PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Martin Philippe Njewel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mick Gerrard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Gerrard's choice of entrance music: Mama weer all crazy now. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Philippe Njewel
vs
Gerrard

170 cm
33
145 lbs
22 - 13 - 1

175 cm
33
158 lbs
25 - 14 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Max Octane Fight Wear

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 22 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Martin Philippe Njewel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mick Gerrard!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Njewel misses with a wild body shot.
Left hook, right uppercut from Gerrard.
Gerrard with a nice cross.
Njewel throws a quick inside leg kick.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Gerrard has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Njewel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Njewel throws a lazy right hand but Gerrard sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fighters circling - Gerrard throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Njewel misses with a straight left.
A big left from Gerrard misses.
Gerrard moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Njewel darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gerrard feints a jab promting Njewel to slip. Gerrard then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Njewel slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Njewel looks for the body kick but Gerrard saw that one coming.
Njewel drops his hands momentarily and Gerrard takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Njewel is rocked!
Njewel looks to land a body kick but Gerrard moved away.
Oh Njewel is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gerrard misses with an uppercut. Njewel saw that one coming.
Njewel seems to have got his legs back now.

Gerrard closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gerrard throws a punch but it's blocked by Njewel.
Gerrard tries a body shot but Njewel blocks it.
Gerrard swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gerrard doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Njewel tries a body shot but Gerrard blocks it.
Njewel working aggressively here.

Gerrard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gerrard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
And Njewel counters with a quick kick to the body but Gerrard blocks it.
Gerrard looks to land a right hand but Njewel moved out of range.
Njewel appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
A head kick misses from Gerrard.
Gerrard throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Njewel fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gerrard.

Gerrard drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gerrard stays in close to Njewel's body and controls the position.
Njewel keeping moving, preventing Gerrard from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gerrard wants to pass the guard but Njewel is keeping the position.
Gerrard trying to control but Njewel is working from the bottom.
Njewel is pulling down on Gerrard's head. It's preventing any offense from Gerrard, at least for the moment.
Njewel keeping moving, preventing Gerrard from controlling successfully.
Gerrard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Gerrard sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Njewel's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gerrard is trying to work for a kimura but Njewel is defending well.
Njewel trying to hold on to Gerrard's head to control him but Gerrard postures up.
It looks like Gerrard is going to stand back up.
Gerrard looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Gerrard not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Njewel is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gerrard's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gerrard's back!
Njewel tries to get the hooks in deep but Gerrard pushed the leg off.
Gerrard tries to roll but Njewel sticks to his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gerrard prevents Njewel from getting a body triangle.
Njewel has the hooks in. Gerrard is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Njewel working for the choke.
Gerrard tries to escape the position.
Njewel is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Njewel gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Njewel gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Njewel apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Gerrard doesn't manage to clinch there - Njewel circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mick Gerrard dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gerrard feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Njewels jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Gerrard throws a big shot that misses.
Njewel throws the kick towards the body but Gerrard avoids it.
Gerrard throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Njewel's head.
Gerrard looks to land a combination. Njewel sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Njewel dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Njewel darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

It looks like Mick Gerrard has been cut.
A jab from Njewel does it's job there.
Gerrard throws a body kick that misses
and Njewel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gerrard misses with a looping right.
Njewel lands an overhand right.
Gerrard has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gerrard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gerrard moves in looking to clinch but Njewel pushes him off.
Njewel appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Njewel lands a nice hook to Gerrard's body. Gerrard takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A slapping leg kick lands for Njewel.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Njewel pushes Gerrard away with a front kick.
Njewel throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Njewel throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Njewel ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gerrard throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Njewel pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gerrard looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Njewel misses with a low kick.
Gerrard getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gerrard swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Njewel counters with a nice uppercut.
Njewel steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gerrard.
Njewel is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Njewel throws a half hearted mid kick.
Mick Gerrard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Njewel throws a sloppy head kick and Gerrard moves out of range easily.
Gerrard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gerrard tries to land a front kick but Njewel steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Njewel takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Gerrard misses with an uppercut. Njewel saw that one coming.
Gerrard tries to clinch but Njewel moves out of range.
Njewel changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gerrard throws a right and a left that Njewel avoids nicely.
Gerrard throws a right hand that misses
and Njewel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Njewel loads up on a big right hand but Gerrard slips the punch.
Gerrard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A swing and a miss from Gerrard.
Mick Gerrard seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Gerrard shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gerrard with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gerrard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gerrard forces his way into half guard.
Gerrard perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gerrard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Gerrard trying to control from half guard but Njewel is working away.
Gerrard wants to pass to mount but Njewel is defending the position.
Gerrard wants to control but Njewel is keeping him busy.
Njewel is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gerrard is trying to control the action in half guard but Njewel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gerrard works his way into full mount!
Gerrard trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gerrard unloads with some shots from mount but Njewel bucks and avoids them well.
Gerrard avoids the attempt from Njewel to control.
Gerrard lands a big shot there that rocks Njewel but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mick Gerrard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mick Gerrard's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

Gerrard with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Njewel to score with a decent uppercut.
Njewel scores with a head kick.
Gerrard lands an overhand right.
Njewel scores with a nice body kick.
Gerrard ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gerrard digs a good hook to Njewel's body.
Njewel on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
The fighters circling - Gerrard throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
As Gerrard backs away, Njewel returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Gerrard blocks a leg kick.
Gerrard dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gerrard fails to land with a series of punches.
Njewel does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Gerrard takes a swing at Njewel's ribcage but misses.
Njewel slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gerrard throws a body kick that misses
and Njewel counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gerrard connects with an inside leg kick.
Gerrard takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Gerrard looks to throw the jab but Njewel is out of range.
No joy there for Njewel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Njewel connects with a body shot.
Njewel moves out of range as Gerrard strikes.
It appears Njewel was looking to counter with a kick there.

Gerrard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gerrard tries to free his leg and advance position but Njewel is retaining full guard.
Gerrard wants to stand and escape but instead Njewel has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Njewel content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Martin Philippe Njewel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Njewel trying to control the position from guard on top but Gerrard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gerrard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Njewel working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Gerrard is looking for a triangle but Njewel pushes his legs off easily.

Gerrard is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Njewel with a flurry of punches that miss.
Njewel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gerrard is keeping the position for now.

Gerrard throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Njewel postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Njewel wants to control from the top but Gerrard keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gerrard working a defensive guard here.
Mick Gerrard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Njewel passes Gerrard's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Gerrard wants to get back to full guard.
Njewel seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Martin Philippe Njewel.
Well Gerrard 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mick Gerrard!
Our winner, Mick Gerrard, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.