PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jun Kawasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sydney Gartner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Sydney Gartner enters the cage!

Kawasaki
vs
Gartner

177 cm
25
170 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

175 cm
23
184 lbs
4 - 3 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Happy Pills

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jun Kawasaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Sydney Gartner!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Shimada and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab lands there for Kawasaki.
Kawasaki tries to clinch up but Gartner circles away and keeps his distance.

Gartner gets the takedown into side control.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
An elbow from Gartner crashes against the mat.
Kawasaki is not content to let Gartner control the position.
Gartner has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Kawasaki!
Kawasaki tries to lock up and control but Gartner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gartner wants to control the pace but Kawasaki is squirming around nicely.
Gartner throwing strikes here but Kawasaki is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kawasaki avoids a strike by Gartner and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Gartner's guard! Fantastic escape!
Kawasaki is looking to stand up but Gartner won't let him.
Kawasaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Gartner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kawasaki looking to pass the guard.
Kawasaki wanted to stand there but Gartner had control of the position.
Gartner trying to control the position here.
Gartner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kawasaki is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kawasaki throws a quick inside leg kick.
Gartner misses with a body shot.
Kawasaki tries to clinch up but Gartner circles away and keeps his distance.
Kawasaki lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kawasaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gartner swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Gartner looking to score a takedown here. Kawasaki is defending well but Gartner drives through and ends up in Kawasaki's guard.
Kawasaki keeping moving, preventing Gartner from controlling successfully.
Gartner showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gartner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gartner trying to control but Kawasaki is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Sydney Gartner wasn't active enough on the ground.
Kawasaki tries to clinch but Gartner is having none of it.
Kawasaki is looking to clinch.
Good leg kick by Kawasaki there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Gartner drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gartner trying to control but Kawasaki is working from the bottom.
Gartner throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gartner lands a couple of digs.
Kawasaki keeping moving, preventing Gartner from controlling successfully.
Gartner slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gartner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Gartner looking to pass the guard.
Gartner missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gartner postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kawasaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gartner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kawasaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jun Kawasaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gartner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gartner looks for a takedown but Kawasaki sprawls well.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Gartner walks into a jab.
Gartner keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Gartner gets the takedown into side control.
Gartner trying to control the position but Kawasaki is working away.
Gartner tries to advance position but instead Kawasaki slips a leg back in to half guard.
Gartner thows a huge punch but Kawasaki dodges it nicely.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Gartner misses with a head shot. Kawasaki uses the momentum to regain guard.
Gartner throws a big elbow that misses.
Gartner scoring with punches to the head and body.
Gartner wants to control from the top but Kawasaki keeps moving.
Gartner looking to pass the guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Kawasaki wants to stand and escape but Gartner is having none of it.
Gartner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kawasaki is keeping the position for now.
Gartner throws a big elbow that misses.
Gartner cracks Kawasaki with a solid left hand.
Gartner has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gartner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Gartner stays in close to Kawasaki's body and controls the position.
Kawasaki keeping moving, preventing Gartner from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kawasaki thows a body shot but no joy.
Gartner throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
An inside leg kick lands from Kawasaki.
Gartner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kawasaki.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gartner misses with a body shot.
Kawasaki tries to clinch there but Gartner circles away.
Gartner keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kawasaki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sydney Gartner dominated that round.
That's time! Kawasaki's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Gartner shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kawasaki manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Kawasaki throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Gartner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kawasaki is keeping the position for now.
Gartner looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gartner throws a strike but Kawasaki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gartner has his feet on Kawasaki's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kawasaki moves in looking to clinch but Gartner pushes him off.
Kawasaki is looking to clinch but Gartner is avoiding it.
Jun Kawasaki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kawasaki darts in trying to clinch
and Gartner counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Gartner shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gartner is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kawasaki managing to control the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gartner accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gartner throwing strikes but missing.

Jun Kawasaki has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Kawasaki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kawasaki tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gartner manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kawasaki scores with a jab.
Kawasaki throws a shot from downtown. Gartner moves away and avoids it.
Gartner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kawasaki was well out of range. Poor timing from Gartner.
Kawasaki walks into a stiff left hand from Gartner.
Kawasaki is looking to clinch but Gartner is avoiding it.
Gartner swings for the body but Kawasaki moves out of range.
Gartner lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Kawasaki has taken the fight to the clinch.

Gartner has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Kawasaki is trying to keep an underhook but Gartner manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Kawasaki wants to improve his position but Gartner is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gartner thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gartner controlling the action here.
Kawasaki regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Gartner.
Gartner won't allow Kawasaki to sweep him here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gartner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Kawasaki working a defensive guard here.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Kawasaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kawasaki throws a leg kick but Gartner sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Kawasaki lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gartner circles away quickly and effectively.
Gartner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Kawasaki rushes Gartner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kawasaki throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gartners head.
Kawasaki tries to land a knee to the head but Gartner blocks with his arms.
Gartner is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kawasaki gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gartner drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kawasaki gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kawasaki pushes Gartner back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Gartner blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gartner is looking for a takedown.
Jun Kawasaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sydney Gartner.
Gartner is trying to break the clinch but Kawasaki has him pressed against the cage.
Gartner drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kawasaki gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kawasaki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gartner is defending well for now.
Gartner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kawasaki tries a knee to the head but Gartner blocks it.
Kawasaki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gartner is defending well for now.
Gartner takes a knee to the side of the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kawasaki gets through Gartner's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kawasaki tries a knee to the head but Gartner blocks it.
Kawasaki scores with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kawasaki looking to throw knees to the head but Gartner is blocking nicely.
Kawasaki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Kawasaki stops a takedown attempt from Gartner.
Kawasaki gets underhooks to prevent Gartner's takedown attempt.
Kawasaki misses with a knee strike.
Kawasaki throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gartner blocks it with crossed arms.

Gartner breaks from the clinch.
Kawasaki doesn't manage to clinch there - Gartner circles away.

Gartner closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gartner with the ground and pound but Kawasaki regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Kawasaki on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gartner thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Gartner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kawasaki wants to control but Gartner is keeping busy.
Gartner thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gartner takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gartner is trying to control. Kawasaki wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

We're going to have a standup here because Jun Kawasaki wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Gartner feints and as Kawasaki raises his hands in defense, Gartner changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Gartner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kawasaki is keeping the position for now.
Kawasaki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gartner throws a big right hand that misses.
Gartner wants to control from the top but Kawasaki keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sydney Gartner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gartner 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Sydney Gartner!
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Sydney Gartner!
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight for Sydney Gartner!

Sydney Gartner wins by unanimous decision!
Sydney Gartner thanked the fans post fight for their support.