PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Liam Handfast (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gerry Van Berry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Handfast comes to the cage accompanied by Two Steps from Hell - Protectors of the Earth. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Handfast
vs
Van Berry

185 cm
25
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
190 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Punishment Nutrition - All 159Q products now $75

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Liam Handfast!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gerry Van Berry!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shirou Masuda and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Handfast tries for a takedown but Van Berry circles away easily

and Van Berry counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Handfast's guard now.
Van Berry scoring with punches to the head and body.
Handfast keeping moving, preventing Van Berry from controlling successfully.
Van Berry should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Van Berry cracks Handfast with a solid left hand.
Handfast avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Van Berry must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Van Berry looking to pass the guard.
Van Berry pushes down on Handfast's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Van Berry throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Berry keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Handfast is refusing to be controlled, as Van Berry sits in half guard.
Van Berry is thwarting Handfast's attempts to control the position.
Handfast wants to improve his position but Van Berry is controlling well.
Van Berry looks to land a strike but Handfast avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Van Berry is working Handfast over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Handfast looking to hit a scissor sweep but Van Berry is one step ahead there.
Van Berry throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Handfast preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Van Berry in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Handfast will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Van Berry throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Handfast looking for a sweep. Not yet Handfast, not yet.
Van Berry throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Handfast works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Van Berry pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Handfast is keeping the position for now.
Van Berry connects with a couple of short punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Berry missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Van Berry postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Handfast is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Van Berry is aware though and is defending well.
Van Berry loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Van Berry throwing strikes from guard but Handfast blocks nicely.
Handfast controls Van Berry momentarily but Van Berry frees himself.
Van Berry lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Handfast looking for a guillotine here but Van Berry defends easily.
Van Berry looking to pass the guard.
Handfast working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Van Berry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry with a flurry of punches that miss.
Van Berry postures up in Handfast's guard and throws a big left but Handfast blocks it.
Handfast manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Handfast looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Van Berry really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Handfast throwing strikes here but Van Berry is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Van Berry is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerry Van Berry dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Van Berry bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Van Berry tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Handfast regains half guard.
Handfast wants to control but Van Berry is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Van Berry thows a huge punch but Handfast dodges it nicely.
Van Berry sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Handfast defending well though.
Handfast is not content to let Van Berry control the position.
Handfast moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Van Berry throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Berry wants to control from the top but Handfast keeps moving.
Van Berry throws a strike but Handfast rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Van Berry can do anything to dispel that myth.
Van Berry is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Gerry Van Berry has got the better of the ground game so far.

Van Berry is looking for a kimura but Handfast is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Van Berry to get the leverage.
Handfast tries to get to full guard but Van Berry has control of the leg.
Van Berry trying to control from half guard but Handfast is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry trying to pass the guard but Handfast defending well.
Van Berry wants to lay and pray for a moment but Handfast keeps working.
Van Berry is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Van Berry is nestled in close to Handfast, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Van Berry is looking to take a break and control but Handfast is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Van Berry is trying to work for a kimura but Handfast is defending well.
Handfast is trying to maintain the position but Van Berry is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Van Berry missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Van Berry sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Handfast defending well though.
Van Berry prevents Handfast from improving his position.
Handfast keeping control of the position.
Handfast is refusing to be controlled, as Van Berry sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry uses his free foot to push down on Handfast's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Handfast.
Van Berry throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Van Berry looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Van Berry throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Van Berry scoring with strikes but Handfast is staying in there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Van Berry misses with a head shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Handfast holds on for dear life, controlling Van Berry's posture momentarily.
Handfast tries to hold on but Van Berry pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerry Van Berry showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Handfast shoots and misses

and Van Berry counters with a takedown into side control.
Van Berry works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Van Berry misses with the ground and pound.
Van Berry working the ground and pound.
Van Berry scores with a couple of short elbows.
Van Berry working the head and body with strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Van Berry is chipping away with strikes.
Van Berry in side control, throwing shots but Handfast defends.
Handfast gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Handfast manages to get to full guard.
Van Berry throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Berry connects with a couple of short punches.
Van Berry throwing strikes but missing.
Van Berry working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Handfast keeping moving, preventing Van Berry from controlling successfully.
Van Berry works over Handfast with some ground and pound from guard.
Handfast seems keen to control Van Berry's posture.
Van Berry loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Handfast is keeping the position for now.
Handfast controls Van Berry momentarily but Van Berry frees himself.
Van Berry working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Van Berry throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Van Berry is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Handfast is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Handfast has escaped and now he's on top!

Handfast drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Van Berry dives on top into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Berry trying to control the position from guard on top but Handfast is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Handfast looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Handfast preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Van Berry throwing strikes from guard but Handfast blocks nicely.
Van Berry throws a strike but Handfast rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Handfast loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Van Berry looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Handfast pushes down on Van Berry's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Handfast sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Van Berry defending well though.
Handfast is stalling here. Van Berry is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Handfast seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Van Berry has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Van Berry is trying to ground and pound but Handfast uses the momentary lack of control by Van Berry to regain half guard.
Van Berry throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Liam Handfast has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Handfast is staying active underneath Van Berry, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gerry Van Berry comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Van Berry 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gerry Van Berry!
After the big win, Gerry Van Berry made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Punishment Nutrition - All 159Q products now $75 and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.