PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Benji Gable (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karl Saxon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Saxon's choice of entrance music: Rammstein-kokain. Karl Saxon acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Gable
vs
Saxon

177 cm
20
161 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
24
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Benji Gable!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Karl Saxon!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paul Aken and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gable fails with an attempt to clinch.
Saxon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gable circles away.
No joy there for Gable, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gable lands a jab-cross combination.
Saxon circles away from the clinch attempt.
Saxon scores with a shot to the body.
Saxon will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gable misses the jab.
Gable will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Saxon scores with a takedown into Gable's guard.
Saxon thows a big elbow that misses.
Gable looking to control.
Saxon wants to control from the top but Gable keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saxon prevents Gable from getting back to his feet.
Saxon trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Saxon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gable swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gable preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gable fails with an attempt to clinch.
Saxon moves out of range of the strikes.

Saxon darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Saxon misses with a head shot. Gable uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saxon throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Saxon looking to sit in guard and control but Gable gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gable trying to control but Saxon is working from the bottom.
Gable throws a strike but Saxon rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saxon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Saxon throws a big right hand that misses.
Gable is looking to stand up but Saxon isn't so interested in that idea.
Saxon throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Saxon drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gable manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Saxon has Gable in his guard.
Saxon wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gable preventing the sweep.
Gable thows a big elbow that misses.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Saxon can do anything to dispel that myth.
Saxon is adopting a defensive guard.
Gable landing with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Saxon dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gable tries to clinch up.
Gable attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
The fighters circle momentarily. Saxon darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Gable displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Saxon throws out the jab.
Gable tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saxon swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gable misses with a hook.
Saxon throws a shot to the body.
Gable is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Saxon wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Gable thows a body shot but no joy.
Gable throws a series of punches but Saxon moves out of range.
Saxon slips a jab and a cross from Gable.
Gable takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Gable throws a head kick that misses.

Saxon shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A nice elbow there by Saxon.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saxon landing shots from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saxon fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Saxon cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Saxon landing strikes from the mount and Gable is in trouble!
Saxon punishing his opponent with strikes.
Saxon working the ground and pound effectively.
Saxon landing shots from mount.
A nice elbow there by Saxon.
Saxon breaks from Gable's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Saxon lands a big shot there that rocks Gable but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Saxon lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Saxon looking to finish Gable with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gable!
Saxon sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Saxon scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gable?
Gable in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Saxon looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saxon lands a nice shot to the head.
Saxon can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gable is looking to escape.
Saxon is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Saxon wants to control the pace but Gable is squirming around nicely.
Saxon lands a big shot there that rocks Gable but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Saxon landing strikes, looking to finish!
Karl Saxon has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Saxon connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Saxon lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Saxon with the ground and pound from mount.
Saxon with the ground and pound from mount.
Saxon with good strikes from the mount here!
Saxon landing punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saxon is landing with some decent strikes but Gable is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Saxon with a couple of short strikes.
Saxon controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Saxon 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! And we move into the final round!

Saxon shoots in looking for a takedown. Gable tries to sprawl out of it but Saxon keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gable manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Gable tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saxon swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Saxon shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gable pinned against the cage. Gable gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gable is looking to clinch but Saxon is avoiding it.
Gable misses with an uppercut. Saxon saw that one coming.
Gable tries to clinch there but Saxon circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saxon fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gable manages to avoid it.
Saxon connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gable moves forwards but Saxon connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Gable slips a straight right by Saxon.
No joy there for Gable, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Saxon on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gable ducks under a wild hook from Saxon.
Saxon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Saxon jabs Gable right on the nose. Gable blinks but takes it well.
Saxon staying out of range there.
Gable moves in looking to clinch but Saxon pushes him off.
Saxon tests Gable's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Benji Gable is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saxon lunges at Gable with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gable's hand.
Benji Gable seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saxon looks to land a combination but Gable avoids it well.
Donk. Saxon catches Gable right on the button with a cross.
Some wild striking there from Saxon.
Gable displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Gable has managed to clinch.
Gable is trying to break the clinch but Saxon has him pressed against the cage.

Gable pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gable misses with a double jab
and Saxon counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saxon throws a sloppy head kick and Gable moves out of range easily.
Nice shot by Saxon.
Saxon shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gable as he jumps to the side.
Benji Gable has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Karl Saxon.
Saxon throws a hook but Gable avoids it easily.

Gable forces Saxon back against the cage and clinches.

Gable pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gable moves away from the strike by Saxon.
Gable slips under a jab.
Gable displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Saxon throws out the jab.
Saxon slips a jab and a cross from Gable.
Saxon connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gable's hands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice defenses there by Gable.

Saxon looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Gable!
A nice elbow there by Saxon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saxon lands a nice shot to the head.
Saxon raining down shots from the mount!
Saxon controlling from the full mount.
BOOM! Saxon connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Karl Saxon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saxon controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benji Gable has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Karl Saxon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Saxon 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 26:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karl Saxon!