PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bernard Gilliam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Wagner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gilliam
vs
Wagner

185 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bernard Gilliam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Daniel Wagner!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Roger Salmon and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wagner throws a head kick that misses.

Gilliam drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Gilliam is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Wagner is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Wagner can't do much from the bottom here.
Gilliam really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Wagner is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wagner can't do much from the bottom here.
Wagner tries to improve position but can't.

Gilliam tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gilliam has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gilliam is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Wagner is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gilliam working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Gilliam looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gilliam is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Wagner knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Wagner is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gilliam working away.

Gilliam is trying to get an arm triangle but Wagner is defending well.

Gilliam tries for a kimura but Wagner is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bernard Gilliam 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.

Wagner moves in looking to clinch but Gilliam pushes him off.

Gilliam has Wagner up against the cage in a clinch.

Gilliam manages to break the clinch.
Wagner shoots in for a takedown but Gilliam shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Wagner gets caught flat footed, as Gilliam shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Wagner controls Gilliam momentarily but Gilliam frees himself.

Gilliam has gone for a leg lock! Wagner slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gilliam's guard.
Wagner preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wagner is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Let's hope that Wagner has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Gilliam looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gilliam is looking to stand up but Wagner isn't so interested in that idea.

Gilliam throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wagner trying to control but Gilliam is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Daniel Wagner was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Wagner throws a head kick that misses.
Gilliam will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Wagner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Wagner darts in and clinches Gilliam up against the cage.
Gilliam blocking some punches.
Gilliam tries to stall but Wagner uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Wagner tightens his grip and picks Gilliam up, before dumping him to the ground. Gilliam manages to land in guard.
Wagner trying to control the position from guard on top but Gilliam is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gilliam wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner wants to control from the top but Gilliam keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Daniel Wagner hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Wagner gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Wagner has hold of one of Gilliam's legs. Gilliam is fighting the takedown attempt but Wagner gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Daniel Wagner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gilliam keeping moving, preventing Wagner from controlling successfully.
Gilliam being controlled here, momentarily.

Daniel Wagner has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Wagner throws a nice looking combination but Gilliam bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wagner darts in looking for a takedown but Gilliam gets double underhooks and turns Wagner into the cage.

Gilliam manages to break the clinch.
Wagner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Wagner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gilliam paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wagner lands a high kick!

It looks like Bernard Gilliam has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Wagner misses with a takedown attempt
and Gilliam counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bernard Gilliam has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Wagner.
Wagner throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Wagner is breathing heavily.
Gilliam has a takedown stuffed.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wagner tries to clinch up but Gilliam circles away and keeps his distance.
Gilliam shoots and misses
and Wagner counters with a left and a right that stings Gilliam.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Wagner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bernard Gilliam's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Wagner rushes Gilliam and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Gilliam gets underhooks to prevent Wagner's takedown attempt.

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

Wagner clinches up against the cage.
Wagner stalling the fight.

Gilliam breaks the clinch.
Gilliam shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Wagner pinned against the cage. Wagner gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Wagner throws a right hand that Gilliam ducks under and follows up with a left that Gilliam also avoids with ease.

Wagner rushes Gilliam and presses him up against the cage.

Gilliam breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wagner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gilliam moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bernard Gilliam is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wagner drives through with a takedown into guard.
Wagner trying to control the position from guard on top but Gilliam is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gilliam trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Gilliam not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Wagner won't allow Gilliam to sweep him here.

Gilliam throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wagner wants to control from the top but Gilliam keeps moving.

Gilliam has his foot on Wagner's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Wagner works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wagner trying to control the position from guard on top but Gilliam is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Daniel Wagner has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Gilliam avoids the head kick by Wagner.
Wagner doesn't manage to clinch there - Gilliam circles away.

Wagner shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gilliam wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner controlling the action here.
Gilliam slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gilliam has his hands on Wagner's head, controlling the position.
Wagner stays in close to Gilliam's body and controls the position.

Daniel Wagner has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Wagner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gilliam paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wagner shoots in looking for a takedown. Gilliam tries to sprawl out of it but Wagner keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gilliam manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Wagner darts in and clinches Gilliam up against the cage.

Gilliam breaks from the clinch.

Gilliam closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gilliam lands in his opponent's guard.
Wagner pulls Gilliam in close to prevent any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Wagner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Wagner has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Josh West scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Wagner!