PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between JJ Gibbs (ranked 4714 p4p, 4478 weight class) and Mirko Sticks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gibbs
vs
Sticks

170 cm
18
165
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
185
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, JJ Gibbs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mirko Sticks!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sticks stuffs the takedown.
Sticks rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gibbs moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gibbs tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sticks counters with an outside leg kick.
Nice straight punches there by Sticks. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sticks.
Gibbs looks for a takedown but Sticks sprawls well.
Sticks blocks the body kick.
Sticks lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gibbs misses with a takedown attempt - Sticks sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Despite the aggression on Sticks's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for JJ Gibbs. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sticks takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gibbs tries to pull guard but Sticks forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Gibbs goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sticks prevents it.

Sticks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sticks lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Gibbs tries to clinch but Sticks is having none of it.
Sticks is looking for the big counter here.
Gibbs lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sticks circles away quickly and effectively.
Gibbs tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sticks was well out of range. Poor timing from Gibbs.

Sticks moves into range and clinches up with Gibbs.
Gibbs tries to break free but Sticks pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gibbs jumps guard.
Gibbs looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sticks wants to stand but Gibbs is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sticks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gibbs is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sticks tries to stand but Gibbs is controlling from the bottom.
Gibbs is trying to keep Sticks in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mirko Sticks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gibbs tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sticks manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sticks looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Sticks lands with an uppercut that bounces Gibbs off the cage and back into range.
Gibbs will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sticks lands a body shot.
Gibbs is breathing heavily.
Gibbs takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Gibbs takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gibbs misses with a straight left.
Sticks was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.

Sticks pushes Gibbs up against the cage in a clinch.

Sticks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gibbs takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Sticks explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Sticks stuffs the takedown attempt from Gibbs. Gibbs gets slowly back to his feet.
Sticks unleashes a big counter combination but Gibbs bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Sticks goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sticks scores with a kick to the body.
Sticks lands a head kick. Gibbs smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Sticks dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sticks stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Gibbs shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sticks as he jumps to the side.
Nice takedown defense from Sticks. No joy for Gibbs on that attempt.
Gibbs throws a sloppy head kick and Sticks moves out of range easily.
Gibbs tries to clinch up
and Sticks counters with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sticks scores with a shot to the body.

Gibbs shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Sticks is trying to defend but Gibbs finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sticks looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sticks is not content to let Gibbs control the position.
Sticks looks like he's trying to stand up.

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.

Gibbs seems to be working for a kimura but Sticks defends the submission attempt.
Gibbs content to control rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Gibbs shoots and misses
and Sticks counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for JJ Gibbs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Sticks!
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Sticks. Gibbs shrugs it off though.
Sticks throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Gibbs's head.
Sticks is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sticks lands a nice looking kick to the body. Gibbs takes a step back to recover.
Gibbs misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sticks is looking for the big counter here.
Sticks throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Gibbs.
Gibbs tries to close the distance and clinch but Sticks swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sticks is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sticks bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

Sticks has Gibbs up against the cage in a clinch.
Gibbs is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Sticks to keep the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sticks breaks the clinch.
Sticks thows a body kick. Gibbs tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Gibbs tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sticks defends well and Gibbs ends up having to push Sticks into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Sticks breaks the clinch.
Sticks lands the left hand.
Sticks tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Sticks enables Gibbs to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Sticks manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gibbs has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sticks is proving hard to escape from.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Sticks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Sticks moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Gibbs tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sticks sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gibbs somewhat.
Gibbs takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gibbs is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gibbs will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sticks throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Gibbs doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sticks counters with a head kick. That will keep Gibbs thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Sticks tries to clinch but Gibbs is having none of it.

Gibbs closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gibbs lands in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gibbs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sticks swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sticks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gibbs. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gibbs seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gibbs works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sticks on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gibbs is trying to control. Sticks wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gibbs tries to pass to full mount but Sticks defends it.
Gibbs is looking to take a break and control but Sticks is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gibbs is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sticks is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Gibbs closes the distance and clinches up with Sticks, looking for a takedown. Gibbs pushes Sticks against the cage but Sticks circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sticks unleashes a big counter combination but Gibbs bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for JJ Gibbs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gibbs misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sticks scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Sticks.
Sticks lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Gibbs throws a leg kick that is checked
and Sticks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mirko Sticks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sticks is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Gibbs gets a double leg takedown into Sticks's guard.
Sticks wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Gibbs manages to pass to side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gibbs is taking a breather. Sticks says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mirko Sticks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sticks winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight for Mirko Sticks!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Mirko Sticks!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Mirko Sticks!

Mirko Sticks wins by unanimous decision!