PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Messer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Greg Gone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Messer
vs
Gone

185 cm
23
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
213 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Enjoys gardening

Dragon

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Messer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Greg Gone!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Andrew Berry and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Messer closes the distance and clinches.

Messer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gone leaves Messer with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Messer scores with a one two! Gone had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Gone has eaten all the pies!
Messer fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gone looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Messer tries to clinch but Gone moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gone. Messer does a little dance to reset his feet.
Messer punishes Gone's body with a nice straight punch.

Messer closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short right from Messer.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gone.
Messer stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Messer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gone's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Messer connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gone scrambles back to his feet.
Messer moves in looking to clinch but Gone pushes him off.

Gone tries to keep at a distance but Messer has taken the fight into the clinch.

Messer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gone finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gone takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Nice takedown defense from Gone. No joy for Messer on that attempt.
Messer tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gone manages to avoid it.
Left hook, right uppercut from Messer.
Mark Messer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Messer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Messer forces Gone back against the cage and clinches.

Messer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Messer tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gone swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gone misses with a low kick.
Gone avoids a kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A punch combination from Messer misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messer getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Messer misses with a low kick as Gone jumps back.
Messer lands with a nice combination. Gone backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Greg Gone has been cut.
Gone fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Messer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Messer rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gone moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gone avoids the head kick by Messer.
Messer throws a nice head kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gone avoids a kick to the body.
Messer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Messer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gone takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Messer thows a body kick. Gone tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Gone closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Messer did well to prevent Gone getting side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

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

Gone seems to be looking for submissions.

Gone seems to be working for a kimura but Messer defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Messer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Greg Gone's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Messer clinches up with Gone and pushes him back against the cage.

Messer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Messer moves into the clinch successfully.
Messer taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Messer scores with a nice hook to the head.
Gone gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Messer.

Messer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Messer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gone doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Messer fails with an attempt to clinch.
A jab lands there for Messer.
Messer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Messer misses with a two punch combination.
Mark Messer is winning the standup battle so far.
Messer pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Messer's corner calls for a 1-2. Messer obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Messer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Messer pushes Gone up against the cage in a clinch.
Messer with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Gone trying to control the position but instead, Messer has worked for underhooks and has pushed Gone into the cage.
Gone gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Messer.

Messer breaks the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Gone shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gone showed some decent athleticism there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messer blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gone.
Messer keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Gone prevents Messer from standing back up.
Gone thows a huge punch but Messer dodges it nicely.
Messer is trying to maintain the position but Gone is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Gone is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Messer trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messer holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Gone is trying to work for a kimura but Messer is defending well.
Messer tries to roll over but Gone keeps him under control.

Gone seems to be looking for submissions.

Gone is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Messer as he works his way to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Messer seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Messer dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Greg Gone's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gone tries to clinch up.
Nice straight punches there by Messer. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Messer.
Mark Messer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Messer gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Messer manages to break the clinch.
Messer looks for the body kick but Gone saw that one coming.

Messer gets a clinch.

Messer breaks from the clinch.
Gone tries to close the distance and clinch up but Messer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gone doesn't manage to clinch there - Messer circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Messer gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Messer stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Messer manages to break the clinch.
Messer throws a body kick that misses.
Messer fails to land with a series of punches.
Messer lands a glancing blow to the side of Gone's head.
Messer throws a right hand that Gone ducks under and follows up with a left that Gone also avoids with ease.
Messer misses with a double jab.
Gone avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messer throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Gone.
Gone moves in looking to clinch but Messer pushes him off.
Messer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Messer avoids the body shot from Gone.
Messer throws a series of punches but Gone moves out of range.
Messer throws an overhand right that lands on Gone's shoulder, as Gone tries to avoid the shot.
Some wild striking there from Messer.
Gone looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Messer is fending him off so far but Gone persists. Nope, Messer circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messer lands a slapping body shot.
Messer tries to clinch up but Gone circles away and keeps his distance.
Messer lands with a kick to the temple. Gone shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Messer has Gone up against the cage in a clinch.
Gone can't break the clinch.
Messer is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Gone is looking to take this one to the mat.
Gone drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mark Messer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Greg Gone.
Gone using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Messer has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Greg Gone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Messer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Gone closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Messer did well to prevent Gone getting side control.
Gone stops Messer from getting back to his feet.

Gone seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Messer has recovered full guard.

Messer looking for a guillotine here but Gone defends easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gone pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Messer is keeping the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Messer showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Messer, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Messer!