PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Gardner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hammer Rage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hammer Rage has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gardner
vs
Rage

188 cm
18
230 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Josh Gardner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hammer Rage!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Dmitry Maklakov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rage shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gardner pinned against the cage. Gardner gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gardner lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Gardner looking to land some kicks to the body here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rage is trying to drag Gardner to the mat but Gardner just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Gardner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gardner looks to land a body kick but Rage moved away.
Nice sprawl there from Gardner as Rage shoots in.
Josh Gardner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hammer Rage.

Rage takes the fight into the clinch.
Gardner lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gardner pushes Rage back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rage looks gassed!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short uppercut from Gardner.
Gardner lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rage backwards.
Gardner scores with a shot to the side of Rage's head.
Gardner lands a left hand.

Rage is rocked!
Gardner lands a nice shot to the body.
Rage is still on wobbly legs! Can Gardner finish him?
Gardner lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rage seems to have recovered his senses.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rage takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Gardner throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rage closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gardner fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Gardner instigates a clinch.
Gardner lands with a short shot to the head.
Gardner lands a left hand.
Gardner digs a right hand underneath Rage's ribcage. Rage let out a lung full of air as it connected.
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!

Gardner manages to break the clinch.
Gardner connects with a leg kick. Rage looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Gardner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rage.
Rage takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
A slapping leg kick lands for Gardner.
A solid body kick from Gardner.

Gardner rushes Rage and presses him up against the cage.
Gardner lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rage backwards.
Gardner working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Gardner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gardner throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Gardner takes a swing at Rage's ribcage but misses.

Rage gets tackled into the cage by Gardner. Gardner maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Gardner.

Gardner manages to break the clinch.
Gardner swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Rage counters with a left to the body.
Rage takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gardner uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rage has time to react.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Gardner. Rage shrugs it off though.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gardner.
Gardner scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A punch combination from Rage misses.

Gardner clinches up with Rage and pushes him back against the cage.
Gardner lands a nice shot to the body.
Gardner lands a shot to the body.
Gardner throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gardner.
Gardner cracks Rage with a nice body shot.
Rage's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Gardner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gardner fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rage manages to avoid it.
A jab from Gardner misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Gardner misses the target.
Gardner is looking to wear down Rage with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gardner misses with a body shot
and Rage counters with a series of strikes. Gardner will be more careful next time no doubt.
Gardner connects with a solid leg kick.
Gardner throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rage.
Gardner tests Rage's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gardner looks to land a left hand but Rage moved out of range nicely.
Gardner wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Rage blocks a head kick by Gardner.

Rage moves into the clinch.
Gardner lands a nice shot to the body.
A body shot lands from Gardner.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gardner lands with a hook. Rage tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Gardner looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gardner throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner connects with a nice looking jab.
Gardner moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gardner throws a hook to the side of Rage's head but Rage sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rage fails with a takedown attempt.

Gardner clinches.
Gardner pushes Rage back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gardner lands a shoulder strike.

Gardner breaks from the clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Gardner, right into the meat.
Rage doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rage takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Gardner lands with a good body shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gardner moves out of range of the body kick from Rage.
Gardner misses with a body shot
and Rage counters with a straight right hand.
Nice body kick from Gardner.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Gardner dominated that 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.

Gardner connects with an inside leg kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Gardner finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

Gardner takes the fight into the clinch.
Gardner scores with a hook to the body.
Gardner lands a body punch in the clinch.
Gardner lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gardner works on Rage's body with a couple of short punches.
Rage's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Gardner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gardner.
Rage walks forward, straight into a front kick from Gardner.
Gardner throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Rage has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Gardner.
Gardner lands with a nice body kick.
Gardner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rage can do to turn this around?
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gardner digs a good body shot into Rage's ribs.
Rage keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gardner ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rage moves away.
Gardner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rage was well out of range. Poor timing from Gardner.

Rage rushes Gardner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Josh Gardner has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner lands a shot to the body.
Gardner scores with a shoulder strike.
A short left from Gardner.
Gardner throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Gardner throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Rages head.
Nice body punch from Gardner.
Gardner lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Gardner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gardner misses with a body shot.
Josh Gardner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gardner lands with a kick to the ribs.
Gardner throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gardner swinging wildly here.
A nice leg kick lands there from Gardner.
Gardner 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.
Gardner throws a body kick that misses.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Gardner. Rage shrugs it off though.
Gardner lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Rage gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rage jumps guard but Gardner stands there with Rage around his waist. Rage gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Gardner makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Gardner scores with a hook to the body.
Nice body punch from Gardner - that landed with a thud.
Gardner scores with a shot to the side of Rage's head.
Gardner lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Gardner lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rage backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gardner.
Gardner lands a hook that snaps the head of Rage backwards.
Gardner lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Rage.
Rage takes a shot to the head.
Gardner lands a hook that snaps the head of Rage backwards.
Gardner lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rage backwards.
Gardner lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gardner.
Gardner works on Rage's body with a couple of short punches.
Gardner scores with a shoulder strike.
A left hand lands to the body for Gardner.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gardner connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rage momentarily.
Rage keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Gardner throws a sloppy body shot

and Rage counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gardner pulls Rage in close to prevent any damage.
Rage throws a strike but Gardner rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rage trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gardner stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Rage tries to land a body kick
and Gardner makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Rage really felt that one!
Rage rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gardner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Horrible takedown by Rage or perhaps it was just good defense by Gardner which made him look bad.
Gardner throws a jab but it's blocked by Rage.
Gardner thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Rage if he has to take too many more of those.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Gardner dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Gardner scores with a leg kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rage.
Gardner connects with a solid leg kick.
Nice body kick there by Gardner.
Rage dodges the punch combination from Gardner.
Gardner throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Gardner moves into the clinch.
Rage trying to control the position but instead, Gardner has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rage into the cage.
Nice body punch from Gardner - that landed with a thud.
Rage takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A short left from Gardner.
A body shot lands from Gardner.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gardner lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A hook to the body from Gardner.
Gardner lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gardner lands with a light punch inside.
Gardner lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gardner.
Gardner gets through Rage's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Gardner lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rage backwards.
Gardner makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A short left from Gardner.

Gardner drops Rage onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Rage is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
Gardner lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Rage to his knees! Gardner keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Josh Gardner!