PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Epstein Himself (ranked 5616 p4p, 4091 weight class) and Bruce Noah (ranked 0 p4p, 476 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Himself
vs
Noah

181 cm
19
176
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
180
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Epstein Himself!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruce Noah!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Damien Edna and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Noah throws a head kick that misses.

Himself closes the distance and pushes Noah back into the cage.
Noah avoids a wild elbow strike from Himself.
Noah softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Himself tries to land a knee to the head but Noah blocks with his arms.
Himself throws a knee to the head but misses.
Himself looking to throw knees to the head but Noah is blocking nicely.

Noah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Himself avoids the head kick by Noah.
Himself misses with a head kick.
Noah connects with a body shot that sends Himself's belly button to the back.
Nice defenses there by Noah.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Noah misses with an attempted mid kick.
Himself checks the leg kick.
Himself is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Noah.

Himself closes the distance and clinches.

Noah manages to break the clinch.
Himself connects with an inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Himself avoids the head kick by Noah.

Himself pushes Noah up against the cage in a clinch.
Noah stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Himself is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Noah is defending well for now.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Noah manages to break the clinch.
Noah shoots in for a double leg but Himself sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Himself closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Himself misses with a knee strike.
Noah unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Himself lands an uppercut.
Himself leaning against his opponent.
Himself holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Noah manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Noah.
Himself lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Noah lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Himself rushes Noah and presses him up against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Noah.
Himself leaning against his opponent.
Noah blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Himself creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Himself tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Noah avoids it.
A bit of stalling here from Noah.
Himself looking to throw knees to the head but Noah is blocking nicely.
Himself creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Noah breaks the clinch.
Himself throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Noah finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Himself is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noah lands a high kick!

It looks like Epstein Himself has been cut.
Noah throws a combination. Himself tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Himself misses with an attempted mid kick.
Despite the aggression on Noah's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Noah fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Himself, pushing him back against the cage.
Himself taking a breather.
A short right from Noah.
Himself tries a knee to the head but Noah blocks it.
Noah fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Himself with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Himself wants to stall.
A left hand lands to the body for Noah.

Noah decides to pull guard.
Noah being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Noah is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Himself slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Noah trying to control the position here.

Noah is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Himself defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bruce Noah will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Epstein Himself's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Himself closes the distance and clinches.
Himself misses with a knee to the head.
Himself pushes off an throws an elbow but Noah leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Himself looking to slow down the pace here.
Epstein Himself has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Himself is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Noah is defending well for now.
Himself tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Himself trying to land knees to the body.
A short uppercut from Noah.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Noah blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Noah avoiding damage as Himself throws knees to the body.
Himself throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Noah blocks it with crossed arms.
A right handed body shot lands from Noah.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Himself is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noah managing to block the knees to the body from Himself.
A head punch on the inside from Himself fails to land.
Himself misses with a knee strike.
Himself misses with an elbow strike.

Noah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Noah tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Himself was well out of range. Poor timing from Noah.
Himself wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Himself avoids the head kick by Noah.
Noah lands a two punch combo.
Noah scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Himself drives through and clinches with Noah against the cage.
Himself avoiding damage as Noah throws knees to the body.
Noah lands a good knee to the midsection. Himself won't want to take too many of those.
Noah stalling in the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Noah gets control of Himself's arms and successfully pulls guard. Noah will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Noah is adopting a defensive guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Himself postures up.
Himself has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Noah looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Noah keeping moving, preventing Himself from controlling successfully.
Himself looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Himself works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Himself perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Himself has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Noah is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Himself wants to control but Noah is keeping him busy.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Himself cracks Noah with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Noah shoots in but Himself avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Himself pushes Noah up against the cage in a clinch.
Noah unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Himself goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Noah is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Himself pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Himself throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Noahs head.
Noah wants to get back to striking at distance but Himself won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Himself with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Himself controlling the action here for a moment.
Himself looking to throw knees to the head but Noah is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Epstein Himself will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Epstein Himself's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Himself connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Himself clinches up with Noah and pushes him back against the cage.

Noah breaks from the clinch.

Himself closes the distance and clinches.
Himself looking to throw knees to the head but Noah is blocking nicely.
Noah stalling in the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Himself obliges.
Himself throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Noah blocks it with crossed arms.

Noah escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Himself lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Himself forces Noah back against the cage and clinches.
Noah fails to pull guard.
Noah takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Noah tries to pull guard but Himself won't allow it.
Himself throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Noah blocks it with crossed arms.
Himself utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noah letting Himself take a breather here.
Himself tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Himself on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Noah swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The referee is keeping an eye on Himself - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Himself tries a knee to the head but Noah blocks it.
Himself throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Noah blocks it with crossed arms.
Himself avoiding damage as Noah throws knees to the body.
Noah tries to pull guard but Himself won't allow it.
Epstein Himself has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Noah.
Himself missing with knees to the body.
Noah taking a breather.
Himself pushes off an throws an elbow but Noah leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Himself stalls.
Noah tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Himself avoids it.
Noah tries to work over Himself's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Himself looking to throw knees to the head but Noah is blocking nicely.
Himself is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Noah lands a body punch in the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Noah lands a nice uppercut.
Himself avoiding damage as Noah throws knees to the body.
Noah blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Himself misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Noah.
Noah lands an elbow just above Himself 's eye.
Noah landing knees to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noah tries to pull guard but Himself forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Himself looking to throw knees to the head but Noah is blocking nicely.

Noah manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Himself trying to control but Noah is working from the bottom.
Noah looking to hit a scissor sweep but Himself is one step ahead there.
Noah is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Himself showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Himself postures up.
Himself wants to control from the top but Noah keeps moving.
Himself stays in close to Noah's body and controls the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bruce Noah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Noah throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Noah throws a head kick that half lands.
Himself throws a front kick aimed at Noah's knee but Noah avoids it well.
Noah steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Himself.

Himself has managed to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Epstein Himself showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Himself 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Epstein Himself!