PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Abidah Augustus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Gorden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gorden has chosen Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Abidah Augustus has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Abidah Augustus seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Augustus
vs
Gorden

160 cm
25
145 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

170 cm
26
142 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Good kicks
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Knock Out Artistry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abidah Augustus!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ben Gorden!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Augustus lands a high kick!
Augustus takes one on the button.
Gorden pivots, looking for a leg kick but Augustus is out of range and Gorden settles back down.

Augustus shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gorden manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Gorden pulls Augustus in close to his closed guard and prevents Augustus from doing any damage or advancing position.

Augustus drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Augustus jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gorden wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Augustus looking to sit in guard and control but Gorden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gorden stopping the sweep attempt from Augustus.
Augustus keeping moving, preventing Gorden from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Augustus looking for a sweep. Not yet Augustus, not yet.
Augustus keeping moving, preventing Gorden from controlling successfully.
Gorden must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gorden thows a big elbow that misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Augustus throws the kick towards the body but Gorden avoids it.
Gorden has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Augustus.
Augustus throws a leg kick but Gorden checks it.
Augustus thumps Gorden with a low kick.
Augustus connects with a solid leg kick.
Augustus on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Abidah Augustus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No joy there for Gorden, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Augustus lands a head kick!
Augustus throws a push kick but Gorden slaps the foot to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gorden doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Augustus counters with a solid body kick.

Augustus drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Augustus wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gorden, who protects the arm well.
Gorden manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Augustus is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gorden pulls his head out easily.

Augustus is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gorden pulls his head out easily.
Gorden is looking to take a break and control but Augustus is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Augustus looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Augustus is breathing heavily.
Gorden lands strikes from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gorden slows the pace down in half guard.
Augustus wants to get back to full guard.
Gorden stalling away here and it's allowed Augustus to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Augustus working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Augustus preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Augustus wants to sweep but no luck.

Augustus is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gorden defends well.
Gorden wants to control from the top but Augustus keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gorden looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gorden throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Augustus.
Gorden ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gorden lunges at Augustus with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Augustus's hand.
Augustus ducks under a wild hook from Gorden.
Augustus looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Augustus scores a takedown into full mount!
Gorden slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gorden wants to improve his position but Augustus is controlling well.

Augustus is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gorden defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Abidah Augustus will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Augustus slips under a jab.
Augustus pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Some wild striking there from Gorden.
Augustus misses with a head kick.
Gorden cracks Augustus with an open hand slap.
Augustus pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Augustus leaves Gorden with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gorden lands a jab to the head.
A bone on bone clash there as Gorden blocks the leg kick.
Gorden throws a leg kick but Augustus sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Augustus feints and then cracks Gorden's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gorden down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Gorden.
A head kick misses from Augustus.
Augustus throws a sloppy head kick and Gorden moves out of range easily.
Augustus throws a low kick but Gorden avoids it.
Gorden has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Gorden on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Ben Gorden is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Augustus chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Gorden takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Gorden avoids a kick to the body.
Gorden throws a head kick but Augustus moves out of range.
Gorden misses with a leg kick

and Augustus counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Augustus looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Gorden is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Augustus is just content to waste time from the top position. Gorden takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Gorden is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Augustus pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gorden is keeping the position for now.

Gorden escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Augustus gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gorden keeping moving, preventing Augustus from controlling successfully.

Gorden is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Augustus is aware though and is defending well.

Gorden looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gorden is breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Augustus throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gorden shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Augustus counters with an outside leg kick.
Augustus steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gorden.
Augustus tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice body kick there by Augustus.

That's four 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.
Gorden on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Augustus.
Gorden takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Gorden with a poor takedown
and Augustus counters with a big head kick but Gorden shrugs it off.
Abidah Augustus has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Gorden.
Gorden takes a kick to the side of the head.
Augustus tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Augustus closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Augustus lands in his opponent's guard.

Augustus is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gorden trying to keep a closed guard but Augustus is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abidah Augustus dominated that second 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.

Gorden takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Augustus throws a wild body kick that Gorden sees coming a mile off.
Augustus swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gorden just misses with a punch to the body.
Augustus moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Gorden.
Augustus lands a nice looking body kick.
Augustus misses with a body kick.
Gorden throws a series of punches but Augustus moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Augustus throws a head kick that misses.
Nice body kick there by Augustus.
Gorden takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Gorden closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Augustus is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gorden pulls his head out easily.
Gorden lands strikes from half guard.
Augustus trying to control from the bottom.
Augustus works his way to full guard. Good work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Augustus is trying to control the position but Gorden postures up.
Gorden trying to control the position from guard on top but Augustus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Augustus throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gorden escapes and throws Augustus's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Augustus tries to get back to half guard but can't.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Gorden shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Augustus is trying to defend but Gorden finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gorden not doing much here.
Augustus is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gorden scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Gorden working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Augustus looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gorden takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Gorden throwing shots but Augustus is blocking nicely.
Gorden seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Augustus does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Augustus is trying to control but can't.
Gorden is trying to control. Augustus wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Augustus is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gorden pulls his head out easily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gorden with a lazy takedown attempt
and Augustus counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Gorden is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Gorden connects with a right hand. Augustus shakes it off.
Augustus is looking to chop away at Gorden's legs.

Gorden looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gorden missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gorden wants to control from the top but Augustus keeps moving.

Augustus looking for subs off his back but Gorden has passed one foot through into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Gorden connects with a nice short shot to Augustus's temple.
Gorden thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Augustus's head.
Gorden misses with a head shot. Augustus uses the momentum to regain guard.
Gorden throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Augustus works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gorden lands a couple of digs.

Augustus looking for a triangle here. Gorden is fighting it but it looks tight! Augustus pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Gorden is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Abidah Augustus!
Abidah Augustus retains his bantamweight title!