PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Michael Booker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henry Gondorff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Booker
vs
Gondorff

160 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
23
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Michael Booker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Henry Gondorff!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gondorff is trying hard to land a takedown here. Booker sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Booker has his takedown stuffed
enabling Gondorff to counter with a crisp jab.

Gondorff gets a takedown into half guard.

Booker pushes Gondorff off and gets back to his feet.
Gondorff tries to clinch but Booker moves out of range.
Booker doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gondorff counters by clinching up.
Booker fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Booker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gondorff gets underhooks to prevent Booker's takedown attempt.
Booker being controlled against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gondorff lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Gondorff is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gondorff tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Booker keeping control of the position.
Gondorff sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Booker defending well though.
Booker trying to control from the bottom.
Gondorff prevents Booker from standing back up.

Gondorff is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gondorff tries to stand but can't do so whilst Booker controls his leg.
Booker is controlling Gondorff's trapped leg to prevent Gondorff from advancing to side control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gondorff tries to clinch but Booker moves out of range.

Gondorff drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Gondorff looks gassed!
You can see the frustration on Booker's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Booker is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gondorff is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Booker tries to improve position but can't.
Booker wants to control but Gondorff postures up.
Booker holds on to Gondorff's head and controls the position momentarily.
Booker wants to control but Gondorff postures up.
Gondorff just content to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gondorff misses with a takedown

and Booker counters with a single leg into guard. Gondorff didn't expect that.
Gondorff can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Booker controls the pace.
Booker's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henry Gondorff dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Booker misses with a takedown

and Gondorff counters by moving into the clinch.

Gondorff has hold of one of Booker's legs. Booker is fighting the takedown attempt but Gondorff gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Booker trying to control the position here.
Gondorff must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gondorff pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Booker is keeping the position for now.
Gondorff is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Booker is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Michael Booker just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Booker shoots and misses

and Gondorff counters with a shoot takedown. Booker fights it but they end up in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gondorff not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Booker might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Booker has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Booker looking for a guillotine here but Gondorff defends easily.
Booker keeping moving, preventing Gondorff from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gondorff would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Booker pulls Gondorff in close to his closed guard and prevents Gondorff from doing any damage or advancing position.
Gondorff trying to control the position from guard on top but Booker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Booker is adopting a defensive guard.
Gondorff won't allow Booker to get back to his feet.
Booker has his hands on Gondorff's head, controlling the position.

That's four 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.
Gondorff trying to control the position from guard on top but Booker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Booker looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Gondorff is defending well. Booker quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Gondorff has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Booker celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Michael Booker!