PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tony Vespuci (ranked 4339 p4p, 361 weight class) and Baxter Garrison (ranked 5970 p4p, 421 weight class). Garrison has chosen Ireland! as his entrance music. Baxter Garrison has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Vespuci
vs
Garrison

170 cm
18
145 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

185 cm
23
150 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Kato
Arcticus University: London

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tony Vespuci!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Baxter Garrison!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vespuci fails with a takedown attempt.
Vespuci fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Garrison lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Vespuci bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Garrison struggling a bit here.
Garrison told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Garrison regains half guard.
Garrison is trying to stand.

Vespuci is working for a submission of some sort.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vespuci keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Garrison is trying to maintain the position but Vespuci is very close to passing his half guard.
Vespuci seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vespuci throwing shots but Garrison is blocking nicely.

Garrison has one foot on Vespuci's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Garrison throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Garrison takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Vespuci or perhaps it was just good defense by Garrison, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Vespuci. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Vespuci shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Vespuci looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garrison trying to keep a closed guard but Vespuci is proving a slippery customer.
Garrison can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vespuci controls the pace.
Vespuci stopping the sweep attempt from Garrison.
Vespuci tries to free his leg and advance position but Garrison is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vespuci trying to control but Garrison is working from the bottom.
Vespuci is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Garrison looking to control.
Garrison looking for a sweep. Not yet Garrison, not yet.
Vespuci might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Baxter Garrison dominated that round.
That's time! Vespuci's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Garrison lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
That kick from Garrison tenderised Vespuci's leg. Vespuci is trying to keep his angry face on.
Garrison lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Vespuci feints and as Garrison raises his hands in defense, Vespuci changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Garrison scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Vespuci shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Garrison is trying to defend but Vespuci finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garrison is trying to stand.
Tony Vespuci overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Vespuci is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Garrison sees it coming and defends easily.
Garrison blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vespuci.
Garrison trying to control but Vespuci postures up.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Garrison desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Garrison trying to hold on to Vespuci's head to control him but Vespuci postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vespuci slows the pace down in half guard.
Garrison is trying to stand back up but Vespuci is controlling him
Garrison is refusing to be controlled, as Vespuci sits in half guard.

Garrison manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Garrison scores with a jab to the body.
Garrison connects with a high kick.
Garrison is looking to slow Vespuci down with leg kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garrison lands with a kick to the temple. Vespuci shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Garrison is breathing heavily.
Vespuci misses with a takedown attempt
and Garrison counters with a left and a right that stings Vespuci.
Baxter Garrison is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vespuci shoots in for a takedown but Garrison shows good takedown defense.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garrison fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Vespuci tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Garrison defends well and Vespuci ends up having to push Garrison into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Vespuci. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vespuci shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Garrison counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Garrison moves into range and connects with a jab.
Garrison cracks Vespuci with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Vespuci fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Garrison scores with a jab. Vespuci acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Vespuci gets a takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Vespuci is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Baxter Garrison showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Garrison jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Vespuci.
Garrison slaps away a takedown attempt from Vespuci, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Garrison has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nice takedown defense from Garrison. No joy for Vespuci on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Vespuci. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vespuci with a lazy takedown attempt
and Garrison counters with a nice low kick that buckles Vespuci's knee momentarily.
Tony Vespuci seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vespuci fails with the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vespuci closes the distance and clinches up with Garrison, looking for a takedown. Vespuci pushes Garrison against the cage but Garrison circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Vespuci backing away here, and Garrison unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Tony Vespuci is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Garrison lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Garrison scores with a decent looking hook.
Garrison keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vespuci shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Garrison counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Garrison lands a nice hook to Vespuci's body. Vespuci takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Garrison turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Garrison is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Vespuci slips a jab and a cross from Garrison.
Garrison throws a head kick that Vespuci semi-blocks.
Garrison lands a head kick. Vespuci smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Vespuci looking to score a takedown here. Garrison is defending well but Vespuci drives through and ends up in Garrison's guard.
Garrison being controlled here, momentarily.
Garrison is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Vespuci is controlling him.
Vespuci showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vespuci thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vespuci prevents Garrison from getting back to his feet.
Vespuci wants to control from the top but Garrison keeps moving.
Garrison wants to stand and escape but Vespuci is having none of it.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Garrison looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Garrison scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Garrison, right into the meat.
Vespuci fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nice sprawl there from Garrison as Vespuci shoots in.
Tony Vespuci has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Garrison punishes Vespuci's body with a nice straight punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Baxter Garrison comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Garrison winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Baxter Garrison!
After winning the bout, Baxter Garrison thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.