinch but Giap is controlling him.
Gatti stops a takedown attempt from Giap.
Gatti has had enough of the clinch but Giap keeps him there for the moment.
Gatti is trying to push Giap away but Giap has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Giap has Gatti pressed against the cage, preventing Gatti from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Giap has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Gatti is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Giap prevents Gatti from breaking the clinch.
Gatti is looking to break free of the clinch but Giap has double underhooks.
Giap keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gatti's efforts to push away.
Gatti is trying to break the clinch but Giap is controlling him.
A frustrated look appears on Gatti's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gatti taking a breather.
Gatti wants to break free but Giap has control.
Giap is working for takedown but Gatti is calmly controlling the position for now.
Giap is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Gatti can't break the clinch.
Gatti tries to break free but Giap pushes him back against the cage.
Gatti is pressed up against the cage. Giap has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gatti down to the mat. Gatti avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gatti goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Gatti throws a one two combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giap darts in trying to clinch
and Gatti counters with a two punch combo.
Gatti lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Giap circles away quickly and effectively.
Giap avoids a punch combination nicely.
Giap fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gatti throws a combination that misses

and Giap holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Giap lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Giap stops Gatti from getting back to his feet.
Gatti gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giap connects with a couple of short punches.

Gatti is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Gatti is trying to break free.
Giap is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gatti pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Giap is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gatti gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gatti has had enough of the clinch but Giap keeps him there for the moment.
Gatti wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gatti has had enough of the clinch but Giap keeps him there for the moment.
Giap tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gatti is pressed up against the cage. Giap has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gatti down to the mat. Gatti avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gatti swinging wildly here.
Gatti circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gatti misses with a series of wild punches.
Giap tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gatti manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giap closes the distance looking to clinch
and Gatti counters with a three punch combo that has Giap backing up. Giap nods at Gatti to acknowledge the strikes.
Gatti throws a right and a left that Giap avoids nicely.
Vo Nguyen Giap has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gatti throws a right and a left that Giap avoids nicely.
Gatti keeps the fight on the outside.
Arturo Gatti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Giap tries to clinch
and Gatti counters with a one-two to the body.
Giap wants to clinch.
Giap throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arturo Gatti showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gatti, 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arturo Gatti!