PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ward Gibbs (ranked 23133 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jon Sutcliffe (ranked 4663 p4p, 0 weight class). Jon Sutcliffe will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Gibbs
vs
Sutcliffe

188 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

179 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Ward Gibbs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jon Sutcliffe !
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Steven Brown and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sutcliffe instigates a clinch.
Sutcliffe tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Gibbs's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gibbs avoids the head kick by Sutcliffe .
Sutcliffe lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Sutcliffe closes the distance and clinches.
Gibbs really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sutcliffe has Gibbs pressed against the cage, preventing Gibbs from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Gibbs escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sutcliffe throws a one two combo.

It looks like Ward Gibbs has been cut.
Gibbs throws a series of punches but Sutcliffe moves out of range.
Sutcliffe misses with a head kick.
Sutcliffe scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sutcliffe pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Gibbs gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sutcliffe to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Sutcliffe won't allow Gibbs to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibbs keeping full guard, as Sutcliffe tries to pass.

Gibbs has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sutcliffe can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sutcliffe looking to pass the guard.
Sutcliffe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two 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.
Sutcliffe trying to control but Gibbs is working from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sutcliffe 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sutcliffe looking to sit in guard and control but Gibbs gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gibbs controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sutcliffe wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gibbs thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sutcliffe has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sutcliffe 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.

Sutcliffe looking for subs off his back but Gibbs has passed one foot through into half guard.
Sutcliffe is trying to stand back up but Gibbs is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sutcliffe wants to control but Gibbs passes into side.
Sutcliffe is looking for a sweep.

Gibbs is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sutcliffe knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gibbs has control of an arm but Sutcliffe manages to advance to Gibbs's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Sutcliffe dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ward Gibbs's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sutcliffe wants to break free but Gibbs has control.
Gibbs has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Gibbs tries to circle away but Sutcliffe has him pinned against the cage.
Gibbs misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gibbs struggles to land a body shot inside as Sutcliffe controls his hands.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Gibbs manages to break the clinch.
Gibbs has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sutcliffe tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gibbs throws a big counter combination but Sutcliffe scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Jon Sutcliffe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gibbs enables Sutcliffe to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gibbs manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Gibbs is looking to stand back up but Sutcliffe counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Gibbs.

Gibbs is trying is best to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibbs is trying to stand up here but Sutcliffe is controlling him well.
Gibbs is not content to let Sutcliffe control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gibbs wants to get back to his feet.
Gibbs is positioning himself well to prevent Sutcliffe advancing to mount.
Gibbs moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gibbs looking to control.

Gibbs is looking for a triangle but Sutcliffe pushes his legs off easily.
Sutcliffe wants to get up but he can't break Gibbs's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sutcliffe lands a couple of digs.

Sutcliffe gets to his feet. Gibbs looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Gibbs gets caught flat footed, as Sutcliffe shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Jon Sutcliffe has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sutcliffe trying to control the position from guard on top but Gibbs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gibbs utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sutcliffe has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gibbs keeping moving, preventing Sutcliffe from controlling successfully.

Gibbs is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sutcliffe is aware though and is defending well.
Sutcliffe is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sutcliffe makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sutcliffe distracts Gibbs with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sutcliffe showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sutcliffe lands a couple of digs.
Sutcliffe trying to control the position from guard on top but Gibbs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sutcliffe content to stall in guard here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Sutcliffe shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gibbs's guard.

Gibbs is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Sutcliffe presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Sutcliffe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ward Gibbs's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A combination from Sutcliffe does no damage.
Gibbs takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

Gibbs rushes Sutcliffe and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gibbs keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Sutcliffe 's efforts to push away.
Sutcliffe is trying to break free.
Gibbs tries a knee to the head but Sutcliffe blocks it.
Gibbs tries to throw a body punch but Sutcliffe avoids it by throwing Gibbs back against the cage.
Gibbs working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gibbs pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Sutcliffe trying to stall but Gibbs improves his position.
Gibbs can't break the clinch.
Gibbs tries a knee to the head but Sutcliffe blocks it.
Gibbs tries a knee to the head but Sutcliffe blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibbs missing with knees to the body.
Gibbs looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gibbs with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sutcliffe jumps guard and drags Gibbs to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Sutcliffe looking to control.
Gibbs won't allow Sutcliffe to sweep him here.
Sutcliffe working a defensive guard here.
Gibbs passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

Sutcliffe looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sutcliffe looking for submissions off his back.
Sutcliffe wants to get back to full guard but Gibbs has mounted him!
Sutcliffe gets back to half guard.
Gibbs prevents Sutcliffe from improving his position.
Sutcliffe tries to kick Gibbs off but Gibbs keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gibbs is looking for a kimura here.
Sutcliffe is looking for a sweep. Gibbs is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gibbs is thwarting Sutcliffe 's attempts to control the position.
Gibbs seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sutcliffe does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sutcliffe is pressing down on Gibbs's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sutcliffe throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Gibbs moves into the clinch.
Gibbs pushes off an throws an elbow but Sutcliffe leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Gibbs is fighting off a takedown attempt but Sutcliffe is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Gibbs to the mat. Gibbs regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Sutcliffe trying to control but Gibbs is working from the bottom.
Sutcliffe cracks Gibbs with a solid left hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gibbs escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sutcliffe gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ward Gibbs has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jon Sutcliffe is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sutcliffe wants to control from the top but Gibbs keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ward Gibbs showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sutcliffe has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jon Sutcliffe !