PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gunnar Gunnarsson (ranked 299 p4p, 404 weight class) and Oscar Gage (ranked 15 p4p, 67 weight class). Gunnarsson comes to the cage accompanied by Björk - Army Of Me. 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.

Gunnarsson
vs
Gage

193 cm
29
205
15 - 10 - 0

180 cm
29
206
17 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction
NARCOS

Shadow Realm Apparel
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gunnar Gunnarsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Oscar Gage!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Chris Dean and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gage dodges the punch combination from Gunnarsson.
Gunnar Gunnarsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gage slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Gunnarsson misses with an uppercut. Gage saw that one coming.
Gunnarsson ducks under a wild hook from Gage.
Gunnarsson was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Gage looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Gage moves in looking to clinch but Gunnarsson pushes him off.
Gunnarsson was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gunnarsson throws a hook to the side of Gage's head but Gage sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gage wants to counter the offense by Gunnarsson and move into the clinch position.
Gunnarsson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gage takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunnarsson swings for the body but Gage moves out of range.
Gunnarsson tests Gage's chin there with a solid looking shot.

It looks like Oscar Gage has been cut.
Gage takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gunnarsson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gage slips a straight right by Gunnarsson.
Gage dips to his left and cracks Gunnarsson with an uppercut!
Gage gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Gage closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gunnarsson to the mat! Gunnarsson manages to get full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gage trying to control but Gunnarsson is working from the bottom.
Gage throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gunnarsson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gunnarsson trying to control the position.
Gunnarsson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

This has been an exciting period of action!

Gage looking for submissions off his back.
Gunnarsson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gage wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson trying to control the action but Gage is working from the bottom.
Gage is controlling Gunnarsson's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Gunnarsson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gage regains full guard. Nicely done.
Gage is pulling down on Gunnarsson's head to control his posture.

Gage is looking for a triangle here but Gunnarsson uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Gunnarsson gets to mount! Gage was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gage tries to reverse the position but Gunnarsson maintains control.
Gage regains half guard.
Gunnarsson prevents Gage from improving his position.
Gunnarsson is trying to control the action in half guard but Gage is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gage manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gage seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Gage trying to keep a closed guard but Gunnarsson is proving a slippery customer.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Gunnarsson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Oscar Gage's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gunnarsson lands with a straight right. Gage didn't see that one coming.
Oscar Gage has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gage moves away from the strike by Gunnarsson.
Gage tries for a takedown but Gunnarsson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gage steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson takes a swing at Gage's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gunnarsson throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Gunnarsson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Gunnarsson tries a head kick but it misses.
Gage uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gunnarsson.
Gage steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Gunnarsson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunnarsson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gage at a distance.

Gage shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Gage was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Gunnarsson is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Gunnarsson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gunnarsson is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Gunnarsson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gage throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gage working the ground and pound but Gunnarsson is defending the strikes.

Gage wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gunnarsson, who protects the arm well.

Gage looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gage lands a few punches from side control.

Gage is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Gunnarsson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Gunnarsson tries to bench press Gage off him but Gage keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gage is trying to control the action in half guard but Gunnarsson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gunnarsson is looking for a sweep. Gage is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gage sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gunnarsson defending well though.
Gunnarsson is pressing down on Gage's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gage pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gunnarsson is keeping the position for now.
Gage chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Gunnarsson is looking for a triangle here but Gage uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Gage is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Gunnarsson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Gunnarsson can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Oscar Gage will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Oscar Gage's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gunnarsson with a nice cross.
Gunnarsson cracks a nice hook into Gage's ribs.
Gage takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gunnarsson just misses with a punch to the body.
Gunnarsson throws a looping overhand right but Gage ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gage gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Gage gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Gage is working for a submission of some sort.
Gage is trying to control. Gunnarsson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunnarsson is looking to improve his position.

Gage is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Gage is looking for a kimura but Gunnarsson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gage to get the leverage.
Gage prevents Gunnarsson from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gunnarsson is staying active underneath Gage, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Gunnarsson actively working from the bottom here.
Gage perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Gage is keen to just control but Gunnarsson is a slippery customer.

Gage wants to work for an arm triangle but Gunnarsson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Gunnarsson actively working from the bottom here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson is trying to maintain the position but Gage is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gunnarsson throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Gage misses with a left hand
and Gage takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gunnarsson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gage bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gunnar Gunnarsson is winning the standup battle so far.

Gage closes the distance and clinches.
Gage struggles to land a body shot inside as Gunnarsson controls his hands.

Gage gets control of Gunnarsson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gage will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Oscar Gage has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gunnarsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Gage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gunnarsson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gage is keeping the position for now.

Gage has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Gunnarsson should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Gage has tightened it up now! Gunnarsson should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Oscar Gage!
An out of breath Oscar Gage thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.