PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Super Phoenix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Gorden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Gorden's choice of entrance music: Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up . Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Phoenix
vs
Gorden

180 cm
22
143 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
24
141 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

Team S.W.A.T.
Organic Peak Performance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Super Phoenix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ben Gorden!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Matheus Silva and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phoenix throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Phoenix tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gorden paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gorden wants to clinch.
Phoenix keeps the fight on the outside.
Gorden moves in looking to clinch but Phoenix pushes him off.
Phoenix throws a right hand that Gorden ducks under and follows up with a left that Gorden also avoids with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gorden misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Gorden changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Phoenix looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorden wants to control but Phoenix is keeping him busy.

Gorden is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Phoenix is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Phoenix is looking for a sweep.
Phoenix struggling a bit here.
Gorden prevents Phoenix from escaping the position.
Phoenix on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Phoenix tries to get out of the position.
Phoenix takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Gorden is working Phoenix over with some ground and pound from side control.
Gorden in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gorden working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gorden trying to control the action but Phoenix is working from the bottom.
Phoenix wants to get back to his feet but Gorden drags him back down.
Phoenix seems a little lost for a moment, as Gorden dominates the positioning.
Gorden trying to control the action but Phoenix is working from the bottom.
Gorden is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gorden creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Phoenix sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Gorden misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Phoenix can't do much from the bottom here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Phoenix pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Phoenix throws a chopping leg kick but Gorden manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Phoenix looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Phoenix misses with a series of wild punches.

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.
Gorden slips under a jab from Phoenix.
Phoenix tries to clinch up.

Gorden forces Phoenix back against the cage and clinches.
Gorden is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Phoenix pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Gorden wants the takedown. Phoenix is fighting it off but Gorden persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Phoenix's guard against the cage.
Gorden working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gorden controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Phoenix knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gorden on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Phoenix preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Gorden dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Phoenix fails to land with a series of punches.
Phoenix really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Gorden closes the distance and clinches.
Phoenix is trying to break free.
Phoenix gets underhooks to prevent Gorden's takedown attempt.
Gorden keeps control of Phoenix as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Phoenix is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Phoenix taking a breather.
Gorden tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gorden is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Super Phoenix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Gorden.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gorden stalling in the clinch.
Gorden goes for a takedown attempt but Phoenix pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Gorden closes the distance but Phoenix moves to the side
and Phoenix counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorden looks to land a left hand but Phoenix moved out of range nicely.

Gorden pushes Phoenix up against the cage in a clinch.
Phoenix wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Phoenix can't break the clinch.
Gorden wants a takedown but no success here.
Come on Phoenix - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Gorden prevents Phoenix from breaking the clinch.
Phoenix has had enough of the clinch but Gorden keeps him there for the moment.
Gorden tries for a takedown. No joy.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gorden has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Phoenix is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gorden has Phoenix pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Phoenix manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Phoenix wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gorden has him pressed against the cage.
Gorden prevents Phoenix from breaking the clinch.
Gorden has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Phoenix avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Gorden prevents Phoenix from breaking the clinch.
Phoenix can't break the clinch.
Gorden goes for a takedown in the clinch but Phoenix prevents it.
Phoenix wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gorden has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix wants to break the clinch but can't.

Phoenix escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Phoenix throws a nice looking combination but Gorden bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Phoenix throws a right and a left that both miss.
Super Phoenix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phoenix swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Phoenix tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Gorden gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gorden looking for a takedown.

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.
Gorden goes for a takedown attempt but Phoenix pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Gorden misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Phoenix misses with a wild combination.

Gorden looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Phoenix!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Phoenix wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Gorden.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Super Phoenix will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Phoenix looks to land a combination but Gorden avoids it well.
Phoenix throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gorden tries to close the distance and clinch but Phoenix swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gorden is looking to clinch but Phoenix is avoiding it.
Gorden tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gorden doesn't manage to clinch there - Phoenix circles away.
Phoenix misses with a two punch combination.
Phoenix circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorden tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Phoenix moves into the clinch.
Phoenix wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gorden is struggling to control the position.

Gorden has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Phoenix clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Gorden trying to control.
Gorden has Phoenix flattened out and is raining down punches.
Gorden throwing sloppy strikes.
Gorden scores with punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gorden lands strikes to the head.
Phoenix is trapped and Gorden is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Well, with Gorden on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Phoenix is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Gorden's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gorden scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Phoenix is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Gorden scores with punches and elbows.
Will Gorden go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gorden somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
A lull in the action here.
Gorden misses with an elbow to the head.
Gorden tries to get the hooks in deep but Phoenix pushed the leg off.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gorden lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Gorden trying to control.
Ben Gorden has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gorden gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gorden just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ben Gorden just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gorden tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A leg kick checked by Gorden.
Phoenix throws a nice looking combination but Gorden bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Phoenix wants to clinch but Gorden slips to the side

and Gorden counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Gorden.
Gorden has Phoenix pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Phoenix manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gorden is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Phoenix has Gorden pressed against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Gorden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gorden 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Gorden!