PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lucius Hodge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Gardner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jimmy Gardner will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Hodge
vs
Gardner

155 cm
19
214 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lucius Hodge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jimmy Gardner!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Damien Edna and Darius Henderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gardner closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Hodge's guard.
Hodge is pulling down on Gardner's head to control his posture.
Gardner is looking to stand up but Hodge won't let him.
Hodge tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hodge not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hodge is pulling down on Gardner's head. It's preventing any offense from Gardner, at least for the moment.
Hodge looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gardner is one step ahead there.
Hodge wants to stand but Gardner is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hodge is keeping the position for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gardner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hodge seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Hodge really is a fat lump.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gardner looking to score a takedown here. Hodge is defending well but Gardner drives through and ends up in Hodge's guard.
Hodge is trying to keep Gardner in close.

Gardner decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hodge, up you get!
Hodge chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gardner can pounce on him.
Gardner throws a sloppy head kick and Hodge moves out of range easily.
Hodge is looking for a counter combo.

Gardner shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hodge manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hodge throws a couple of heel strikes.
Hodge tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hodge looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Gardner puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Gardner is working for a submission of some sort.
Hodge is pressing down on Gardner's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gardner trying to control but Hodge is working from the bottom.
Hodge might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Hodge looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gardner is one step ahead there.
Gardner postures up.
Hodge is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gardner is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hodge trying to keep a closed guard but Gardner is proving a slippery customer.
Gardner stopping the sweep attempt from Hodge.
Gardner showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gardner's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gardner tries to clinch but Hodge is having none of it.

Gardner manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hodge on his heels. He'll look to pass Hodge's guard now, I'm sure.
Hodge keeping full guard, as Gardner tries to pass.
Hodge working a defensive guard here.

That's four 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.
Hodge wants to sweep here but Gardner controlling him for the moment.
Hodge is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hodge has Gardner pulled in close to control his posture.

Gardner gets to his feet. Hodge looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Hodge avoids a punch combination nicely.
As Gardner tries to get set, Hodge tries to push him back and clinch up but Gardner manages to avoid the attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gardner jabs Hodge to the body, keeping him at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Gardner dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hodge gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gardner to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Hodge working a defensive guard here.
Gardner looking to pass the guard.
Gardner sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner wants to control from the top but Hodge keeps moving.
Gardner preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner trying to control but Hodge is working from the bottom.
Hodge is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Hodge circles away from the clinch attempt.

Gardner throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hodge was covering up waiting for the punch and Gardner finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hodge throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hodge keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.
Gardner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hodge swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gardner showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Hodge controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardner wants to pass the guard but Hodge is keeping the position.
Hodge looking for a sweep. Not yet Hodge, not yet.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hodge is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gardner lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Lucius Hodge has been cut.

Gardner looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Hodge!
Hodge is looking to regain half guard here but Gardner keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gardner is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hodge is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Gardner tries for a kimura but Hodge is defending well.
Hodge gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hodge won't allow Gardner to pass to mount.
Gardner trying to control from half guard but Hodge is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hodge wants to control but Gardner is keeping busy.
Hodge is refusing to be controlled, as Gardner sits in half guard.
Gardner has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hodge wants to sweep but Gardner has passed to side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gardner trying to control the action but Hodge is working from the bottom.
Hodge tries to control but Gardner manages to take his back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hodge trying to control but not successfully.
Gardner trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Hodge doesn't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Gardner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lucius Hodge's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gardner clinches up against the cage.
Hodge tries a body shot but Gardner blocks it.
Hodge is trying to push Gardner away but Gardner has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hodge trying to land knees to the body.
Hodge jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gardner walks away with a smile on his face. Hodge gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gardner keeps the fight on the outside.
Hodge fails with a takedown attempt.
Gardner feints the counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hodge gets tackled into the cage by Gardner. Gardner maintains the clinch.

Gardner has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Hodge regains guard immediately.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner trying to control the position from guard on top but Hodge is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hodge wants to sweep but no luck.
Hodge avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Jimmy Gardner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hodge working a defensive guard here.
Hodge working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gardner.
Hodge is trying to control the position from the bottom.

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

Gardner changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hodge looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Hodge's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hodge wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gardner controls the position from side control.
Hodge tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gardner wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Gardner is trying to get an arm triangle but Hodge is defending well.
Hodge can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hodge tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hodge wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Hodge seems a little lost for a moment, as Gardner dominates the positioning.
Hodge is not content to let Gardner control the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Gardner tries to advance to mount but Hodge denies him.
Gardner trying to control the action but Hodge is working from the bottom.

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

Gardner shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner is taking a breather. Hodge 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.
Hodge wants to control but Gardner is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hodge blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gardner.
Gardner content to control rather than advance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gardner is trying to control. Hodge wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lucius Hodge has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jimmy Gardner is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmy Gardner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gardner has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 26:30
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Gardner!