PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ghandi Buddha (ranked 2957 p4p, 143 weight class) and Cody Gardbrandt (ranked 2696 p4p, 130 weight class). Gardbrandt is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by We will rock you. Ghandi Buddha could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Cody Gardbrandt's chin.

Buddha
vs
Gardbrandt

169 cm
20
130 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

172 cm
25
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ghandi Buddha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cody Gardbrandt!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Lou da Vinci and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gardbrandt stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Gardbrandt darts in and clinches Buddha up against the cage.
Gardbrandt tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Buddha's elbow.
Gardbrandt misses with a short punch on the inside.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Buddha takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Gardbrandt lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Buddha backwards.
Buddha is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gardbrandt pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gardbrandt will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Buddha up against the cage.
Gardbrandt swings away with an uppercut that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardbrandt tries to stall but Buddha uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Buddha jumps guard and drags Gardbrandt to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Gardbrandt lands a couple of digs.
Buddha looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardbrandt landing with the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gardbrandt missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gardbrandt controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Buddha avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gardbrandt working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Buddha's head.
Gardbrandt lands a couple of digs.
Buddha utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gardbrandt trying to control the position from guard on top but Buddha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gardbrandt is looking to work some ground and pound but Buddha has wrist control.
Gardbrandt is looking to work some ground and pound but Buddha has wrist control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gardbrandt postures up in Buddha's guard and throws a big left but Buddha blocks it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Buddha definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Gardbrandt connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Buddha lands a jab to the head.
Nice uppercut there from Gardbrandt.

Buddha looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gardbrandt 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.
Buddha controls from within his opponent's guard.
Buddha is fighting to break Gardbrandt's control of his arms but Gardbrandt is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buddha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gardbrandt looking to hit a scissor sweep but Buddha is one step ahead there.
Buddha has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gardbrandt keeps trying to improve his position.
Gardbrandt looking to control.
Gardbrandt keeping moving, preventing Buddha from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Buddha clobbers Gardbrandt with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Gardbrandt looks to land a left hand but Buddha moved out of range nicely.
Buddha ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gardbrandt misses with a double jab

and Buddha counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Buddha.

Buddha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gardbrandt is looking to clinch.
Gardbrandt misses with a lunging right hand
letting Buddha counter with a right hand.
Gardbrandt takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Buddha uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gardbrandt.
Gardbrandt showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Buddha.
Gardbrandt swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Crunch! Gardbrandt slams his shin into Buddha's torso.
Gardbrandt rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Buddha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cody Gardbrandt will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gardbrandt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gardbrandt swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Buddha counters with a nice uppercut.
Buddha looks to land a body kick but Gardbrandt moved away.
Gardbrandt falls off balance throwing a combination
and Buddha counters with a nice body shot.
Buddha fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Buddha moves out of range as Gardbrandt strikes.
Gardbrandt throws a head kick but Buddha moves out of range.
Gardbrandt looks to land a combination but Buddha avoids it well.
Buddha thows a body kick. Gardbrandt tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Buddha keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buddha ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
We've been informed that Gardbrandt has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Buddha drops Gardbrandt with a beautiful combination! Gardbrandt stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Buddha is looking for the KO!

Gardbrandt is rocked!
Ghandi Buddha is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gardbrandt misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Buddha throwing a counter right hand but Gardbrandt manages to avoid it.
Gardbrandt is still on wobbly legs! Can Buddha finish him?
Buddha lands a right hook to the body.
Buddha shoots in for a takedown but Gardbrandt shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gardbrandt seems to have recovered his senses.
Gardbrandt misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardbrandt tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Buddha paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Buddha. Gardbrandt does a little dance to reset his feet.
A head kick misses from Buddha.
Buddha stuns Gardbrandt with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Gardbrandt misses with a combination
and Buddha counters with a right hand to the body.
Buddha cracks Gardbrandt with a right hand to the side of the head.
Gardbrandt throws a body punch but Buddha moves out of range.
Gardbrandt throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Buddha sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gardbrandt rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Buddha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A shot to the liver by Buddha. Beautiful body shot.
Buddha avoids the head kick by Gardbrandt.
Gardbrandt throws a looping overhand right but Buddha ducks down to avoid it.
Gardbrandt throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Buddha is looking to counter punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Buddha does no damage.
Buddha misses with a wild body shot.
Gardbrandt misses with a series of wild punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gardbrandt waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Buddha.
Sloppy strikes from Buddha. Those never looked like landing.
Buddha displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gardbrandt throws out the jab.
Gardbrandt takes a kick to the side of the head.
Buddha avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Some wild striking there from Buddha.
Gardbrandt connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Buddha momentarily.
Gardbrandt feints a jab promting Buddha to slip. Gardbrandt then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Buddha slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardbrandt lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Buddha circles away quickly and effectively.
Gardbrandt takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Buddha scores with a body shot.
Gardbrandt shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Gardbrandt might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Gardbrandt finds himself stumbling back on wobbly legs after being clipped by a right hand. He's up against the cage, ducking and weaving under Buddha's strikes but an uppercut finds it's way through and Gardbrandt falls! - He's completely out of it and the ref jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ghandi Buddha!
A relieved looking Ghandi Buddha thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.