PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Arron Gaines (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Anderson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gaines
vs
Anderson

169 cm
24
346 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

224 cm
25
298 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Arron Gaines!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, John Anderson!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Anderson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Anderson looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Gaines breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Anderson throws a series of punches but Gaines moves out of range.

Anderson moves into the clinch.
Anderson is looking to break free of the clinch but Gaines has double underhooks.
Anderson is looking to break free of the clinch but Gaines has double underhooks.
Gaines tries for a takedown. No joy.

Anderson breaks from the clinch.
Anderson scores with a nice right hand.

It looks like Arron Gaines has been cut.
A jab from Gaines misses.

Gaines has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gaines has Anderson pressed against the cage, preventing Anderson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gaines taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Gaines breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gaines closes the distance looking to clinch

and Anderson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Gaines is trying to get back to full guard.
Gaines desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Anderson is trying to control the action in half guard but Gaines is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson controlling the action here.
Gaines makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gaines.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gaines is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Gaines manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Anderson holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Gaines tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

Gaines with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gaines could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gaines sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gaines goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Anderson turns into him and now he's in Gaines's guard.
Gaines has Anderson pulled in close to control his posture.
Gaines manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Gaines tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaines lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gaines sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
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 Arron Gaines will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Arron Gaines's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gaines tries for a takedown. No joy.

Gaines is trying to trip Anderson. He has hold of a leg but Anderson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gaines persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Anderson is working an open guard so Gaines takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Gaines closes the distance looking to clinch
and Anderson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Anderson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Gaines defends well and Anderson ends up having to push Gaines into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Gaines has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Anderson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Anderson prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arron Gaines. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gaines lands a right hand that snaps the head of Anderson backwards.

Gaines escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gaines tries to clinch up but Anderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Anderson shoots in for a double leg but Gaines sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gaines is looking to clinch but Anderson is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaines pushes Anderson up against the cage in a clinch.
Anderson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gaines just stands there and leans against the cage.
Anderson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gaines unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Anderson keeps control of Gaines as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gaines breaks the clinch.
Gaines stuffs the takedown attempt from Anderson. Anderson gets slowly back to his feet.
Gaines tries to close the distance and clinch up but Anderson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson swats away the attempt to clinch by Gaines.
Anderson goes for a double leg but Gaines avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Gaines continues to drive forward.
Gaines wants to take the fight to the mat but Anderson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Anderson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Gaines lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Gaines gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Anderson swats away the attempt to clinch by Gaines.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaines moves away from the strike by Anderson.

Gaines gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Gaines ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gaines no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Gaines wants to sweep here but Anderson controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gaines manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Anderson manages to get himself to full guard.
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!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gaines accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arron Gaines dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Arron Gaines's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gaines displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Anderson.

Gaines clinches up with Anderson and pushes him back against the cage.
Anderson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Gaines is trying to trip Anderson. He has hold of a leg but Anderson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gaines persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Gaines stops Anderson from standing up.

Anderson is working an open guard so Gaines takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Gaines has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Gaines is looking to clinch.
Gaines connects with a jab.
Anderson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gaines clinches up against the cage.

Gaines's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Arron Gaines is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gaines swings for the body but Anderson moves out of range.
Gaines slips a jab and a cross from Anderson.
Gaines misses with the combination.
Gaines moves into range and connects with a jab.
Anderson keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaines moves into the clinch successfully.

Gaines breaks the clinch.
Anderson keeps the fight on the outside.

Gaines forces Anderson back against the cage and clinches.
Anderson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Anderson prevents Gaines from breaking the clinch.
Anderson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Gaines has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Anderson uses from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gaines pushes Anderson off and gets back to his feet.
Anderson misses with a few strikes there.
Anderson keeps the fight on the outside.
Gaines is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gaines is looking to clinch but Anderson is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gaines clinches up against the cage.
Gaines tries to break free but Anderson pushes him back against the cage.
Gaines is working for takedown but Anderson is calmly controlling the position for now.

Gaines has clasped his hands together around Anderson's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Anderson defending against the ground and pound.
Gaines trying to control the position but Anderson is working away.
John Anderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Arron Gaines is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Anderson tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arron Gaines showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gaines has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arron Gaines!