PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Knuckles (ranked 1562 p4p, 2038 weight class) and Malachi Lawrence (ranked 217 p4p, 283 weight class). Lawrence has chosen Many Men as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Malachi Lawrence acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Knuckles
vs
Lawrence

182 cm
39
185
24 - 18 - 1

180 cm
38
174
27 - 24 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Shadow Realm Apparel
Fantasy Threads

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 24 - 18 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bobby Knuckles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 24 - 0, fighting out of New York, Malachi Lawrence!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knuckles missing with a left hand there. Lawrence was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Lawrence shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Knuckles as he jumps to the side.
Knuckles was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Knuckles with the inside leg kick.
We've been told by Knuckles's head coaches at The Jungle Room that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Lawrence is trying hard to land a takedown here. Knuckles sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lawrence avoids a kick to the body.
Despite the aggression on Lawrence's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knuckles avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Lawrence throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Knuckles is looking to counter with a body kick.
Lawrence tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Knuckles misses with a lunging right hand
and Lawrence counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lawrence shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Knuckles manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lawrence throws a strike but Knuckles rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Lawrence tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lawrence manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Knuckles manages to get himself to full guard.

Lawrence has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Knuckles preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lawrence with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lawrence missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lawrence accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Knuckles is controlling Lawrence's posture.
Knuckles keeping full guard, as Lawrence tries to pass.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Lawrence working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence postures up and lands a big shot to Knuckles's brow.
Lawrence with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lawrence postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Knuckles keeping full guard, as Lawrence tries to pass.
Lawrence throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Knuckles preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Knuckles preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lawrence showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Lawrence trying to control the position from guard on top but Knuckles is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence tries to land a front kick but Knuckles steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Malachi Lawrence seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Knuckles dodges the punch combination from Lawrence.
Bobby Knuckles is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lawrence misses with a wild combination.
Knuckles misses with a looping right.
Lawrence looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Knuckles is fending him off so far but Lawrence persists. Nope, Knuckles circles away and we're back to standing.
A little feinted left hand from Knuckles on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Bobby Knuckles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malachi Lawrence.
Lawrence lands a jab-cross combination.
Lawrence moves away from the strike by Knuckles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles throws out a loose jab but Lawrence uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lawrence is looking for the big counter here.
Lawrence moves out of range as Knuckles throws a body kick.
Knuckles swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A shot to the liver by Lawrence. Beautiful body shot.
Lawrence fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A punch combination from Lawrence misses.
Lawrence lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Knuckles backs up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A head kick misses from Lawrence.
Knuckles scores with a nice right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Malachi Lawrence dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lawrence lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Knuckles circles away quickly and effectively.
Knuckles misses with a leg kick
and Lawrence counters with a series of strikes. Knuckles will be more careful next time no doubt.
Lawrence chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Knuckles can pounce on him.
Lawrence misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Lawrence throws a leg kick but Knuckles checks it.
Knuckles takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Lawrence just misses with a punch to the body.
An attempted straight right counter from Knuckles misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawrence looks to land a combination but Knuckles avoids it well.
Lawrence has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nice sprawl there from Knuckles as Lawrence shoots in.

Lawrence looking to score a takedown here. Knuckles is defending well but Lawrence drives through and ends up in Knuckles's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lawrence throws an elbow that misses. Knuckles uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lawrence's guard. Nice move by Knuckles!

Lawrence looking to control.
Lawrence looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Knuckles has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lawrence tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lawrence is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two 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.
Lawrence controls Knuckles momentarily but Knuckles frees himself.
Malachi Lawrence has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lawrence looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lawrence keeping full guard, as Knuckles tries to pass.
Lawrence manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Knuckles manages to get himself to full guard.

Lawrence postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lawrence's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Knuckles keeping moving, preventing Lawrence from controlling successfully.
Lawrence working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence throwing strikes but missing.
Lawrence throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lawrence with a flurry of punches that miss.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Lawrence pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Knuckles is keeping the position for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Lawrence shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Knuckles swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Lawrence scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Lawrence checks the leg kick nicely there.
Knuckles throws a right hand that misses
and Lawrence makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Knuckles looks to score with a jab to the body but Lawrence is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Lawrence closes the distance and clinches up with Knuckles, looking for a takedown. Lawrence pushes Knuckles against the cage but Knuckles circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bobby Knuckles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malachi Lawrence.
Lawrence shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Knuckles pinned against the cage. Knuckles gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Malachi Lawrence seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Knuckles throws a leg kick that is checked
and Lawrence counters with a left to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lawrence looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Knuckles keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Malachi Lawrence 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! This is the final round!

Knuckles tries to land a front kick but Lawrence steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Lawrence fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lawrence misses with a wild combination.
A clash of legs there as Lawrence blocks the low kick.
Knuckles throws a half hearted mid kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawrence throws a sloppy head kick and Knuckles moves out of range easily.
Knuckles misses with a body shot.

Lawrence dives in and scores a takedown into Knuckles's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Lawrence throwing strikes from guard but Knuckles blocks nicely.
Lawrence slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Lawrence throws a big right hand that misses.
Lawrence throwing strikes from guard but Knuckles blocks nicely.
Lawrence trying to control the position from guard on top but Knuckles is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lawrence with a nice head shot there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lawrence's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Lawrence trying to control but Knuckles is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Knuckles has Lawrence pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Lawrence swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lawrence throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Knuckles.
Some bone on bone action there as Knuckles checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Knuckles looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Malachi Lawrence is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lawrence shoots for a double leg takedown but Knuckles sprawls well. He's pushed Lawrence's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Knuckles jabs at Lawrence's body.
Lawrence dives in for a single leg takedown but Knuckles sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Knuckles fires out a quick counter leg kick but Lawrence just manages to avoid it.
Knuckles lands a nice leg kick that just misses Lawrence's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Knuckles moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Knuckles half committed to a counter leg kick.
Lawrence throws a body kick that misses
and Knuckles counters with a straight right hand.
Lawrence throws a sloppy head kick and Knuckles moves out of range easily.
Knuckles looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Lawrence checks a low kick from Knuckles.
Knuckles slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lawrence stalks Knuckles and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Knuckles's face. Knuckles staggers backwards, shaken.
Knuckles looks to land a left hand but Lawrence moved out of range nicely.
Lawrence tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Lawrence fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Knuckles avoids it really well and circles away.
Bobby Knuckles has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bobby Knuckles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malachi Lawrence.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence throws a series of punches but Knuckles avoids them all with ease.
Knuckles throws a leg kick
and Lawrence counters with a low kick, right behind Knuckles 's knee.
Knuckles throws a sloppy head kick and Lawrence moves out of range easily.
Knuckles keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Knuckles was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knuckles checks a leg kick.
Lawrence tries to score a power double leg takedown but Knuckles sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lawrence somewhat.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Malachi Lawrence.
Well Lawrence 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malachi Lawrence!
In his post fight interview, Malachi Lawrence started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.