PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Clay Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Gardner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Gardner's choice of entrance music: Stavesacre - Minuteman. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Henderson
vs
Gardner

173 cm
19
158 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

163 cm
25
154 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Clay Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Aaron Gardner!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Franklyn Lucas and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gardner avoids the body shot from Henderson.
Henderson scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Gardner bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Henderson regains half guard, as Gardner was trying to land strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gardner is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Henderson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gardner trying to control the pace.
Gardner thows a huge punch but Henderson dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner prevents Henderson from improving his position.
Henderson is trying to control but can't.
Still in half guard, Gardner seems content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gardner drops an elbow to the side of Henderson's head.
Gardner tries to pass to full mount but Henderson defends it.
Gardner with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gardner cracks Henderson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Henderson ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gardner throws a poor cross that misses
and Henderson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Aaron Gardner has been cut.

Gardner shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Henderson is trying to defend but Gardner finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gardner looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henderson is trying to get back to full guard.
Henderson is trying to stand back up but Gardner is controlling him
Henderson is trying to get back to full guard.
Gardner working Henderson over with strikes.
Henderson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gardner.
Gardner drops an elbow to the side of Henderson's head.
Gardner has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Henderson is pressing down on Gardner's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson wants to control the position but Gardner says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Henderson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Henderson.
Gardner stops Henderson from standing up.
Gardner tries to free his leg and advance position but Henderson is retaining full guard.
Gardner is stalling in the full guard.
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Gardner is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Henderson trying to keep a closed guard but Gardner is proving a slippery customer.
Gardner controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gardner bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Henderson is not content to let Gardner control the position.
Henderson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Henderson is trying to get back to full guard.
Henderson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gardner controlling the action here.
Gardner thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Henderson's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aaron Gardner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Aaron Gardner's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Henderson closes the distance looking to clinch

and Gardner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Henderson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Henderson tries to get to full guard but Gardner has control of the leg.
Gardner content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Gardner winds up and cracks Henderson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Henderson is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner wants to take a breather but Henderson is having none of it.
Gardner not doing much here.
Gardner is thwarting Henderson's attempts to control the position.
Gardner stops Henderson from getting back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A swing and a miss from Gardner.

Gardner gets a takedown into half guard.
Gardner seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardner lands with a punch from half guard.
Henderson pushes Gardner off looking to stand but Gardner dives back in and keeps control.
Gardner looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gardner scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Henderson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Aaron Gardner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gardner performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Henderson trying to control from the bottom.
Henderson is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Gardner jumps into side control!
Gardner controls the position from side control.
Henderson takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Henderson gets back to half guard.
Gardner is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Gardner is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gardner throwing shots but Henderson is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner drops an elbow to the side of Henderson's head.
Henderson tries to get to full guard but Gardner has control of the leg.
Gardner content to control rather than advance.
Gardner missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Henderson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gardner.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Gardner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aaron Gardner's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Henderson tries to clinch but Gardner moves away

and Gardner counters with a nice double leg into side control. Henderson won't be happy with that.
Gardner working the ground and pound from side control.
Gardner tries to advance to mount but can't.
Henderson looks to move to half guard but instead Gardner has passed into mount! Damn!
Gardner landing strikes from the mount and Henderson is in trouble!
Gardner wants to control the pace but Henderson is squirming around nicely.
A nice elbow there by Gardner.
Gardner controlling the position easily from mount.
Gardner with the ground and pound from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner content just to control the position here.
Henderson really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Henderson is bucking up trying to escape but Gardner cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Henderson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gardner lands with some strikes.
Clay Henderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardner with the ground and pound from mount.
Gardner tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Henderson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gardner controlling from the full mount.
Henderson bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Henderson is looking to stand up but Gardner won't let him.
Henderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Gardner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson wants to stand but Gardner is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gardner is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Gardner sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Henderson is refusing to be controlled, as Gardner sits in half guard.
Henderson works his way to full guard. Good work.

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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Henderson is on top in guard.
Gardner is pulling down on Henderson's head to control his posture.
Aaron Gardner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Henderson won't allow Gardner to sweep him here.
Henderson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gardner seems keen to control Henderson's posture.
Henderson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Henderson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Gardner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gardner winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Gardner!