PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Erich Gillespie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Israel Vazquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Israel Vazquez has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Erich Gillespie's chin.

Gillespie
vs
Vazquez

189 cm
21
151 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

167 cm
25
153 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Erich Gillespie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Israel Vazquez!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Emerson Jorge and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vazquez moves into the clinch.
Gillespie tries to throw a body punch but Vazquez avoids it by throwing Gillespie back against the cage.
Gillespie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Vazquez pulls his leg out and moves away.

Vazquez rushes Gillespie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Gillespie gets control of Vazquez's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gillespie will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gillespie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Vazquez is aware though and is defending well.
Vazquez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gillespie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gillespie, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gillespie can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vazquez controls the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vazquez preventing the sweep.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Vazquez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gillespie keeping full guard, as Vazquez tries to pass.
Gillespie throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vazquez throws a big elbow that misses.
Gillespie really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Gillespie striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Gillespie 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.
Gillespie has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Vazquez has passed into side control.
Vazquez wants to control but Gillespie is keeping him busy.
Gillespie is looking to regain half guard here but Vazquez keeps moving and retains side control.
Gillespie 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.

Vazquez has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Gillespie stuffs the takedown attempt from Vazquez. Vazquez gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vazquez shoots for a double leg takedown but Gillespie sprawls well. He's pushed Vazquez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Gillespie misses with the combination.

Vazquez darts in and clinches Gillespie up against the cage.
Gillespie dodges an elbow strike from Vazquez.
Vazquez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gillespie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vazquez walks away with a smile on his face. Gillespie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gillespie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Vazquez counters by moving into the clinch.
Vazquez has Gillespie pressed against the cage, preventing Gillespie from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gillespie is trying to break free.
Vazquez jumps guard but Gillespie stands there with Vazquez around his waist. Vazquez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Erich Gillespie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Israel Vazquez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gillespie fails to pull guard.

Gillespie gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Gillespie postures up.
Vazquez wants to control but Gillespie passes easily into half guard.
Gillespie prevents Vazquez from standing back up.
Vazquez is holding on to half guard well.
Vazquez is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gillespie scores with a couple of nice shots.
Vazquez trying to control here.
Vazquez wants to improve his position but Gillespie is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vazquez manages to get to full guard.

Vazquez has his feet on Gillespie's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Vazquez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Vazquez stops a takedown attempt from Gillespie.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vazquez has Gillespie pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gillespie manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Vazquez is trying to maintain a safe position but Gillespie gets an underhook and turns Vazquez into the cage.
Gillespie is trying to force a seperation but Vazquez has the dominant position.
Vazquez wants a takedown but no success here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Israel Vazquez dominated that round.
That's time! Gillespie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Vazquez clinches up with Gillespie and pushes him back against the cage.
Vazquez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gillespie looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gillespie tries to break free but Vazquez pushes him back against the cage.

Gillespie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gillespie has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Vazquez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Gillespie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vazquez tries to land a body kick

and Gillespie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Vazquez won't be happy with that.
Gillespie trying to control the action but Vazquez is working from the bottom.
Vazquez taking a bit of punishment here - Gillespie scoring with strikes.
Vazquez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Gillespie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Vazquez is looking to control Gillespie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Vazquez avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gillespie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gillespie not doing much here.
Gillespie throwing shots but Vazquez is blocking nicely.
Vazquez trying to control here.
Gillespie throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Vazquez to regain full guard.
Vazquez is trying to keep Gillespie in close.
Gillespie throwing strikes from guard but Vazquez blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Vazquez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gillespie throws an elbow that misses. Vazquez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gillespie's guard. Nice move by Vazquez!

Vazquez stopping the sweep attempt from Gillespie.
Vazquez wants to pass the guard but Gillespie is keeping the position.
Vazquez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Gillespie wants to sweep here but Vazquez controlling him for the moment.
Vazquez with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vazquez wants to control from the top but Gillespie keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gillespie misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Vazquez takes the fight into the clinch.
Gillespie tries to break the clinch but Vazquez is controlling the position.

Gillespie manages to break the clinch.

Vazquez closes the distance and clinches.
Gillespie is trying to push Vazquez away but Vazquez has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Gillespie can't break the clinch.
Gillespie keeps control of Vazquez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Vazquez is looking for a takedown.
Gillespie looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Vazquez is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gillespie to keep the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gillespie lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Vazquez is looking to control Gillespie's arms but Gillespie gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vazquez has his back to the cage.

Gillespie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gillespie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Vazquez counters by clinching up.
Gillespie tries to break free but Vazquez pushes him back against the cage.
Vazquez scores with a hook to the body.

Gillespie breaks from the clinch.

Vazquez drives through and clinches with Gillespie against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Gillespie is trying to break free.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vazquez has Gillespie pressed against the cage, preventing Gillespie from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Gillespie manages to break the clinch.

Vazquez pushes Gillespie up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Erich Gillespie will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Vazquez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gillespie as he jumps to the side.
Gillespie appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Vazquez has Gillespie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gillespie prevents Vazquez from breaking the clinch.
Gillespie dodges an elbow strike from Vazquez.
Gillespie looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Gillespie jumps into guard, dragging Vazquez to the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gillespie is on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gillespie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Vazquez wants to stand and escape but Gillespie is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vazquez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Vazquez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Vazquez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Vazquez wants to sweep here but Gillespie controlling him for the moment.
Gillespie with a nice head shot there.
Gillespie throwing strikes from guard but Vazquez blocks nicely.
Gillespie working some strikes from top position.
Gillespie is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Gillespie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Vazquez wants to get back to his feet but Gillespie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gillespie preventing the sweep.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Vazquez trying to keep a closed guard but Gillespie is proving a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gillespie moves in looking to clinch but Vazquez pushes him off.
Gillespie leaves Vazquez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Vazquez swats away the attempt to clinch by Gillespie.
Gillespie throws a sloppy head kick and Vazquez moves out of range easily.
Erich Gillespie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Vazquez moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gillespie is trying to force a seperation but Vazquez has the dominant position.

Gillespie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gillespie pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Vazquez back to the cage. Gillespie follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Vazquez.
Erich Gillespie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Israel Vazquez.
Vazquez closes the distance and clinches up with Gillespie, looking for a takedown. Vazquez pushes Gillespie against the cage but Gillespie circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Vazquez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gillespie throws a hook but Vazquez blocks it.

Gillespie has taken the fight to the clinch.

Gillespie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Vazquez darts in and clinches Gillespie up against the cage.

Gillespie breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vazquez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gillespie's waist but Gillespie gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Vazquez off to one side.
Gillespie tries to counter with a takedown but Vazquez is quick to defend against it.
Vazquez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gillespie's waist but Gillespie gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Vazquez off to one side.
Gillespie drops down looking for a counter takedown but Vazquez sprawls and moves away.
Vazquez dodges the punch combination from Gillespie.
Vazquez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gillespie went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Gillespie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gillespie stuffs the takedown.
Gillespie went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gillespie tries to clinch up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head kick misses from Vazquez.
Gillespie throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erich Gillespie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gillespie 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erich Gillespie!