PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Neil (ranked 1680 p4p, 203 weight class) and Gavin Gagnon (ranked 2758 p4p, 307 weight class). Neil comes to the cage accompanied by Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider. Gagnon is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Hand Clap by Fitz and the Tantrums. Gavin Gagnon struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.0lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. James Neil had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Neil
vs
Gagnon

183 cm
26
193 lbs
10 - 7 - 1

180 cm
26
204 lbs
5 - 6 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Arcticus University: London

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Neil!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gavin Gagnon!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Ackerman and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Gagnon. Neil does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gagnon misses with a body shot.
Neil looks to throw the jab but Gagnon is out of range.

Gagnon looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Neil!
Gagnon fails to land a wild elbow strike.
You can see the frustration on Neil's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Neil tries to bench press Gagnon off him but Gagnon keeps the position.
Neil gets back to half guard.
Gagnon wants to free his trapped foot but Neil is holding on for dear life with his legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gagnon is trying to control the action in half guard but Neil is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Neil works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neil working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gagnon.
Neil throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gagnon postures up and lands a big shot to Neil's brow.
Gagnon won't allow Neil to sweep him here.

Neil looking for subs off his back but Gagnon has passed one foot through into half guard.
Neil is trying to get back to full guard.

Gagnon looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Neil is refusing to be controlled, as Gagnon sits in half guard.

Neil looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neil looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Neil is looking to improve his position.
Gagnon lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The fighters are battling for position here. Neil manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Neil not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gagnon preventing the sweep.
Gagnon postures up in Neil's guard and throws a big left but Neil blocks it.
Gagnon is stalling in the full guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neil keeping moving, preventing Gagnon from controlling successfully.
Gagnon postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Neil escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gagnon gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Neil looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Neil looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gagnon passes into half guard.

Gagnon wants to work for an arm triangle but Neil is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Neil trying to control from the bottom.
Neil is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Nemesis Gym, so we'll see if he gets out of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neil is looking for a sweep. Gagnon is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Neil is in trouble now - Gagnon has advanced to mount!
Gagnon wants to control the pace but Neil is squirming around nicely.
Neil sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Neil looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Neil is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gagnon tries to pass the half guard into mount. Neil knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neil trying to control from the bottom.

Neil is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gagnon pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gavin Gagnon dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gagnon pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Neil moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Neil lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gagnon throws a lazy right hand but Neil sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Neil fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Neil checks a low kick from Gagnon.
Neil throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Gagnon connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Gavin Gagnon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gagnon gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Neil counters with a thumping low kick.
Neil ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gagnon moves away.
Gagnon tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gagnon throws a low kick, looking for Neil's leg but Neil calmly moves out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Neil.

Gagnon shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neil controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gagnon is nestled in close to Neil, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Gagnon trying to control the action but Neil is working from the bottom.

Neil has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Gagnon escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Gagnon!

Gagnon is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Neil has escaped the position, nice work there.
Neil is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Neil is trying to control Gagnon's posture but Gagnon avoids it.
Gagnon lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gagnon tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Neil is looking to reverse the position.
Neil gets back to half guard.
Gagnon missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Gagnon is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Neil avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gagnon.
Gagnon missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Neil is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neil moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neil has his foot on Gagnon's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gagnon works his way back into a safe position though.
Neil keeping moving, preventing Gagnon from controlling successfully.
Gagnon is looking to work some ground and pound but Neil has wrist control.

Neil has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gagnon can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Gagnon is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gagnon trying to control the position from guard on top but Neil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neil looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gagnon passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Gagnon has hold of Neil's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Neil tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Gagnon cranks the arm and Neil screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Neil, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Gavin Gagnon!
Gavin Gagnon thanked the fans post fight for their support.
James Neil spoke after the fight, saying 'No comment.'.