PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Richie Hodges (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Gosling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hodges
vs
Gosling

213 cm
18
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Hates pizza

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Richie Hodges!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ryan Gosling!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hodges rushes Gosling and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hodges blocks an elbow strike.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Hodges really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Gosling has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hodges uses from the top position.
Hodges has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gosling has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Hodges has passed into side control.
An elbow from Hodges crashes against the mat.
Hodges knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gosling on the ground.
Gosling being controlled for a moment.
Gosling is trying to control Hodges's posture but Hodges avoids it.
Hodges wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gosling keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hodges working the body and head with strikes.
Hodges will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gosling is looking to reverse the position.
Gosling is holding Hodges down, trying to stall.
Hodges wants to control but Gosling is keeping him busy.
Hodges is staying tight to Gosling's torso, preventing him from escaping.
You can see the frustration on Gosling's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gosling shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hodges counters with a three punch combo that has Gosling backing up. Gosling nods at Hodges to acknowledge the strikes.
Hodges shoots in but Gosling avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gosling has his takedown stuffed

and Hodges holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Hodges manages to break the clinch.

Hodges has managed to clinch.
Hodges stops a takedown attempt from Gosling.
Richie Hodges has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Gosling.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hodges is looking for a takedown.
Gosling is pressed up against the cage. Hodges has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gosling down to the mat. Gosling avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hodges shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gosling as he avoids it easily.

Gosling looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Hodges!
Gosling wants to take a breather but Hodges manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Gosling.
Gosling looks winded!
Hodges working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gosling.

Hodges is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gosling wants to pass the guard but Hodges is keeping the position.
Hodges looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gosling trying to control the position from guard on top but Hodges is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gosling prevents Hodges from getting back to his feet.
Gosling is stalling in the full guard.
Gosling's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Hodges on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hodges tries to get out of the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ryan Gosling.
A head kick misses from Hodges.
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 Richie Hodges 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.

Gosling misses with a takedown attempt

and Hodges counters with a shoot takedown. Gosling fights it but they end up in guard.
Hodges trying to control but Gosling is working from the bottom.
Hodges passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gosling is trying to improve his position.
Hodges slows the pace down.
Gosling is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Hodges asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hodges trying to control the action but Gosling is working from the bottom.
Hodges slows the pace down.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Richie Hodges.
Gosling tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Richie Hodges is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gosling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hodges is trying to control Gosling's posture but Gosling avoids it.
Gosling tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Gosling is breathing heavily.
Hodges tries to bench press Gosling off him but Gosling keeps the position.
Hodges wants to get back to his feet but Gosling is dominant here and he's now got Hodges's back!
Gosling is controlling the position but Hodges somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Gosling is stalling here. Hodges is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Gosling seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hodges has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gosling tries to bench press Hodges off him but Hodges keeps the position.
Hodges wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gosling keeps working.
Gosling tries to control but Hodges manages to take his back.
Gosling tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gosling is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Hodges is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Gosling defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Hodges slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Gosling wants to escape the position.
Gosling just trying to survive but Hodges is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Hodges really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Gosling.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hodges is persistently looking for the submission but Gosling is defending it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richie Hodges dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hodges tries to clinch up but Gosling circles away and keeps his distance.
Gosling doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hodges counters by moving into the clinch.
Gosling tries to pull guard but Hodges won't allow it.

Hodges drags the fight down to the ground.
Hodges is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Gosling slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Richie Hodges overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gosling trying to control the action but Hodges is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hodges is looking to regain half guard here but Gosling keeps moving and retains side control.
Hodges struggling a bit here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gosling misses with the ground and pound.
Hodges wants to control but Gosling postures up.
Gosling wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hodges keeps working.
Hodges is looking to regain half guard here but Gosling keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hodges can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Gosling wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hodges keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Hodges throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Gosling was covering up waiting for the punch and Hodges finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hodges trying to control the position from guard on top but Gosling is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hodges wants to get up but he can't break Gosling's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gosling not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hodges trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gosling's guard.
Gosling is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hodges looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gosling is fending him off so far but Hodges persists. Nope, Gosling circles away and we're back to standing.
Gosling throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gosling gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gosling prevents Hodges from improving his position.
Gosling is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Hodges is desperately trying to improve his position but Gosling has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gosling working for a submission but Hodges is keeping him at bay.
Ryan Gosling has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Richie Hodges is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hodges is desperately trying to improve his position but Gosling has a good base and remains in mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ryan Gosling.
Well Hodges 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ryan Gosling!