PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jethro Gibbs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Del Estep (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gibbs
vs
Estep

181 cm
18
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

171 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Saving Grace Clothing

Nature's Edge Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jethro Gibbs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Del Estep!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Steve Erwin and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Estep closes the distance and pushes Gibbs back into the cage.
Gibbs is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Estep to keep the fight standing.

Estep's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Estep manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Gibbs on his heels. He'll look to pass Gibbs's guard now, I'm sure.

Gibbs working for a triangle but Estep defends it easily.
Gibbs could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Estep throws a strike but Gibbs rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Estep working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gibbs doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gibbs manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Estep escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gibbs gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gibbs accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibbs missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Estep looking to control but Gibbs passes into half guard.
Gibbs looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Estep is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gibbs pulls his head out easily.
Estep is trying to get back to full guard.

Estep is defending against the submission attempts here by Gibbs.
Estep wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gibbs missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gibbs passes into side control, despite Estep's attempt to control the position.
Estep is trying to control Gibbs's posture but Gibbs avoids it.
Gibbs working the head with strikes.

Gibbs decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Gibbs looks to clinch

and Estep counters by clinching up.
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!

Estep breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gibbs wants to clinch.
Gibbs closes this distance looking for a takedown but Estep circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Estep throws a head kick that misses.
Gibbs blocks a head kick by Estep.
Estep looks gassed!
Estep slaps away a takedown attempt from Gibbs, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jethro Gibbs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gibbs throws a sloppy head kick and Estep moves out of range easily.
Estep looks for a takedown but Gibbs sprawls well.
Estep avoids a punch combination nicely.
Estep tries to close the distance and clinch but Gibbs swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Estep clinches with his opponent.

Estep manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Estep gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gibbs to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Estep looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Gibbs thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Estep looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gibbs passes into half guard.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gibbs slips a nice elbow through Estep's hands, connecting with Estep's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jethro Gibbs will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gibbs shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Estep sprawls well. Estep wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gibbs gets slowly back to his feet.
Gibbs shoots in but no luck this time.
Estep is looking to clinch.

Estep pushes Gibbs up against the cage in a clinch.

Estep manages to break the clinch.
Estep doesn't manage to clinch there - Gibbs circles away.
Estep doesn't manage to clinch there - Gibbs circles away.
Gibbs shoots in but Estep avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jethro Gibbs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gibbs looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Estep throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibbs blocks a head kick by Estep.
Gibbs tries to score a power double leg takedown but Estep sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gibbs somewhat.
Estep fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gibbs.
Estep tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gibbs taking a break here but Estep is having none of it and regains half guard.
Jethro Gibbs overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Estep looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gibbs is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Estep is just riding it out for now. Gibbs eventually gives up the hold.
Gibbs is thwarting Estep's attempts to control the position.
Estep taking some punishment here, with Gibbs in his half guard.

Gibbs wants to work for an arm triangle but Estep is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gibbs is trying to control the action in half guard but Estep is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Estep wants to get back to full guard.
Estep won't allow Gibbs to pass to mount.
Gibbs scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Estep trying to control but Gibbs postures up.
Estep is not content to let Gibbs control the position.

Estep looking for submissions off his back.
Estep tries to get to full guard but Gibbs has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gibbs winds up and cracks Estep with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Gibbs is trying to control the action in half guard but Estep is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Gibbs seems to be looking for submissions.
Gibbs seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Gibbs is looking for a kimura but Estep is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gibbs to get the leverage.

Estep looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Estep is refusing to be controlled, as Gibbs sits in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Estep trying to control but Gibbs postures up.
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 Jethro Gibbs will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Estep scores with a takedown into Gibbs's guard.
Estep looking to pass the guard.
Gibbs seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Gibbs is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Estep sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Estep avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gibbs working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Estep has passed into half guard!
Estep is controlling the pace.
Gibbs striking from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gibbs looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Estep connects with a nice short shot to Gibbs's temple.
Estep is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Gibbs has a hand on Estep's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Estep takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Estep scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Estep raining down shots from the mount!
Estep raining down shots from the mount!
Estep with good strikes from the mount here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Estep looking to finish Gibbs with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gibbs!
Gibbs is looking to get to half guard.
Estep cracks Gibbs with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gibbs sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Gibbs is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Estep pulls his head out easily.
Gibbs is trying to maintain the position but Estep is very close to passing his half guard.
Ground and pound from Estep.
Del Estep has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gibbs looking for submissions off his back.
Estep passes into side control, despite Gibbs's attempt to control the position.
Gibbs is not content to let Estep control the position.
Gibbs throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Estep working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Del Estep comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gibbs 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jethro Gibbs!
Jethro Gibbs made sure to mention his sponsor, Saving Grace Clothing in his post fight interview.