PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marc Gardner (ranked 8369 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Speed (ranked 5537 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gardner
vs
Speed

167 cm
18
278 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marc Gardner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nick Speed!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Alyssa Summers and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Speed scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Speed scores with a jab to the body.
Gardner could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Speed misses with a double jab.
Gardner seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Gardner misses with a few strikes there.

Speed drives through and clinches with Gardner against the cage.
Speed wants a takedown.
Gardner is trying to break the clinch but Speed has him pressed against the cage.
Gardner gets underhooks to prevent Speed's takedown attempt.

Speed breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Speed cracks a nice hook into Gardner's ribs.
Speed digs a good hook to Gardner's body.
Gardner takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Gardner is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Speed has Gardner up against the cage in a clinch.

Speed pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gardner misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nick Speed seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Speed lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Marc Gardner has been cut.
Gardner defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Speed.
Marc Gardner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Speed.
Gardner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gardner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Speed paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gardner defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Speed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardner throws a series of punches but Speed moves out of range.
Gardner fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Speed manages to avoid it.

Speed closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gardner has had enough of the clinch but Speed keeps him there for the moment.

Speed escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Speed clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Speed's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sloppy strikes from Speed. Those never looked like landing.
Gardner seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Gardner gets tackled into the cage by Speed. Speed maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed is looking for a takedown.

Speed breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marc Gardner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gardner throws the left hand but Speed avoids the punch easily.
Speed throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gardner.
Gardner lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Speed circles away quickly and effectively.
Speed keeps the fight on the outside.
Speed lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Speed is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gardner rather than just go for the knockout.

Gardner tries to keep at a distance but Speed has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gardner wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Speed has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Speed is trying to drag Gardner to the mat but Gardner just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Gardner wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gardner wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Speed dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marc Gardner's cut.
That's time! Gardner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gardner fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Speed lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Gardner has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Gardner and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Gardner throws a nice looking combination but Speed bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Speed throws a right and a left that Gardner avoids nicely.
Gardner moves in looking to clinch but Speed pushes him off.
No joy there for Speed, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Speed scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Speed showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gardner.
Speed shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Speed tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gardner was well out of range. Poor timing from Speed.
Speed is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gardner closes the distance and clinches.
Gardner's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gardner.
Gardner gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Speed wants the takedown. Gardner is fighting it off but Speed persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Gardner's guard against the cage.
Gardner wants to stand but Speed is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Speed wants to control from the top but Gardner keeps moving.
Speed has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardner looking for a sweep. Not yet Gardner, not yet.
Gardner has control of Speed's left arm, preventing Speed from doing any damage.
Speed trying to control but Gardner is working from the bottom.
Gardner working a defensive guard here.
Gardner is looking to stand back up but Speed counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Gardner.
Speed takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Speed throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed wants to stand but Gardner has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Gardner tries to roll over but Speed keeps him under control.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gardner manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gardner lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gardner with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Speed avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Gardner decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Speed, up you get!

Gardner drives through and clinches with Speed against the cage.
Speed has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner tries to break the clinch but Speed is controlling the position.

Gardner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Speed goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Speed. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Gardner clinches up with Speed and pushes him back against the cage.
Speed blocks an uppercut.
Gardner is trying to break free.
Gardner prevents a body shot from Speed.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Speed manages to break the clinch.
Speed circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marc Gardner dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Marc Gardner's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gardner pushes Speed up against the cage in a clinch.
Gardner tries a body shot but Speed blocks it.

Speed breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Speed scores with a kick to the body.
Speed throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Speed fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gardner tries to counter by clinching up but Speed breaks away and moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Speed takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Speed misses with the combination.
Gardner appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Speed tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gardner swivels and escapes.
Speed is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gardner sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gardner tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Speed manages to circle out of the way.
Marc Gardner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Speed.
Speed keeps the fight on the outside.
Gardner doesn't manage to clinch there - Speed circles away.
Gardner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Gardner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gardner working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Speed is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Marc Gardner has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Speed blocks the elbow strike.
Gardner is pushing Speed up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Speed keeps control of Gardner as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Speed avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner misses with a few strikes there.
Gardner loads up on a big right hand but Speed slips the punch.
As Gardner backs off Speed throws a huge counter combo but Gardner manages to avoid it all.
A combination from Speed does no damage.
Gardner tries to close the distance and clinch but Speed swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Speed shoots in but Gardner avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gardner is looking to clinch but Speed is avoiding it.
Gardner doesn't manage to clinch there - Speed circles away.
Speed throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gardner throws a right hand that Speed ducks under and follows up with a left that Speed also avoids with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donk. Gardner catches Speed right on the button with a cross.
Gardner swinging wildly here.

Gardner forces Speed back against the cage and clinches.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marc Gardner showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gardner has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marc Gardner!