PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James Rustford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and dana o brian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Rustford
vs
o brian

180 cm
20
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
22
131 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Rustford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, dana o brian!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Winston Howard and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rustford.
Rustford avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rustford changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. o brian tries to avoid it but Rustford manages to keep hold of a leg and drag o brian to the ground. o brian escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

o brian scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
o brian with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
o brian prevents Rustford from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rustford is trying to stand up here but o brian is controlling him well.
Rustford avoiding damage under a succession of punches from o brian.
Rustford is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rustford is not content to let o brian control the position.

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

o brian shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Rustford is squirming around, avoiding o brian's attempts to control the action.
A nice elbow there by o brian.
o brian wants to control the pace but Rustford is squirming around nicely.
Rustford really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
o brian working the ground and pound effectively.
Rustford is squirming around, avoiding o brian's attempts to control the action.
o brian has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rustford is looking to improve his position but o brian isn't that keen on the idea.
o brian can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rustford is looking to escape.
o brian lands a big shot there that rocks Rustford but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
o brian blocks Rustford's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rustford is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
o brian with shots to the head and body - Rustford looks very uncomfortable down there.
Rustford is in a horrible position here. o brian smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Rustford is looking to get to half guard.
Rustford is in a horrible position here. o brian smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

o brian is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Rustford fails with the takedown

and o brian counters with a shoot takedown. Rustford fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Rustford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rustford is breathing heavily.

Rustford is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and o brian defends well.
o brian wants to control from the top but Rustford keeps moving.
o brian passes into half guard.
o brian scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

dana o brian 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.

o brian with a poor takedown

and Rustford counters with a nice double leg into side control. o brian won't be happy with that.
o brian can't do much from the bottom here.
o brian is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
o brian is trying to control but can't.
o brian controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
o brian keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
o brian is trying to stand up here but Rustford is controlling him well.
o brian is trying to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
o brian is trying to stand.
Rustford seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
o brian avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rustford.
o brian wants to control but Rustford is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rustford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but o brian paws at him with a jab and circles away.
o brian tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

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.
Rustford fails with the takedown

and o brian counters with a shoot takedown. Rustford fights it but they end up in guard.
Rustford is adopting a defensive guard.
Rustford is trying to control the position but o brian postures up.
o brian looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rustford keeping moving, preventing o brian from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rustford being controlled here, momentarily.
Rustford keeping moving, preventing o brian from controlling successfully.
o brian pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rustford is keeping the position for now.
o brian slips nicely into half guard.

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.
o brian trying to control the action but Rustford is working from the bottom.
Rustford is trying to stand back up but o brian is controlling him
o brian trying to control the action but Rustford is working from the bottom.
Rustford tries to kick o brian off in order to stand up. o brian Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
o brian moves into full mount!
o brian manages to capitalize on a mistake by Rustford to take his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

dana o brian showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Rustford's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

o brian is looking to clinch but Rustford is avoiding it.
Rustford shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and o brian counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rustford keeping moving, preventing o brian from controlling successfully.
Rustford looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
o brian sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rustford wants to get back to his feet but o brian is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
o brian advances position into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rustford stops o brian from passing to mount.
Rustford is not content to let o brian control the position.
Rustford can't do much from the bottom here.
o brian wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rustford keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
o brian landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Rustford is not content to let o brian control the position.
o brian 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, dana o brian just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

o brian feints and as Rustford raises his hands in defense, o brian changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
o brian postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
o brian lands a couple of decent looking shots.

o brian decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rustford, up you get!
o brian lands a head kick. Rustford smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
o brian misses with a takedown attempt

and Rustford counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
o brian moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
o brian has control of Rustford's left arm, preventing Rustford from doing any damage.
Rustford is looking to stand up but o brian won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

o brian wriggles free and stands up.
Rustford circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rustford counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rustford happy to just control the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
o brian manages to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to dana o brian.
Well o brian 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... dana o brian!