PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gatis Ginters (ranked 4705 p4p, 5030 weight class) and Michael Washington (ranked 471 p4p, 477 weight class). Washington comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Rising kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Gatis Ginters has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ginters
vs
Washington

190 cm
19
155
1 - 3 - 0

173 cm
24
165
4 - 8 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Furnace Performance Products
Silverguard Outfitters

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gatis Ginters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Washington!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Washington closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ground and pound from Washington seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Ginters is looking to regain half guard here but Washington keeps moving and retains side control.
Ginters is trying to control Washington's posture but Washington avoids it.
Ginters wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Ginters holding on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Washington tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Washington has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Washington happy to just control the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ginters keeps working.

Washington looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ginters wants to control but Washington postures up.
Ginters parries the strikes from Washington easily there. Washington is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Ginters to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ginters tries to buck Washington off but Washington is having none of it.

Washington decides to stand back up.
A telegraphed right hand from Washington misses the target.

Washington shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ginters's guard.
Washington with a flurry of punches that miss.
Washington working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Washington sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Washington in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Washington is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ginters is working an open guard so Washington takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Ginters shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Ginters is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Washington defends it well.
Ginters lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
We've been informed that Washington has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Washington is trying is best to control the position here.
Washington regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington controls Ginters momentarily but Ginters frees himself.
Ginters has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Washington pulls Ginters in close to prevent any damage.

Washington looking for a guillotine here but Ginters defends easily.
Ginters pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Washington is keeping the position for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Washington working for a triangle but Ginters defends it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Washington dominated that 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.

Washington misses with a takedown attempt

and Ginters counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ginters.
Ginters is looking to control Washington's arms but Washington gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ginters has his back to the cage.
Ginters tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Washington just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ginters lands a right hand.
Washington tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Washington tries to work over Ginters's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ginters really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Ginters tries to throw a body punch but Washington avoids it by throwing Ginters back against the cage.
Ginters wants to stall.
Washington is defending well against a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Washington escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ginters avoids the body shot from Washington.
Washington darts in looking for a takedown but Ginters gets double underhooks and turns Washington into the cage.
Gatis Ginters is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Washington with a poor takedown
letting Ginters counter with a right hand.
Gatis Ginters has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Washington.
Ginters shoots in looking for a takedown but Washington manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ginters's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ginters.
Washington throws a half hearted mid kick.
Washington shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Washington throws out a powerful jab.
Ginters misses with a double jab.
It seemed like Washington was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Ginters looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Ginters throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Washington.
Ginters fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Washington avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Washington shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ginters manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Washington lands a couple of digs.
Washington won't allow Ginters to sweep him here.
Washington trying to control the position from guard on top but Ginters is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Washington passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Washington has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Washington throws a body punch but Ginters moves out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Washington.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Washington stands up.

Washington 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.
Ginters bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Washington's guard.

Washington controlling the position.
Washington is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ginters is controlling him.
Washington pulls Ginters in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Washington has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Washington looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Washington striking off his back but it's not causing Ginters any problems.
Washington looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Michael Washington will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Washington throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Washington closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Ginters's guard.

Ginters is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ginters keeping moving, preventing Washington from controlling successfully.
Washington is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ginters looking to control.
Washington engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Washington accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Washington sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Washington pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ginters is keeping the position for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ginters fails with the takedown.

Ginters moves into the clinch successfully.

Washington breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ginters shoots in for a takedown but Washington shows good takedown defense.
Washington tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Washington fails with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Washington is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ginters.
Ginters is trying to break the clinch but Washington has him pressed against the cage.
Ginters wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gatis Ginters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Washington unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Washington landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Washington unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ginters lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Washington.
Washington landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Washington creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Washington scores a nice knee to the body.
Washington lands a shoulder strike.
Stalling in the clinch from Washington.
Washington taking a breather.
Washington lands with a light punch inside.
Ginters avoids a wild elbow strike from Washington.

Washington escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Washington decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Washington controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington is thwarting Ginters's attempts to control the position.
Washington content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Washington is looking for a kimura here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Washington slows the pace down in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Washington comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Washington has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Washington!
Michael Washington decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.