PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Maxime Oppong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Gardner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gardner has chosen Stavesacre - Minuteman as his entrance music. Aaron Gardner has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Maxime Oppong's chin.

Oppong
vs
Gardner

174 cm
22
165 lbs
7 - 1 - 1

163 cm
28
161 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

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 7 - 1 - 1, fighting out of New York, Maxime Oppong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Aaron Gardner!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Reed Andrews and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oppong will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gardner throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gardner misses with a series of wild punches.
Gardner throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nice uppercut lands for Gardner. That snapped Oppong's head back.
Gardner motions for Oppong to come forward. Gardner throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Oppong takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Oppong is pulling down on Gardner's head to control his posture.
Gardner must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gardner postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gardner postures up.
Gardner wants to control from the top but Oppong keeps moving.
Gardner preventing the sweep.
Oppong seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gardner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gardner misses with a hook.
Gardner connects with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gardner closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gardner lands in his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gardner slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Oppong bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gardner's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gardner is looking to stand up but Oppong isn't so interested in that idea.
Oppong trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gardner trying to keep a closed guard but Oppong is proving a slippery customer.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Oppong is looking to work some ground and pound but Gardner has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oppong looking to pass the guard.
Oppong stands up over Gardner, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Oppong will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Oppong working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Oppong with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Oppong stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gardner swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gardner preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Oppong scoring with punches to the head and body.
Oppong postures up and lands a big shot to Gardner's brow.
Oppong postures up and lands a big shot to Gardner's brow.
Oppong working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Oppong accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gardner looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oppong with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gardner wants to sweep but no luck.
Oppong has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Oppong throws an elbow that misses. Gardner uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Oppong's guard. Nice move by Gardner!
Oppong is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Oppong's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Oppong wants to sweep but no luck.
Gardner trying to control the position from guard on top but Oppong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Oppong working a defensive guard here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Oppong seems keen to control Gardner's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Maxime Oppong wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Gardner waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Oppong.
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 Maxime Oppong will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gardner throws a body punch but Oppong moves out of range.
Gardner waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Oppong.
Maxime Oppong is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gardner swats away the attempt to clinch by Oppong.
Gardner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Gardner shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Gardner is landing with some decent strikes but Oppong is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Gardner looking to control but Oppong is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Oppong is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Oppong is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gardner is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oppong is desperately trying to improve his position but Gardner has a good base and remains in mount.
BOOM! Gardner connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Maxime Oppong overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee warns Oppong that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Oppong keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Poor strikes thrown by Gardner there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Oppong is desperately trying to improve his position but Gardner has a good base and remains in mount.
Gardner throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Gardner controlling from the full mount.
Gardner trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gardner content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oppong is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gardner in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Oppong is desperately trying to improve his position but Gardner has a good base and remains in mount.
Oppong is bucking up trying to escape but Gardner cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Oppong is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gardner controlling his opponent.
Oppong wants to control but Gardner is having none of it.
Oppong avoids a series of strikes thrown by Gardner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner looking to finish Oppong with some ground and pound. This is bad for Oppong!
Oppong is wriggling around trying to escape.
Oppong manages to control the position for a moment.
Gardner trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gardner scoring with strikes but Oppong is staying in there.

Oppong is rocked!
Oppong really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Oh Oppong is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Oooooh, big shot lands for Gardner! Oppong is hurt baaadly! Gardner is firing away with more strikes - Oppong is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Aaron Gardner!
A very excited looking Aaron Gardner made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.