PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Montana (ranked 2086 p4p, 220 weight class) and Eddie Gelfen (ranked 711 p4p, 81 weight class). Montana comes to the cage accompanied by Push it to the Limit. Eddie Gelfen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Montana
vs
Gelfen

194 cm
36
262 lbs
23 - 17 - 0

195 cm
25
275 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Antonio Montana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Eddie Gelfen!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Montana slips under a jab.
Gelfen throws a hook to the side of Montana's head but Montana sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Montana misses with a head kick.
Gelfen misses with a straight left.
Gelfen lands with a nice body kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Montana lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Gelfen has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Gelfen and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Montana misses with the combination.
Gelfen cracks Montana with a good jab.
A good leg kick by Gelfen.
Gelfen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gelfen throws a body kick that misses

and Montana counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Montana throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gelfen has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Montana thows a huge punch but Gelfen dodges it nicely.
Gelfen is controlling Montana's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Gelfen manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gelfen scores with a one two! Montana had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Montana pushes Gelfen up against the cage in a clinch.
Gelfen misses with a short punch on the inside.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Montana takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Montana.

Gelfen breaks from the clinch.
Gelfen lands with a hook. Montana tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Gelfen misses with a body shot.
Montana tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Montana tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Gelfen defends well and Montana ends up having to push Gelfen into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Gelfen thuds his right hand into Montana's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Gelfen lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gelfen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Montana on the side of the head.

Gelfen forces Montana back against the cage and clinches.
We've been hearing reports that Montana has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Gelfen can't find room to land a body shot as Montana controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gelfen blocks the elbow strike.
Gelfen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gelfen blocks the elbow strike.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gelfen.
Gelfen is looking for a takedown.
Montana misses with a hook to the ribs.

Montana breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gelfen feints and then cracks Montana's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Montana down.
Montana tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gelfen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gelfen shapes to counter with a head kick.

Gelfen cracks Montana with an uppercut from hell and Montana crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Gelfen's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!
Gelfen wants to get up but he can't break Montana's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gelfen wants to control from the top but Montana keeps moving.
Montana looking for a sweep. Not yet Montana, not yet.
Gelfen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Montana swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gelfen stopping the sweep attempt from Montana.
Gelfen stands up over Montana, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gelfen wants to get up but he can't break Montana's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gelfen pushing down on Montana's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Gelfen is trying to control the action in half guard but Montana is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Gelfen seems to be working for a kimura but Montana defends the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gelfen prevents Montana from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Montana is trying to control but can't.
Gelfen wants to advance to full mount but Montana doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Gelfen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Gelfen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Montana pulls Gelfen in to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Montana walks into a jab.
Left hook, right uppercut from Gelfen.

A jab-cross combination lands for Gelfen and sends Montana crashing to the mat! Gelfen follows him down to the mat - Montana regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Montana is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Gelfen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Montana bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Gelfen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gelfen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Montana tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Montana is looking to take a break and control but Gelfen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Antonio Montana overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gelfen on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Gelfen dodges the ground and pound from Montana.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gelfen is trying to control Montana's posture but Montana avoids it.
Gelfen is trying to get back to half guard.
Montana in the domination position with Gelfen hanging on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montana tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Gelfen manages to get back to half guard.
Montana trying to control from half guard but Gelfen is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Montana stalling away here and it's allowed Gelfen to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Gelfen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Montana's guard.

Gelfen's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gelfen wants to control from the top but Montana keeps moving.
Gelfen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gelfen postures up in Montana's guard and throws a big left but Montana blocks it.
Montana controlling the position.
Montana thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Gelfen advances position into side control!
Gelfen wants to stand but Montana has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
Gelfen forces his way into half guard.
Gelfen stalling away here and it's allowed Montana to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gelfen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gelfen wants to control from the top but Montana keeps moving.
Gelfen is pushing down on Montana's leg trying to pass to half guard. Montana is fighting to maintain full guard but Gelfen has managed to sneak the leg through.

Gelfen seems to be looking for submissions.
Montana is concentrating on defense, preventing Gelfen from advancing position.
Montana keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Gelfen wants to control but Montana is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gelfen wants to pass to mount but Montana is defending the position.
Gelfen wants to get back to his feet.
Montana trying to hold on to Gelfen's head to control him but Gelfen postures up.
Gelfen looks to land a strike but Montana avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Gelfen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gelfen wants to control from the top but Montana keeps moving.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Montana being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
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 Antonio Montana will probably get the nod.
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!

Gelfen misses with a hook. Montana ducked under it nicely.
Montana shoots in looking for a takedown but Gelfen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Montana's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Gelfen swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Montana takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gelfen dips to his left and cracks Montana with an uppercut!

Gelfen lands a big shot that drops Montana! Can he finish him?
Oh Montana is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

It looks like Antonio Montana has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gelfen tries to free his leg and advance position but Montana is retaining full guard.

Gelfen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Montana, up you get!
Gelfen throws a jab when Montana was well out of range.
Montana tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Gelfen manages to circle out of the way.

Montana clinches.
Montana seems to have got his legs back now.
Montana lands a right hand that snaps the head of Gelfen backwards.
Gelfen misses with a hook to the ribs.

Gelfen breaks the clinch.
Montana avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Montana ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gelfen moves away.
Gelfen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Montana tries to counter by clinching up but Gelfen breaks away and moves out of range.
Montana closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gelfen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Montana's sensitive parts.
A big left from Gelfen misses.
Eddie Gelfen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Montana walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Gelfen tries to work over Montana's front leg with a kick but Montana checks it.
Gelfen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Montana doesn't manage to clinch there - Gelfen circles away.
Montana cracks Gelfen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A jab from Gelfen finds it's way through Montana's defenses.
Montana avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Montana has managed to clinch.

Montana has hold of one of Gelfen's legs. Gelfen is fighting the takedown attempt but Montana gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
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!
Gelfen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Montana in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Gelfen has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Montana doesn't defend quickly enough and Gelfen has managed to lock this one up! Can Montana escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Gelfen on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Eddie Gelfen!
Eddie Gelfen was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.