PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jacques Gabriel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonathan Joseph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jacques Gabriel has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Gabriel
vs
Joseph

182 cm
25
200 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

183 cm
25
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

Dragon

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jacques Gabriel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jonathan Joseph!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Gabriel misses.
Joseph avoids the body shot from Gabriel.
Gabriel throws a sloppy body shot

and Joseph counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gabriel won't be happy with that.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Gabriel tries to improve position but can't.
Gabriel manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Joseph wants to improve his position but Gabriel is controlling well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Joseph can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gabriel throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gabriel has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Gabriel is working for a submission of some sort.
Gabriel thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gabriel wants to pass to mount but Joseph is defending the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph trying to hold on to Gabriel's head to control him but Gabriel postures up.
Joseph blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gabriel.
Joseph wants to get back to full guard.
Gabriel is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Joseph tries to reverse the position but Gabriel maintains control.
Joseph wants to control but Gabriel is having none of it.
Joseph is squirming around, avoiding Gabriel's attempts to control the action.
Joseph is in a horrible position here. Gabriel smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Joseph is squirming around, avoiding Gabriel's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Joseph is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gabriel unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph tries to hold on but Gabriel postures up.
Gabriel cracks Joseph with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Gabriel thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Gabriel lands a big elbow.
Gabriel misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Joseph controls the position.
Gabriel postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Joseph looks a forlorn figure.
Joseph 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.
Gabriel tries to control but Joseph wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel wants to control but Joseph has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Gabriel throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gabriel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gabriel trying to control from half guard but Joseph is working away.

Gabriel is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Joseph is not content to let Gabriel control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacques Gabriel dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Joseph misses with a low kick.
Joseph keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Joseph closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Joseph lands in his opponent's guard.
Jacques Gabriel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Joseph looking to pass the guard.
Joseph seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Gabriel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Joseph can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Joseph trying to control the position from guard on top but Gabriel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joseph must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph preventing the sweep.

Gabriel is looking for a triangle but Joseph pushes his legs off easily.
Joseph trying to control the position from guard on top but Gabriel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gabriel is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Joseph wants to control from the top but Gabriel keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Gabriel lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Joseph!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joseph holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Gabriel tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Gabriel thowing shots but they're missing.
Gabriel working the ground and pound effectively.
Joseph tries to hold on but Gabriel pushes him away.

Gabriel goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Joseph is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph throws a big right hand that misses.

Gabriel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Gabriel throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Joseph escapes and throws Gabriel's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Joseph working the ground and pound.
Gabriel regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel gets full guard.
Joseph working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Joseph preventing the sweep.
Joseph stands and throws Gabriel's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joseph wants to control but Gabriel is keeping him busy.
Joseph landing a few strikes.
Gabriel is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gabriel manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Gabriel wants to control but Joseph is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gabriel taking some punishment here, with Joseph in his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jonathan Joseph will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Gabriel misses with a body shot.
Joseph keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gabriel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Joseph.
Gabriel misses with a looping right.
Gabriel scores with a shot to the body.
Gabriel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Joseph was well out of range. Poor timing from Gabriel.
Gabriel misses the shot to the body.
Gabriel shoots for a double leg takedown but Joseph sprawls well. He's pushed Gabriel's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Gabriel is looking to clinch but Joseph is avoiding it.
Joseph blocks a jab.
Joseph throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Joseph closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gabriel quickly recovers to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph trying to control from half guard but Gabriel is working away.
Gabriel tries to get to full guard but Joseph has control of the leg.
Gabriel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Joseph is working away from the top position though.
Gabriel is looking for a sweep. Joseph is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gabriel gets full guard.
Joseph trying to control but Gabriel is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joseph passes Gabriel's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gabriel is trying to get back to full guard.
Gabriel slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Joseph stays in close to Gabriel's body and controls the position.
Gabriel wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Joseph is now in half guard.
Gabriel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Joseph is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph prevents Gabriel from improving his position.
Gabriel makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gabriel.

Gabriel looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Joseph passes into side control.
Gabriel taking a bit of punishment here - Joseph scoring with strikes.
Gabriel is trying to improve his position.
Joseph lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Gabriel down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph in side control lands a decent elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gabriel manages to get back to half guard.
Joseph seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Joseph landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Joseph wants to pass to mount but Gabriel is defending the position.
Gabriel wants to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Joseph is trying to control the action in half guard but Gabriel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jonathan Joseph comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Joseph 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Jacques Gabriel!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Jacques Gabriel!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight as a draw!

Jacques Gabriel wins by majority decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Jacques Gabriel thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.