PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gordon Masten (ranked 3528 p4p, 4325 weight class) and Gwarsenio Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Masten
vs
Hall

171 cm
18
187
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
200
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gordon Masten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gwarsenio Hall!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Gregory Folan and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hall tries to move into range but Masten moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Hall throws a body punch but Masten moves out of range.

Hall takes the fight into the clinch.
I was talking to Masten's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Hall misses with a punch on the inside.
Masten tries a body shot but Hall blocks it.
Hall tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hall struggles to land a body shot inside as Masten controls his hands.
A short body shot lands from Masten as the two fighters clinch.
Hall tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Masten's elbow.
Masten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Masten manages to pull guard.

Masten escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hall gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hall really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Masten. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Masten is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masten is adopting a defensive guard.
Hall trying to control the position from guard on top but Masten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masten has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Masten is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Masten throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Masten wants to sweep here but Hall controlling him for the moment.
Masten pulls Hall in to control the position.

Masten throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Masten working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hall.
Hall wants to control from the top but Masten keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Masten working for a triangle but Hall defends it easily.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Masten holds on and takes a little breather.
Hall must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Masten throws a punch but it's blocked by Hall.
Masten blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hall.
Masten lands with a right to the head.
Masten misses with some punches.
A short right from Hall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Masten.
Masten scores with a shot to the side of Hall's head.
Hall throws a punch but it's blocked by Masten.
Hall tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Masten.
Hall struggles to land a body shot inside as Masten controls his hands.
Masten cracks Hall with a nice body shot.

Hall gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Hall being controlled here momentarily.
Masten is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Hall tries to roll over but Masten keeps him under control.
Masten thows a huge punch but Hall dodges it nicely.
Masten perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Hall is looking to improve his position.
Masten passes to full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hall is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Masten lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Hall hang on?
Masten content just to control the position here.
Masten could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Hall blocking the ground and pound.
Masten working the ground and pound effectively.
Masten in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Masten takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hall throws out a loose jab but Masten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Good standup being displayed there by Masten as he connects with a hook.
Masten uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hall.
The fighters circling - Hall throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hall staying out of range there.
Masten fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Hall throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Masten sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Masten moves into range and clinches up with Hall.
Hall working aggressively here.
Hall blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hall misses with some punches.
Hall misses with some punches.
Hall blocks an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Hall.
Masten jumps guard but Hall turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Masten pulls guard.
Masten is pulling down on Hall's head. It's preventing any offense from Hall, at least for the moment.
Hall loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall preventing the sweep.
Hall loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Masten wants to sweep but no luck.
Masten bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hall's guard.

Hall is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Masten not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Masten sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hall's guard.
Hall avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Masten.
Masten content to control rather than advance.
Hall trying to control from the bottom.
Masten is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hall can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masten is controlling the pace.
Masten has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Masten continues to stall.
Hall is trying to control but can't.
Masten content to control rather than advance.
Masten sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hall defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masten trying to pass the guard but Hall defending well.
Masten winds up and cracks Hall with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hall wants to improve his position but Masten is controlling well.
Masten thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Masten scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Masten throwing shots but Hall is blocking nicely.
Masten is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Masten seems to be looking for submissions.
Hall wants to get back to full guard.
Masten perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Hall wants to control but Masten is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Masten takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Masten's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
More hug and hope from Masten.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masten throwing shots but Hall is blocking nicely.
Masten trying to control the pace.
Masten passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Hall!
Hall is looking to improve his position but Masten isn't that keen on the idea.
Masten unloads with some shots from mount but Hall bucks and avoids them well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hall is trying to escape the mount.
Masten takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Masten throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Masten dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Masten dips to his left and cracks Hall with an uppercut!

Masten takes the fight into the clinch.
Hall misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Masten.
Hall lands a right hand.
Masten tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hall lands an uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Hall.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Masten.
Hall working aggressively here.
Hall throws a punch but it's blocked by Masten.
Hall has a couple of punches blocked by Masten.
Masten lands a body shot in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hall working aggressively here.
Masten blocking some punches.
Hall lands an uppercut.
Masten misses with some punches.
Masten is working Hall over against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hall misses with the head strike.
Masten is trying to pull guard but Hall turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Gwarsenio Hall seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Hall.
Masten misses with a punch on the inside.
Hall lands a body punch in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Masten misses with some punches.
Masten blocks an uppercut.
Hall stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hall tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hall lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Hall lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hall has a couple of punches blocked by Masten.
Masten 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.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Masten.
Masten misses with a hook from the clinch.
Masten blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Hall fails to land.
Masten swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hall lands a nice uppercut.
Hall blocking some punches.
Masten takes a shot to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hall working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masten tries a body shot but Hall blocks it.
Masten blocks an uppercut.
Masten misses with some punches.
Hall lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hall has a couple of punches blocked by Masten.
Gwarsenio Hall has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Masten tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hall working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hall misses with some punches.
Hall has a couple of punches blocked by Masten.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hall.
Hall swings wildly with an uppercut but Masten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Masten misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hall swings wildly with an uppercut but Masten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Masten tries to pull guard but Hall won't allow it.
Nice body punch from Hall.
Hall tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hall tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Masten's elbow.
Hall throws a head punch that misses.
Masten swings wildly with an uppercut but Hall uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Hall on the inside.
Masten takes a shot to the head.
Hall tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hall throws a head punch that misses.
Masten throws a head punch that misses.

Masten decides to pull guard.
Hall is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hall scoring with punches to the head and body.
Masten keeping full guard, as Hall tries to pass.
Hall connects with a couple of short punches.
Masten is adopting a defensive guard.
Hall keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Masten's head.
Hall makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Masten has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Masten is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hall defends well.
Masten tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hall postures up in Masten's guard and throws a big left but Masten blocks it.
Masten seems keen to control Hall's posture.
Hall lands a couple of digs.
Hall postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gordon Masten overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Masten managing to control the position.
Hall pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Masten is keeping the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gwarsenio Hall comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Masten 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gordon Masten!
Gordon Masten decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.