PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dan Jones (ranked 2396 p4p, 1278 weight class) and Jean Francois LaFleur (ranked 239 p4p, 139 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Jones
vs
LaFleur

189 cm
21
270
3 - 1 - 0

200 cm
21
266
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

30th Century Beer Store

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dan Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Francois LaFleur!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Andrew Berry and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jones moves into the clinch successfully.

Jones gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, LaFleur regains guard.
Jones tries to free his leg and advance position but LaFleur is retaining full guard.
LaFleur keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.
Jones pushes down on LaFleur's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Jones missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Jones not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jones tries to pass to full mount but LaFleur defends it.
Jones is keen to just control but LaFleur is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Jones throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Jones has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Jones is thwarting LaFleur's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and LaFleur defends it well.
LaFleur slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jones working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jones looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

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.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
LaFleur ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Jones moves away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Jones or perhaps it was just good defense by LaFleur, which made it look bad.
LaFleur tries to counter by closing the distance.
LaFleur throws an off balance right hand

and Jones counters with a shoot takedown. LaFleur fights it but they end up in guard.
Jones with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jones trying to control but LaFleur is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones slips nicely into half guard.
Jones not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Jones stalling away here and it's allowed LaFleur to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Jones is pushing down on LaFleur's leg trying to pass to half guard. LaFleur is fighting to maintain full guard but Jones has managed to sneak the leg through.
Jones trying to control the action but LaFleur is working from the bottom.

Jones is working for a kimura but LaFleur is defending it quite comfortably.
LaFleur keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones works his foot free and advances to mount.
Poor strikes thrown by Jones there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jones throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Jones trying to control but LaFleur is having none of it.
Jones controlling the pace for now.
Jones sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones is looking to work his way around to LaFleur's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.

Jones looking to secure an arm triangle but LaFleur defends it well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Jones dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Jones fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from LaFleur! But no joy.
The fighters circling - LaFleur throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Jones swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
LaFleur throws a shot from downtown. Jones moves away and avoids it.
Jones misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with LaFleur but LaFleur pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from LaFleur! But no joy.
LaFleur misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones shoots for a takedown but LaFleur saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
LaFleur throws a body shot but no joy.
Jones drops down looking for a counter takedown but LaFleur sprawls and moves away.
Jones is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that LaFleur can do to turn this around?
Jones smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

It looks like Jean Francois LaFleur has been cut.
LaFleur throws a body shot but no joy.
Jones attempts a counter takedown but LaFleur avoids it well and moves away.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts LaFleur, as that shot connected.

Jones shoots in and gets a takedown into LaFleur's guard.
Jones trying to control the position from guard on top but LaFleur is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dan Jones overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Jones pushing down on LaFleur's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
LaFleur is refusing to be controlled, as Jones sits in half guard.
Jones missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Jones wants to pass to mount but LaFleur is defending the position.
Jones wants to control but LaFleur is keeping him busy.
LaFleur wants to improve his position but Jones is controlling well.
Jones passes to side control.
Jones throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Jones thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones is looking to take a break and control but LaFleur is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jones misses with the ground and pound.

Jones is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but LaFleur is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
LaFleur is looking for a sweep.
Jones controlling the position from side mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
LaFleur defending against the ground and pound.

That's four 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.
LaFleur manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Jones is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Jones moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Jones looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but LaFleur puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Jones moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Jones manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. LaFleur manages to get himself to full guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
LaFleur working a defensive guard here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Jones dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jean Francois LaFleur's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Jones moves out of range as LaFleur strikes.
Jean Francois LaFleur has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
LaFleur slips a jab from Jones.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
LaFleur looks to land a left hand but Jones moved out of range nicely.
Jones attempts a counter takedown but LaFleur avoids it well and moves away.
Jones dips to his left and cracks LaFleur with an uppercut!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones misses with a lunging right hand
and LaFleur counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Jones throws the left hand but LaFleur avoids the punch easily.
Jones sets himself, and LaFleur steps forward looking for the clinch! Jones avoids it this time.
Jones throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones tries to clinch there but LaFleur circles away.
Jones ducks under a wild hook from LaFleur.
LaFleur scores with a body shot.
LaFleur misses the shot to the body.
Jones with a poor takedown
and LaFleur counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
LaFleur lands a nice shot to the body.
LaFleur throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Jones counters with a three punch combo that has LaFleur backing up. LaFleur nods at Jones to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
LaFleur throws a good cross that connects.
Jones misses with a takedown
and LaFleur counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
LaFleur throws a hook but Jones avoids it easily.
LaFleur scores with a jab to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A looping hook to the body misses from LaFleur. Jones does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little feinted left hand from Jones on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
LaFleur slips a jab from Jones.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
LaFleur throws a body shot but no joy.
Jones was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Jones shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with LaFleur but LaFleur pushes him off and we're back to square one.

LaFleur lands a big uppercut and Jones crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Jones looks OK. LaFleur waves Jones back to his feet!
Jones looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Jones instigates a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from LaFleur.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
LaFleur throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Joness head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A short uppercut from LaFleur.
LaFleur takes a shot to the head.
LaFleur throws a head punch that misses.

Jones is trying to trip LaFleur. He has hold of a leg but LaFleur is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Jones persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Jones postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! LaFleur is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Jones, into his guard.

Jones trying to keep a closed guard but LaFleur is proving a slippery customer.
LaFleur trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Dan Jones is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
LaFleur with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Francois LaFleur comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jones 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Jones!