PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fabouzi Massu (ranked 4297 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralph Gardner (ranked 3705 p4p, 0 weight class). Gardner has chosen Thug Luv as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Massu
vs
Gardner

196 cm
31
200 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

188 cm
27
202 lbs
11 - 14 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Fabouzi Massu !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 14 - 2, fighting out of New York, Ralph Gardner!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Dean Styles and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gardner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gardner avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A left lands for Gardner.
Gardner uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Massu .
Massu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gardner.
Gardner takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gardner pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Massu tried to counter with a leg kick but Gardner avoided it.
Gardner slips a jab from Massu .
Massu lands with a nice body punch.
A telegraphed right hand from Massu misses the target.
Massu keeps the fight on the outside.
Massu misses with a looping left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Massu at a distance.
Massu has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Massu looks for the body kick but Gardner saw that one coming.
A slapping leg kick lands for Massu .
Massu tries a head kick but it misses.
Massu avoids the body shot from Gardner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Massu .
Gardner connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Gardner checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Massu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gardner.
Gardner fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Gardner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Good shot there by Gardner.
Gardner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Massu .
Gardner throws a hook but Massu blocks it.
Gardner throws a predictable looking body shot
and Massu counters with a slapping leg kick.
Massu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gardner checks a low kick from Massu .
Gardner wants to land a leg kick but Massu is out of range.
Massu is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gardner swings widly with a right hand
and Massu counters with a body kick.
Gardner uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Massu .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gardner throws a lazy uppercut
and Massu counters with a good low kick that Gardner was not able to check.
Massu misses with an attempted mid kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Massu crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Gardner - the referee stops the clock and Massu gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Gardner. Massu manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Massu throws a body punch but Gardner moves out of range.
Ralph Gardner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gardner takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Gardner misses with a looping right.
Massu keeps the fight on the outside.
Gardner throws the left hand but Massu avoids the punch easily.
Gardner throws a head kick that misses.
Gardner paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Massu ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gardner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Massu .
Gardner is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Massu with a body shot.
Massu throws a leg kick
and Gardner makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Massu really felt that one!
Gardner throws a looping overhand right but Massu ducks down to avoid it.
Gardner is looking to chop away at Massu 's legs.
Gardner throws a lazy uppercut
and Massu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Massu moves out of range of the strikes.
Gardner moves in looking to clinch but Massu pushes him off.
Gardner throws a poor cross that misses
and Massu counters with a low kick, right behind Gardner 's knee.
A big left from Massu misses.

Gardner has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gardner struggles to land a body shot inside as Massu controls his hands.
Gardner lands with a short shot to the head.
Massu lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gardner backwards.
Gardner has a couple of punches blocked by Massu .
Gardner stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Massu makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Gardner tries a body shot but Massu blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gardner.
Gardner stalling against the cage.
Massu swings wildly with an uppercut but Gardner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gardner is looking to control Massu 's arms but Massu gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gardner has his back to the cage.
Gardner slows down the pace here.
Gardner can't find room to land a body shot as Massu controls the action.
Massu misses with a short punch on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gardner tries to work over Massu 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Fabouzi Massu will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gardner avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Massu scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Massu .
Gardner throws a series of punches but Massu moves out of range.
Gardner swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gardner lands with a right hand.
Gardner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Massu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gardner closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Massu bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gardner lunges at Massu with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Massu 's hand.
Gardner lands an overhand right.
Gardner rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Massu counters with a series of strikes. Gardner will be more careful next time no doubt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Massu throws a looping overhand right but Gardner ducks down to avoid it.
Gardner is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Massu slips a jab from Gardner.
Massu throws a quick counter head kick but Gardner was just out of range.
Gardner is looking to chop away at Massu 's legs.
Gardner throws a jab when Massu was well out of range.
Massu fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gardner looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Fabouzi Massu is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner tries to close the distance and clinch but Massu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gardner takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Gardner bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Massu cracks the inside of Gardner's front leg.
A big left from Massu misses.
Massu throws a hook to the side of Gardner's head but Gardner sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gardner throws an off balance right hand
and Massu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gardner throws a leg kick that misses.

Gardner moves into the clinch.
Gardner misses with a punch to the body.
Gardner can't find room to land a body shot as Massu controls the action.
Gardner has a couple of punches blocked by Massu .
Massu swings wildly with an uppercut but Gardner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gardner lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardner lands a right hand that snaps the head of Massu backwards.
Gardner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gardner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gardner tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Massu works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Massu blocking some punches.
Gardner prevents a body shot from Massu .
Massu being controlled against the cage.
Gardner misses with the head strike.
Massu prevents a body shot from Gardner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gardner swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Massu prevents a body shot from Gardner.
Gardner throws a punch but it's blocked by Massu .
Massu throws a head punch that misses.
Gardner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gardner swings wildly with an uppercut but Massu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Massu goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Massu misses with a hook from the clinch.
Massu '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.
Massu lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner tries to work over Massu 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gardner tries a body shot but Massu blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gardner.
Massu tries to throw a body punch but Gardner avoids it by throwing Massu back against the cage.
Gardner swings wildly with an uppercut but Massu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gardner tries to throw a body punch but Massu avoids it by throwing Gardner back against the cage.
Gardner swings wildly with an uppercut but Massu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gardner misses with a hook from the clinch.
Massu working aggressively here.
Gardner scores with a shot to the side of Massu 's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ralph Gardner will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Massu lands a head kick. Gardner smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Massu lands a nice looking body shot.
A punch lands to the side of Massu 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Gardner misses with a straight left.
Massu connects with a body shot that sends Gardner's belly button to the back.
Massu is really turning it up, unleashing another crisp combination which drops Gardner like a ton of bricks! The referee dives in to stop the fight, saving Gardner from another fist facial!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Fabouzi Massu !
Fabouzi Massu tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.