PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bradford Piper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrzej Gazda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bradford Piper has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Piper
vs
Gazda

168 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

162 cm
20
144 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Bradford Piper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Andrzej Gazda!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Daniel Bishop and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piper lands with a nice combination. Gazda backs away looking to recover.
Piper checks a low kick from Gazda.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gazda looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gazda lands with a straight right. Piper didn't see that one coming.
Gazda will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Piper shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gazda but Gazda pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gazda shoots and misses
and Piper counters with a good low kick that Gazda was not able to check.
Andrzej Gazda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gazda dodges the punch combination from Piper.
Gazda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Piper fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Gazda pushes Piper up against the cage in a clinch.

Gazda turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Gazda manages to end up in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gazda decides to stand back up.
Piper is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Piper scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Gazda wants to control but Piper is keeping busy.
Gazda keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gazda wants to get back to full guard.

Gazda looking for submissions off his back.

Piper decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Gazda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gazda closes the distance looking to clinch
and Piper counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gazda thinking.

That's two 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.
Gazda lands with a shot to the body.
Gazda swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Piper throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gazda's waist but Gazda gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Piper off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bradford Piper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gazda connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gazda wants to clinch.
No luck for Piper with that takedown attempt.
Gazda tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Piper swivels and escapes.
Gazda tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Piper counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Piper throws a right and a left that both miss.
Piper moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Gazda is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piper doesn't manage to clinch there - Gazda circles away.
Piper throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gazda misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gazda keeps the fight on the outside.
Piper shoots for a takedown but Gazda saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A punch combination from Gazda misses.

Gazda tries to keep at a distance but Piper has taken the fight into the clinch.
Piper taking a breather.

Gazda gets control of Piper's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gazda will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Gazda looking to hit a scissor sweep but Piper is one step ahead there.
Gazda is trying to control the position but Piper postures up.

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.
Gazda looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Piper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gazda swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Piper gets to his feet - Gazda follows without any prompting.
Gazda wants to clinch
and Piper counters with a good low kick that Gazda was not able to check.
Gazda shoots in for a takedown but Piper shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Piper drives through and clinches with Gazda against the cage.
Gazda avoids the elbow strike from Piper, against the cage.
Piper keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gazda's efforts to push away.

Gazda pulls guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Andrzej Gazda will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gazda scores with the left hand. Piper knows he should have avoided that one.
Gazda stuns Piper with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Piper tries to land a front kick but Gazda steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Piper fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Gazda is out of range.
A leg kick checked by Gazda.

Gazda gets in close and instigates a clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gazda throws an elbow but misses.
Nice body punch from Gazda - that landed with a thud.
Gazda lands an elbow inside.
Gazda throws a knee to the head but misses.

Gazda pulls guard.
Piper throws and elbow that misses. Gazda uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Piper's guard. Nice move by Gazda!
Gazda wants to control from the top but Piper keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Piper looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Gazda puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gazda blocks the strikes from Piper.
Gazda wants to control but Piper is keeping him busy.
Gazda prevents Piper from improving his position.
Piper is refusing to be controlled, as Gazda sits in half guard.
Piper is looking for a sweep. Gazda is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gazda tries to clinch

and Piper counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gazda wants to get back to striking at distance but Piper won't allow it.
Gazda wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

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.
Gazda with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gazda landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Piper tries to break the clinch but Gazda is controlling the position.
Piper leaning his opponent against the cage.
Piper has had enough of the clinch but Gazda keeps him there for the moment.
Gazda throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Piper blocks it with crossed arms.
Piper on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Gazda prevents Piper from breaking the clinch.
Piper is trying to force a seperation but Gazda has the dominant position.
Piper has Gazda pressed against the cage.

Gazda manages to break the clinch.
Gazda moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Piper throws a body kick that misses.
Piper takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gazda misses with a takedown attempt
and Piper counters with a nice body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gazda lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Gazda stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gazda wants it to stay on the feet.
Piper circles away from the clinch attempt.
Piper circles away from the clinch attempt

and Piper counters with a takedown into side control.

Piper decides to stand up, so the ref orders Gazda to his feet.
Piper fails to land with a series of punches.
A head kick from Piper lands but Gazda takes it in his stride.

Gazda shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gazdais looking to pass into half guard but Piper pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Piper is in guard.
Gazda working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Piper.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gazda looking to hit a scissor sweep but Piper is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piper looking to pass the guard.
Piper throwing strikes from guard but Gazda blocks nicely.
Gazda lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Piper!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Piper wants to control but Gazda is having none of it.
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 Bradford Piper will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Piper takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Piper swats away the attempt to clinch by Gazda.
Gazda tries to clinch up but Piper circles away and keeps his distance.

Piper darts in and clinches Gazda up against the cage.
Piper tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gazda just stands there and leans against the cage.

Gazda pulls guard.
Gazda looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Piper throws and elbow that misses. Gazda uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Piper's guard. Nice move by Gazda!
Gazda trying to control but Piper is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Piper uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gazda lands a nice looking body shot.
Piper swinging wilding here.
Gazda shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Piper defends it nicely.
Piper tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gazda swivels and escapes.
Gazda clinches but Piper breaks the clinch
and Piper counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Gazda is lucky that one didn't land flush.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gazda looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gazda tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Piper paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Piper throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gazda counters with a straight right hand.
Piper swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Piper takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gazda will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Gazda has managed to clinch.
Piper tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gazda's elbow.
Gazda wants to stall.
Piper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gazda has him pressed against the cage.
Piper swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gazda with a knee to the head.
Gazda slowing the pace effectively.
Gazda tries a knee to the head but Piper blocks it.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Piper.
Piper tries to pull guard but Gazda holds him up against the cage and eventually Piper drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bradford Piper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Piper tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gazda unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A frustrated look appears on Gazda's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gazda tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Gazda wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Piper has him pressed against the cage.
Piper tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Piper wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Piper has had enough of the clinch but Gazda keeps him there for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gazda jumps guard.
Piper chips away with some ground and pound.
Piper is in close to Gazda's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Piper has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Piper stands up from Gazda's guard - Piper perhaps looking for a knockout.

Piper darts in and clinches Gazda up against the cage.
Piper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gazda smiles and moves away.
Gazda gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Piper makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Gazda throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Piper's waist but Piper gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gazda off to one side.
Piper misses with the combination.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gazda.
Piper tries to bum rush Gazda with a series of wild strikes but Gazda uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gazda fails with a takedown attempt.
Gazda tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gazda looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Piper connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Piper keeps the fight on the outside.
Gazda throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Piper fails to land with a series of punches.
Piper throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Gazda counter with a right hand.
Gazda swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Piper circles away from the clinch attempt.
Piper is looking to land body kicks.
Gazda fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Piper avoids it really well and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bradford Piper.
I think Piper 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Bradford Piper!