PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Derek Safo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hutch Gibson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Safo comes to the cage accompanied by Up Your Speed by Sway DaSafo. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Safo
vs
Gibson

186 cm
26
179 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

185 cm
30
175 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Derek Safo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hutch Gibson!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gibson throws a leg kick but Safo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Safo lands with a good body shot.
Gibson will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Gibson throws a low kick but Safo avoids it.
Gibson throws a front kick aimed at Safo's knee but Safo avoids it well.

Gibson scores a takedown into full mount!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Safo tries to lock up and control but Gibson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gibson misses with a head shot.
Gibson throwing strikes here but Safo is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Safo is trying desperately to improve position.
Gibson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Safo looks a forlorn figure.
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!
Gibson landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibson throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Safo is in a horrible position here. Gibson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gibson prevents Safo from getting the reversal.
Gibson thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Safo avoids a series of strikes thrown by Gibson.
Safo is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Gibson with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gibson looking to ground and pound but Safo is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Safo is squirming around, avoiding Gibson's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Safo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gibson sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Safo gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safo is looking to improve his position.
Gibson is looking to take a break and control but Safo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Safo trying to hold on to Gibson's head to control him but Gibson postures up.
Gibson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Gibson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Safo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Safo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gibson with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gibson trying to control the position from guard on top but Safo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gibson throws an elbow that misses. Safo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gibson's guard. Nice move by Safo!
Safo preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gibson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gibson is looking to stand back up but Safo counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Gibson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hutch Gibson 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.

Gibson moves out of range of the strikes.
Gibson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Gibson ducks under a wild hook from Safo.
Safo feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gibsons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Gibson tries to work over Safo's front leg with a kick but Safo checks it.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Safo.
Gibson misses with a hook to the body
and Safo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gibson takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gibson throws a leg kick but Safo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Safo checks a low kick from Gibson.
Good work by Safo as he checks the leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Gibson.
Gibson swings widly with a right hand
and Safo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Safo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Safo avoids the body shot from Gibson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Safo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gibson dodges the punch combination from Safo.
Gibson slips a jab from Safo.
Gibson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gibson thumps Safo with a low kick.
Safo misses the shot to the body.
Safo throws a right hand that misses

and Gibson counters by clinching up.

Gibson manages to break the clinch.
Safo misses with a wild body shot.
Safo blocks a head kick by Gibson.
Gibson fails with a takedown attempt.
A slow jab from Gibson misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gibson moves into range and clinches up with Safo.
Safo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Safo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gibson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Safo avoids it.

Gibson breaks the clinch.
A low kick from Gibson misses
enabling Safo to counter with a crisp jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gibson lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Gibson throws a right hand that Safo ducks under and follows up with a left that Safo also avoids with ease.
Gibson attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Safo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Safo misses with an uppercut.
Gibson misses with a takedown attempt - Safo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Gibson throws a leg kick but Safo moved away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safo catches Gibson with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Gibson defending well as Safo loads up on a big left hand.
Safo just misses with a punch to the body.

Gibson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Safo, pushing him back against the cage.
Safo tries to work over Gibson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gibson slowing the pace effectively.
Safo prevents the takedown attempt.
Derek Safo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hutch Gibson.
Safo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Safo throws a head punch that misses.
Safo has a couple of punches blocked by Gibson.
Safo avoids a wild elbow strike from Gibson.
Gibson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Safo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Gibson fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Safo lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gibson at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Safo misses.
Safo slips a jab from Gibson.
A slow jab from Safo misses its intended target.
Safo misses with a straight left.
Safo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gibson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Safo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Safo lands a glancing blow to the side of Gibson's head.
Gibson lands the left hand.
Safo throws out a loose jab but Gibson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Safo misses the shot to the body.
Gibson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gibson.
Safo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hutch Gibson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Safo misses with a straight right.
Nice uppercut there from Safo.
Safo scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gibson takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Gibson moves into the clinch.
Safo misses with a punch to the body.
Safo lands a left hand.
Safo misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch on the inside from Safo fails to land.
Gibson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Safo stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Gibson looking to slow down the pace here.
Safo tries a body shot but Gibson blocks it.
Safo stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Safo lands a nice shot to the body.
Safo tries a body shot but Gibson blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Safo working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Gibson prevents a body shot from Safo.
Gibson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Safo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Safo misses with a punch on the inside.
A short uppercut from Safo.
Safo lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gibson backwards.
Gibson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Safo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Safo makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Safo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Gibson looking to slow down the pace here.
Safo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gibson stalls.
Safo is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Safo tries a body shot but Gibson blocks it.
Gibson with a knee to the head.
Safo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Safo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Safo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Safo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Safo gets underhooks to prevent Gibson's takedown attempt.
Derek Safo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hutch Gibson.
Safo misses with the head strike.
Gibson is struggling to control the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gibson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Safo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Gibson breaks the clinch.
Gibson misses the shot to the body.
Derek Safo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gibson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Safo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Safo keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Gibson pivots, looking for a leg kick but Safo is out of range and Gibson settles back down.
Gibson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Gibson.
Gibson throws out a leg kick but Safo moves out of range and Gibson only half commits.
Gibson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Safo.
Gibson shoots in but no luck this time.
Gibson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Safo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Safo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Gibson moves into range and clinches up with Safo.
Safo tries to throw a body punch but Gibson avoids it by throwing Safo back against the cage.
Derek Safo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Gibson blocks an uppercut.
Gibson blocks a body shot from Safo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gibson missing with knees to the body.
Safo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gibson looking to throw knees to the head but Safo is blocking nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gibson misses with an elbow over the top.
Safo is pressed up against the cage. Gibson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Safo down to the mat. Safo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gibson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Safo.
Gibson avoids the body shot from Safo.
Safo takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Safo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gibson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gibson finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gibson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Safo.
Hutch Gibson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gibson thuds a left hand into Safo's body.
Good work by Safo as he checks the leg kick.
Safo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gibson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gibson throws a low kick but Safo avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Derek Safo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gibson 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hutch Gibson!
Hutch Gibson gave a mention to Rōnin in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).