PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chanda Armstrong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Morgan Gather (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Armstrong
vs
Gather

170 cm
19
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Chanda Armstrong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Morgan Gather!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gather throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Armstrong was covering up waiting for the punch and Gather finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gather wants to stand but Armstrong is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Armstrong is working an open guard so Gather takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gather misses with a series of wild punches.
Gather fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gather fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Gather.
Gather throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Armstrong lunges at Gather with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gather's hand.
Gather shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Armstrong as he avoids it easily.
Chanda Armstrong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Morgan Gather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong throws a series of strikes that have Gather backpedaling.

Gather looking to score a takedown here. Armstrong is defending well but Gather drives through and ends up in Armstrong's guard.
Gather looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Armstrong is looking to stand up but Gather isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Gather working some strikes from top position.

Armstrong pushes Gather off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Gather has a takedown stuffed.
Gather doesn't manage to clinch there - Armstrong circles away.
Gather shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Armstrong defends it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Armstrong misses.
Armstrong checks a leg kick nicely.
Armstrong throws a series of punches but Gather avoids them all with ease.
Gather misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gather looks winded!

Gather looking to score a takedown here. Armstrong is defending well but Gather drives through and ends up in Armstrong's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Morgan Gather dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Armstrong stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Armstrong wants it to stay on the feet.
Gather shoots in for a takedown but Armstrong shows good takedown defense.

Armstrong gets caught flat footed, as Gather shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gather engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Gather wants to stand and escape but instead Armstrong has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Gather is breathing heavily.
Armstrong tries to stand but Gather is controlling from the bottom.
Gather 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Armstrong decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Gather is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Armstrong just misses with a punch to the body.
Gather tries to close the distance and clinch up but Armstrong swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gather throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Some wild striking there from Gather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gather will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Chanda Armstrong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Morgan Gather.
Gather closes this distance looking for a takedown but Armstrong circles away.
Gather wants to clinch.
Gather moves to clinch but Armstrong breaks away
and Armstrong connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gather throws a jab when Armstrong was well out of range.
Chanda Armstrong is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sloppy strikes from Gather. Those never looked like landing.
Chanda Armstrong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gather takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Gather misses with a takedown attempt - Armstrong sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Armstrong shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Gather eats them both and turns towards Armstrong to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Armstrong pushes Gather up against the cage in a clinch.

Armstrong pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gather fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gather throws a sloppy head kick and Armstrong moves out of range easily.
Armstrong lands a high kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gather fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gather throws a head kick that misses
and Armstrong counters with a three punch combo that has Gather backing up. Gather nods at Armstrong to acknowledge the strikes.
Armstrong lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gather circles away quickly and effectively.
Armstrong scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Armstrong fails to land with a series of punches.
Gather avoids a punch combination nicely.
Armstrong tries to close the distance and clinch but Gather swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
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 Chanda Armstrong will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gather tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Nice sprawl there from Armstrong as Gather shoots in.
Armstrong connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gather shoots for a double leg takedown but Armstrong sprawls well. He's pushed Gather's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Armstrong looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gather misses with a double jab.
Gather tries to score a power double leg takedown but Armstrong sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gather somewhat.
Chanda Armstrong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Morgan Gather.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gather.
Gather takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Armstrong tries to escape but Gather is in control.
Gather misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Gather lands an elbow.
Armstrong tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Gather tries to keep control of the position but Armstrong is staying busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Armstrong is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Gather looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Armstrong is controlling Gather 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gather avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Armstrong wants to stand but Gather is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gather is pulling down on Armstrong's head. It's preventing any offense from Armstrong, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Armstrong throwing strikes but missing.
Armstrong trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gather's guard.
Gather is looking to stand up but Armstrong isn't so interested in that idea.
Gather avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Armstrong would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Gather has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Armstrong should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Gather has tightened it up now! Armstrong should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Morgan Gather!