PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Danny Giblet (ranked 4605 p4p, 4323 weight class) and James Litchfield (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Giblet
vs
Litchfield

190 cm
25
205
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
25
205
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Danny Giblet!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Litchfield!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Andrew Berry and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giblet has a takedown stuffed.

Litchfield moves into range and clinches up with Giblet.
Litchfield misses with a punch on the inside.
Litchfield can't break the clinch.
Litchfield is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Giblet to keep the fight standing.
Giblet tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Litchfield just stands there and leans against the cage.

Giblet manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Litchfield engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giblet wants to sweep here but Litchfield controlling him for the moment.
Giblet avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giblet has a closed guard, preventing Litchfield from standing up.

Giblet is looking for a triangle here but Litchfield uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Giblet is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Litchfield's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Giblet is trying to stand up here but Litchfield is controlling him well.
Giblet controlling the position well.
Litchfield with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Giblet is not content to let Litchfield control the position.
Giblet has hold of Litchfield's hands but Litchfield slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Litchfield trying to control from Giblet's half guard. Giblet has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Giblet looking to hit a scissor sweep but Litchfield is one step ahead there.
Litchfield is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giblet lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Giblet stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Litchfield swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Giblet passes Litchfield's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Giblet stands up from half guard.

Litchfield closes the distance and clinches.
Giblet tries to pull guard but Litchfield won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Giblet. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Litchfield tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Giblet avoids it.
Litchfield being controlled against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giblet drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Litchfield with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Giblet displaying some good clinch control by pressing Litchfield up against the cage.
Litchfield fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Litchfield slows down the pace here.
Giblet lands a right hand that snaps the head of Litchfield backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but James Litchfield will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Litchfield shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Giblet as he avoids it easily.
Giblet tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Litchfield manages to circle out of the way.
Litchfield closes the distance and clinches up with Giblet, looking for a takedown. Litchfield pushes Giblet against the cage but Giblet circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Giblet seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Giblet throws a head kick that misses.
Giblet misses with a takedown
and Litchfield connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Litchfield enables Giblet to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Litchfield manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Litchfield trying to control the position.
Litchfield looking to hit a scissor sweep but Giblet is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giblet is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Litchfield throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Giblet wants to control from the top but Litchfield keeps moving.
Litchfield wants to sweep here but Giblet controlling him for the moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Giblet closes the distance and clinches up with Litchfield, looking for a takedown. Giblet pushes Litchfield against the cage but Litchfield circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Giblet darts in looking for a takedown but Litchfield gets double underhooks and turns Giblet into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Giblet. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Litchfield pulls guard successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giblet wants to control from the top but Litchfield keeps moving.
Litchfield looking to control.
Giblet looking to pass the guard.
Giblet stopping the sweep attempt from Litchfield.
Giblet throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Litchfield keeping moving, preventing Giblet from controlling successfully.
Giblet stops Litchfield from standing up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Litchfield working a defensive guard here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giblet circles away from the clinch attempt.
Giblet shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Litchfield defends it nicely.
Litchfield stuffs the takedown attempt from Giblet. Giblet gets slowly back to his feet.
Giblet throws a right hand that misses
letting Litchfield counter with a right hand.

Litchfield clinches with his opponent.
Litchfield blocks an elbow strike from Giblet.

Giblet breaks from the clinch.
Litchfield tries to close the distance and clinch but Giblet swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Litchfield tries to clinch but Giblet moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giblet throws a head kick but Litchfield moves out of range.
Litchfield feints the counter takedown.
Giblet takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Giblet jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Giblet darts in looking for a takedown but Litchfield gets double underhooks and turns Giblet into the cage.
Giblet is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Litchfield is trying to drag Giblet to the mat but Giblet just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Giblet lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Litchfield backwards.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Litchfield is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Giblet is defending well for now.
Litchfield drops down looking for an ankle pick but Giblet pulls his leg out and moves away.
Litchfield fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Danny Giblet will probably get the nod.
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. 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.

Giblet pushes Litchfield up against the cage in a clinch.
Giblet throws an elbow but it misses.

Giblet manages to break the clinch.
Giblet avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Giblet cracks Litchfield with a right hand to the side of the head.
Giblet tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Litchfield swivels and escapes.
Giblet will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Litchfield wants to counter with a clinch but Giblet pushes him away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Litchfield lands a jab to Giblet's midsection.
Litchfield avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Litchfield fails to land with a series of punches.
Giblet fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Litchfield checks the leg kick.
Litchfield shoots in for a takedown but Giblet shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Giblet seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Litchfield moves in looking to clinch but Giblet pushes him off.
Giblet misses with a wild body shot.
Litchfield steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Giblet.
A head kick from Litchfield lands but Giblet takes it in his stride.

It looks like Danny Giblet has been cut.
Giblet fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Litchfield avoids it really well and circles away.
Giblet tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
James Litchfield seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Giblet looking to score a takedown here. Litchfield is defending well but Giblet drives through and ends up in Litchfield's guard.

Litchfield has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Giblet is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Litchfield's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Litchfield shoots in looking for a takedown but Giblet manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Litchfield's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Giblet looks for a takedown but Litchfield sprawls well.
Litchfield tries to counter by closing the distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Giblet. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Litchfield moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Litchfield forces Giblet back against the cage and clinches.
Litchfield tries to break the clinch but Giblet is controlling the position.
Litchfield tries to pull guard but Giblet forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Giblet avoiding damage.
Litchfield stalling in the clinch but Giblet improves position.

Giblet breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giblet dives in and grabs Litchfield's left leg, looking for a takedown. Litchfield pushes down on Giblet's head and hops out.
Litchfield is looking to clinch but Giblet is avoiding it.
As Litchfield looks to move away, Giblet throws a big counter combo but Litchfield just gets out of the way.
The fight stays on the outside here - Litchfield looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Giblet feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Litchfield is pulling down on Giblet's head. It's preventing any offense from Giblet, at least for the moment.
Giblet working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Giblet controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Litchfield has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Giblet is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Litchfield.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giblet working away.
Giblet trying to control the action but Litchfield is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Litchfield is trying to escape the position but Giblet is controlling the position.
Litchfield is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Giblet is controlling him well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Danny Giblet.
I think Giblet 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!