PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gregory Gilms (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Birch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Gilms
vs
Birch

178 cm
24
192 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

171 cm
25
193 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gregory Gilms!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tom Birch!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Birch tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gilms was well out of range. Poor timing from Birch.
Gilms throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gilms cracks a nice hook into Birch's ribs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Birch. Gilms does a little dance to reset his feet.

Gilms has Birch up against the cage in a clinch.
Gilms lands with a right to the head.
Gilms lands a right hand that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Birch looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Gilms creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Gilms gets through Birch's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

It looks like Tom Birch has been cut.
A bit of stalling here from Gilms.
Gilms lands a nice shot to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Gilms creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gilms working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A shot in the inside from Gilms.
Gilms throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilms lands a nice uppercut.
Gilms works on Birch's body with a couple of short punches.
Birch looks winded!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gilms.
A short left from Gilms.
Birch's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gilms scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Gilms works on Birch's body with a couple of short punches.
Birch struggles to land a body shot inside as Gilms controls his hands.
Gilms stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Gilms scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Birch misses with a body punch.
Gilms softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gilms leaning against his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gilms lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Gilms lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Gilms creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilms throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Birch blocks it with crossed arms.
Gilms lands with a right to the head.
Birch throws a head punch that misses.
Gilms lands a hook that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Birch looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A right hook to the body lands for Gilms.
Birch has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gilms scores with a shot to the side of Birch's head.
Gilms lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gilms lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gilms lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Birch on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gilms lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Gilms pressing his opponent against the cage.
Birch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilms lands a shoulder strike.
A frustrated look appears on Birch's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gilms lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Gilms has Birch pressed against the cage, preventing Birch from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gilms lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Birch wants to break free but Gilms has control.
Gilms prevents a body shot from Birch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gilms.
A shot in the inside from Gilms.
Birch has had enough of the clinch but Gilms keeps him there for the moment.
Gilms pushes Birch back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Gilms lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Birch.
Birch tries to circle away but Gilms has him pinned against the cage.
Gilms keeps control of Birch as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilms lands a nice uppercut.
Gilms gets through Birch's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
We've been informed that Birch has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Gilms cracks Birch with a nice body shot.
Gilms lands a left hand that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gilms lands a nice shot to the body.
Gilms works on Birch's body with a couple of short punches.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gilms.
Gilms scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Gilms cracks Birch with a nice body shot.
A nice left hand lands by Gilms.
A short right from Gilms on the inside.

That has opened up Tom Birch's cut even more.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Gilms takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Gilms lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Birch or not.
Birch tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gregory Gilms dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tom Birch's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Birch misses with an uppercut
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
and Gilms counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gilms lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gilms tries to clinch but Birch moves out of range.
Birch checks the leg kick.

Gilms clinches up with Birch and pushes him back against the cage.
Gilms taking a breather.
Gilms lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Gilms just leaning against Birch, taking a breather.
Gilms digs a right hand into Birch's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Birch's gas tank.
Good body shot from Gilms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gilms lands a right hand.
Gilms lands a hook that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Gilms scores with a shot to the side of Birch's head.
Gilms lands on the inside with an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Birch has had enough of the clinch but Gilms keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilms lands a left hand.
Gilms lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gilms.
Gilms misses with a knee to the head.
Still in the clinch, Gilms scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gilms lands a right hand.
Come on Gilms - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Gilms throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Birchs head.
Birch can't break the clinch.
Gilms lands a hook to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gilms.
Gilms is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Birch can do to turn this around?
Gilms gets through Birch's defenses to land a nice punch 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!
Gilms lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilms lands a hook to the side of the head.
A right hand to the body from Gilms.
Gilms stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Birch is breathing heavily.
Gilms gets through Birch's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short body shot lands from Gilms as the two fighters clinch.
Gilms digs a right hand into Birch's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Birch's gas tank.
Birch wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gilms scores with a nice hook to the head.
Gilms lands a left hand.
Gilms lands a nice uppercut.
Gilms lands with a light punch inside.
Gilms is leaning against Birch and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Birch is trying to break the clinch but Gilms has him pressed against the cage.
Gilms lands a nice shot to the body.
Gilms softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birch letting Gilms take a breather here.
Gilms lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Birch has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gilms lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Gilms lands with a right to the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gilms.

Birch is rocked!
Birch struggles to land a body shot inside as Gilms controls his hands.
Gilms will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Birch up against the cage.
Birch is looking to break free of the clinch but Gilms has double underhooks.
Gilms lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Gilms scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilms scores with a shoulder strike.
Gilms working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Birch is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Birch tries to work over Gilms's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gilms lands on the inside with an uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gilms lands a right hand that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gilms.
A short left from Gilms.
Birch misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gilms works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Birch is trying to break the clinch but Gilms has him pressed against the cage.
Gilms content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Gilms misses with an elbow strike.
Birch is trying to break the clinch but Gilms has him pressed against the cage.
Birch tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gregory Gilms dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tom Birch's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gilms scores with a jab.
Birch throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Birch swings for the body but Gilms moves out of range.

Gilms has closed the distance and engaged Birch in a clinch.
Birch wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gilms has him pressed against the cage.
Birch is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gilms is leaning against Birch and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Gilms lands a right hand that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
A body shot lands from Gilms.
Gilms lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gilms lands a body punch in the clinch.
Gilms lands with a right to the head.
Gilms working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Birch takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gilms lands an uppercut.
Birch is still on wobbly legs! Can Gilms finish him?
A nice left hand lands by Gilms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good body shot from Gilms.
Gilms lands a right hand that snaps the head of Birch backwards.
Gilms creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Birch's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Birch drops to his knees and Gilms pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gregory Gilms!
Gregory Gilms retains his light heavyweight title!
After winning the bout, Gregory Gilms thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.