PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dan Gable (ranked 2004 p4p, 2496 weight class) and John Piercer (ranked 252 p4p, 302 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gable
vs
Piercer

175 cm
21
160
6 - 3 - 0

177 cm
28
170
7 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

NARCOS

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dan Gable!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Piercer!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piercer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gable manages to avoid it.
Gable throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Gable uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Piercer.
Gable misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Piercer throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Gable connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Gable closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Piercer struggling a bit here.
Gable moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Piercer tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piercer wants to control but Gable postures up.
Piercer is trying to improve his position.
Gable trying to control the position but Piercer is working away.
You can see the frustration on Piercer's face as Gable controls the position.
Gable has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Piercer gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gable is thwarting Piercer's attempts to control the position.
Piercer is looking to improve his position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gable in particular looking to stall.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Piercer swings widly with a right hand

and Gable counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gable.
Gable is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piercer looking to control.
Piercer keeping moving, preventing Gable from controlling successfully.
Gable engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Gable advances position into side control!
I wouldn't like to be where Piercer is right now.
Piercer struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
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.
Piercer struggling a bit here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Piercer clinches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Gable 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.

Gable drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Piercer is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Piercer is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We've been hearing that Gable has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Gable trying to control the position from guard on top but Piercer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Piercer wants to sweep here but Gable controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gable throwing strikes but missing.
Gable trying to control the position from guard on top but Piercer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gable engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Gable trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Piercer swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Piercer ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Piercer throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gable throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Piercer sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gable lands with a hook. Piercer tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piercer misses with a jab to the body

and Gable counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gable.
Gable looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Piercer wants to sweep here but Gable controlling him for the moment.
Gable distracts Piercer with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Piercer controls Gable momentarily but Gable frees himself.
Gable pushing down on Piercer's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Gable is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Piercer can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piercer wants to get back to full guard.
Gable is thwarting Piercer's attempts to control the position.
Gable wants to lay and pray for a moment but Piercer keeps working.
Piercer is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Gable jumps into side control!
Gable wants to lay and pray for a moment but Piercer keeps working.

That's four 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.
Piercer is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gable just content to control the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Piercer tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gable wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
A cross from Gable lands.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Piercer misses with a looping right.
Piercer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gable was well out of range. Poor timing from Piercer.
Gable pivots, looking for a leg kick but Piercer is out of range and Gable settles back down.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Gable dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gable throws a nice looking combination but Piercer bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gable walks into a left hand.
Piercer lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Piercer throws a lazy right hand but Gable sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Gable scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Gable is looking to take a break and control but Piercer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Piercer can't do much from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Piercer is not content to let Gable control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gable remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Gable working the ground and pound but Piercer is defending the strikes.
Piercer can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Piercer is looking for a sweep.
John Piercer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two 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.
Piercer is trying to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Gable tries to land a leg kick but Piercer saw it coming and moves away.
Piercer drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Nice sprawl there from Piercer as Gable shoots in.
Gable tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Piercer defends well and Gable ends up having to push Piercer into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Piercer.
Gable is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Piercer pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Gable. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Piercer tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Piercer pushes Gable back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piercer throws a head punch that misses.
Piercer tries a body shot but Gable blocks it.
Piercer tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gable blocks a body shot from Piercer.
Gable goes for a takedown attempt but Piercer pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Piercer ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Piercer looks to land a combination but Gable avoids it well.
Gable slips under a jab from Piercer.

Gable gets the takedown into side control.
Gable laying and praying for a moment but Piercer takes advantage and regains half guard.
Piercer is looking to control Gable's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Piercer avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Piercer is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gable pulls his head out easily.
Piercer trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Gable lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Piercer hang on?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gable can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Piercer is looking to escape.
Dan Gable is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gable controlling his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Piercer.
I think Gable has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Gable!
Dan Gable really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥ logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.