PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Robben Van Gal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Briggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robben Van Gal has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Van Gal
vs
Briggs

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Broken Halo Threads

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 Los Angeles, Robben Van Gal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eric Briggs!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Briggs misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Gal.
Briggs throws a right hand that Van Gal ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Gal also avoids with ease.
Briggs looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Van Gal showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Briggs.
Van Gal shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Briggs but Briggs pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Van Gal could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Briggs bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Van Gal's head.

It looks like Robben Van Gal has been cut.

Van Gal shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Van Gal looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Gal is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Briggs is trying to get back to full guard.
Briggs is staying active underneath Van Gal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Van Gal wants to pass the guard but Briggs is defending well.

Briggs is defending against the submission attempts here by Van Gal.

Van Gal is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Briggs doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Van Gal.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Briggs misses with a double jab.
Van Gal shoots in but no luck this time.
Van Gal is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Van Gal tries for a takedown but Briggs sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robben Van Gal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Gal shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Briggs as he jumps to the side.
Van Gal is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Gal shoots in looking for a takedown. Briggs tries to sprawl out of it but Van Gal keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Briggs manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Briggs misses with a double jab.
Van Gal throws an off balance right hand
and Briggs counters with a left to the body.
Some wild striking there from Briggs.
Briggs misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Gal misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Briggs to counter with a crisp jab.
Van Gal throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Briggs moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Van Gal is rocked!
Briggs throws a right and a left that Van Gal avoids nicely.
Van Gal fails with the takedown
and Van Gal takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Oh Van Gal is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Briggs misses the shot to the body.
Van Gal seems to have got his legs back now.
Van Gal doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Van Gal takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Robben Van Gal's cut is getting worse.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Briggs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Briggs dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Robben Van Gal's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Van Gal doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Briggs counter with a right hand.
Briggs throws a shot to the body.
Van Gal gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Briggs counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Van Gal tries for a takedown but Briggs circles away easily
and Briggs counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robben Van Gal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Gal throws a poor cross that misses

and Briggs counters with a series of strikes that sends Van Gal to the canvas! Briggs follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!

Van Gal is rocked!

Robben Van Gal's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Briggs is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Oh Van Gal is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Van Gal seems to have got his legs back now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Gal working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Briggs has passed into half guard!
Van Gal might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Briggs stalling.
Van Gal has a hand on Briggs's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Briggs takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Van Gal is looking to get to half guard.
Van Gal is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Briggs is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Van Gal manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Van Gal gets back to full guard.

Van Gal looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Van Gal has his foot on Briggs's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Briggs works his way back into a safe position though.
Briggs distracts Van Gal with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Van Gal has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Briggs is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Van Gal.
Van Gal tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Briggs wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Van Gal regains half guard.
Van Gal wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briggs tries to pass the half guard into mount. Van Gal knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Van Gal is looking for a sweep. Briggs is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Van Gal gets back to full guard.
Van Gal looking to hit a scissor sweep but Briggs is one step ahead there.
Van Gal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Briggs's guard.
Van Gal looking to pass the guard.
Van Gal wants to control from the top but Briggs keeps moving.
Van Gal pushes down on Briggs's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Briggs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Robben Van Gal's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Van Gal slips a jab and a cross from Briggs.

Van Gal drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Van Gal tries to free his leg and advance position but Briggs is retaining full guard.
Van Gal trying to control but Briggs is working from the bottom.

Van Gal has gone for a leg lock! Briggs slips out almost immediately though and dives into Van Gal's guard.
Van Gal keeping moving, preventing Briggs from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Van Gal has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Briggs is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Van Gal.
Briggs gets to mount! Van Gal was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Gal keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Briggs trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Briggs takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Briggs lands a big elbow.
Van Gal is squirming around, avoiding Briggs's attempts to control the action.
Briggs pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Briggs landing strikes from the mount and Van Gal is in trouble!
Van Gal is looking to get to half guard.
Briggs breaks from Van Gal's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Van Gal is trying desperately to improve position.
Briggs controlling the position easily from mount.
Briggs can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Van Gal is looking to escape.
Van Gal is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs is trying to control here but Van Gal has managed to regain half guard.
Van Gal wants to improve his position but Briggs is controlling well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Briggs lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Briggs cracks a nice hook into Van Gal's ribs.
No joy there for Briggs, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Briggs throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Van Gal sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Van Gal decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Van Gal looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Van Gal is pressing down on Briggs's thigh, looking to free his foot. Briggs is holding on for now.

Van Gal is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Briggs has managed to free his arm - good work.

Van Gal is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Van Gal is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Briggs!

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 Robben Van Gal.
I think Briggs has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Briggs!