PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bart Van Gool (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sony Chiba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Van Gool
vs
Chiba

190 cm
25
189 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

177 cm
25
190 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Decent elbows
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bart Van Gool!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sony Chiba!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Gool displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Chiba throws out the jab.
Chiba throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Chiba misses with a head kick.

Van Gool clinches up against the cage.

Chiba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Van Gool rushes Chiba and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Chiba is looking to control Van Gool's arms but Van Gool gets an underhook and turns him. Now Chiba has his back to the cage.
Van Gool trying to land knees to the body.
Van Gool trying to land knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Van Gool works on Chiba's body with a couple of short punches.
Van Gool misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Chiba.
Chiba blocks an elbow strike.
Chiba blocks an elbow strike.
Chiba is trying to maintain a safe position but Van Gool gets an underhook and turns Chiba into the cage.
Van Gool is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Chiba is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chiba is trying to push Van Gool away but Van Gool has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Chiba tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Van Gool's elbow.
Van Gool is stalling here.
Van Gool blocks a body shot from Chiba.
Van Gool trying to land knees to the body.
Van Gool creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Stalling in the clinch from Van Gool.
Chiba is trying to break the clinch but Van Gool is controlling him.

Chiba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Chiba takes a swing at Van Gool's ribcage but misses.
Chiba throws a hook to the side of Van Gool's head but Van Gool sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Chiba throws a shot to the body.
Chiba pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Gool ducks under a wild hook from Chiba.
Chiba swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Chiba misses with a wild body shot.
Van Gool tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Van Gool tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Chiba manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Van Gool clinches up with Chiba and pushes him back against the cage.
Chiba prevents a body shot from Van Gool.
Chiba managing to block the knees to the body from Van Gool.
Van Gool lands an elbow inside.
Chiba struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Gool controls his hands.
Chiba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Van Gool slowing the pace effectively.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Chiba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chiba is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Van Gool pushes off an throws an elbow but Chiba leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Van Gool tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chiba avoids it.
Chiba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Chiba can't break the clinch.
Chiba wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Van Gool lands a hook that snaps the head of Chiba backwards.
Van Gool creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Van Gool misses with an elbow over the top.
Chiba's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Van Gool tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chiba avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chiba tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Van Gool's elbow.
Chiba looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Chiba misses with some punches.
Van Gool is stalling here.
Chiba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Van Gool lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Sony Chiba has been cut.
Van Gool taking a breather.
Chiba wants to get back to striking at distance but Van Gool won't allow it.
Chiba wants to stall.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Chiba manages to break the clinch.
Van Gool tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Chiba was well out of range. Poor timing from Van Gool.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bart Van Gool dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sony Chiba'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.

Van Gool tries to clinch there but Chiba circles away.
Van Gool fails with an attempt to clinch.

Van Gool rushes Chiba and presses him up against the cage.
Van Gool has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Chiba avoids a wild elbow strike from Van Gool.
Van Gool stalling in the clinch.
Van Gool pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Van Gool throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Van Gool slowing the pace effectively.
Van Gool lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Van Gool missing with knees to the body.
Van Gool throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Van Gool works on Chiba's body with a couple of short punches.
Van Gool creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Chiba tries to break the clinch but Van Gool is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chiba taking a breather.
Chiba misses with a short punch on the inside.
Chiba looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Chiba is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Chiba displaying some good clinch control by pressing Van Gool up against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Van Gool blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Van Gool lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Chiba is trying to break the clinch but Van Gool has him pressed against the cage.
Van Gool stalls.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Gool tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chiba avoids it.
With the fighters up against the cage, Van Gool throws an elbow but misses.
Chiba is trying to break the clinch but Van Gool is controlling him.
Van Gool pressing his opponent against the cage.
Van Gool lands an elbow that stopped Chiba in his tracks for a moment.
Chiba wants to get back to striking at distance but Van Gool won't allow it.
Van Gool dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Van Gool throws an elbow but misses.
Chiba avoiding damage as Van Gool throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Gool tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chiba avoids it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Van Gool just misses with a elbow thrown towards Chiba's brow.
Van Gool slowing the pace effectively.
Chiba throws a head punch that misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Van Gool just leaning against Chiba, taking a breather.
Chiba wants to break the clinch but can't.
Chiba wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Van Gool has him pressed against the cage.
Chiba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Van Gool pushes off an throws an elbow but Chiba leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Chiba cracks Van Gool with a nice body shot.
Chiba slowing the pace effectively.
Chiba tries to break the clinch but Van Gool is controlling the position.
Bart Van Gool has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Chiba tries to stall but Van Gool uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chiba doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Chiba has had enough of the clinch but Van Gool keeps him there for the moment.
Chiba takes an elbow to the forehead.
Chiba tries to work over Van Gool's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Chiba is trying to break free.
Stalling in the clinch from Van Gool.
Chiba misses with a body punch.
Chiba dodges an elbow strike from Van Gool.
Van Gool slows down the pace here.
Chiba blocks the elbow strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chiba stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Van Gool tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chiba avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bart Van Gool dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sony Chiba's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Van Gool tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Chiba tries a head kick but it misses.
A punch combination from Chiba misses.
Chiba throws a body punch but Van Gool moves out of range.
Chiba throws a series of punches but Van Gool moves out of range.
Chiba swats away the attempt to clinch by Van Gool.
Chiba lands a nice shot that snaps Van Gool's head back.
Chiba fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Van Gool.
Van Gool swings for the body but Chiba moves out of range.
Van Gool is looking to clinch.
Chiba fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Chiba throws a leg kick but Van Gool sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Sony Chiba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Gool tries to close the distance and clinch but Chiba swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Van Gool misses with a wild body shot.
Van Gool avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Chiba throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chiba throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chiba misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Van Gool takes the fight into the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Gool.

Chiba breaks from the clinch.
Chiba throws a leg kick but Van Gool checks it.
Sony Chiba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chiba throws a jab when Van Gool was well out of range.
Sony Chiba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Gool moves away from the strike by Chiba.
Chiba tries a head kick but it misses.
Chiba is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Chiba fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Van Gool manages to avoid it.
Chiba avoids the body shot from Van Gool.
Van Gool is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Van Gool doesn't manage to clinch there - Chiba circles away.
Chiba scores with a crisp jab that stopped Van Gool in his tracks.

Van Gool has taken the fight to the clinch.
Van Gool holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Van Gool throws an elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chiba trying to stall but Van Gool improves his position.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Van Gool just misses with a elbow thrown towards Chiba's brow.
Van Gool creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Chiba blocks the elbow strike.
A body shot lands from Van Gool.
Van Gool tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chiba avoids it.
Chiba avoids the elbow strike from Van Gool, against the cage.
Van Gool lands a left hand that snaps the head of Chiba backwards.
Van Gool tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Chiba looking to stall.
Chiba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Chiba avoids a wild elbow strike from Van Gool.
Van Gool is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Chiba is defending well for now.
Bart Van Gool is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Gool misses with an elbow over the top.
Chiba avoids a wild elbow strike from Van Gool.
Van Gool looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Van Gool.
Van Gool trying to land knees to the body.
Van Gool misses with an elbow strike.
Van Gool lands an elbow inside that Chiba shrugs off.
Chiba misses with the head strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Van Gool blocks a body shot from Chiba.
Chiba misses with a body punch.
Chiba avoids a wild elbow strike from Van Gool.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bart Van Gool showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Van Gool, 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bart Van Gool!