PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between grappler champion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Pot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Pot is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

champion
vs
Pot

150 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

165 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, grappler champion!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paul Pot!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Nard Betker and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

champion fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pot sprawls well initially but champion persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pot manages to get to full guard.
champion wants to control from the top but Pot keeps moving.
Pot looking for a sweep. Not yet Pot, not yet.
champion trying to control the position from guard on top but Pot is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pot thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
champion stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pot swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pot looking to hit a scissor sweep but champion is one step ahead there.
champion tries to free his leg and advance position but Pot is retaining full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
champion tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pot swivels and escapes.
champion sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Pot throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pot lands with a kick to the temple. champion shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

champion shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
champion tries to control but Pot wriggling away.
champion looking to ground and pound but Pot is blocking nicely.
champion blocks Pot's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Pot is looking to improve his position but champion isn't that keen on the idea.
Pot is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Pot wants to hold on but champion pushes him away.

champion is going olschool here, as he tries to force Pot to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Pot shrugs it off.
Pot really doesn't want to stay on the ground with champion. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

champion is working for a guillotine from mount but Pot frees his head quite easily.
champion is breathing heavily.

champion is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Pot has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Pot!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pot tries to free his leg and advance position but champion is retaining full guard.
champion might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pot trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pot wants to control from the top but champion keeps moving.

Pot drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and champion dives on top into guard.

Pot is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. champion is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
champion missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Pot had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. champion is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Pot Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take champion's back instead.
Pot thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

champion is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Pot gets his way!

champion fending off the submission attempt from Pot.
Pot not allowing champion to control his hands.

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.
Pot tries to keep control of the position but champion is staying busy.
Pot throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Even with his hooks in, Pot manages to miss with strikes from the back.
champion manages to scramble and ends up in full guard, under a barage of strikes . Great composure from champion.
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 grappler champion will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

champion bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

champion tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
champion tries to move into full mount but can't pass Pot's legs.
Pot manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Pot is trying to get back to full guard.
Pot gets back to full guard.

Pot is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and champion defends well.
champion slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pot tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but champion wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

champion looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Pot managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by champion.
Pot gets back to half guard.
Pot is looking for a sweep. champion is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Pot wants to control but champion is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pot is trying to get back to full guard.
champion wants to take a breather but Pot is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pot throws a quick head kick that skims the top of champion's head.
champion on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Pot. Pot obviously looking to wear him down.
Pot lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but champion circles away quickly and effectively.

Pot moves into the clinch.
Pot connects with a nasty looking knee right to champion's face.
Pot crunches a lovely knee into champion's ribcage.
Pot lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Pot tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
champion tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pot tries to land knees in the clinch but champion avoids the damage to the body.
champion on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
champion drops down looking for an ankle pick but Pot pulls his leg out and moves away.

champion drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pot tries to bench press champion off him but champion keeps the position.

champion is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pot has escaped the position, nice work there.
Pot gets back to half guard.
champion trying to mount his opponent but Pot defends it.
grappler champion overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Pot looking for submissions off his back.
Pot tries to roll over but champion keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
champion trying to control from half guard but Pot is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pot manages to get to full guard.
Pot throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

champion drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Pot dives on top into guard.
Pot pushes down on champion's leg and manages to get into half guard.
champion is not content to let Pot control the position.
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 grappler champion will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Pot moves into the clinch successfully.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Pot obliges.
champion takes a knee to the side of the body.
Pot using the Thai plumb to throw knees but champion has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pot with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Pot.
Knees to the body from Pot.
champion avoiding damage as Pot throws knees to the body.
Pot tries a knee to the head but champion blocks it.
Pot gets underhooks to prevent champion's takedown attempt.
champion blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
champion is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pot pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pot landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Pot lands a body punch in the clinch.
champion jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Pot walks away with a smile on his face. champion gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for grappler champion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pot doesn't manage to clinch there - champion circles away.
champion has a takedown stuffed.

Pot moves into range and clinches up with champion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pot with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
champion is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Pot gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Pot tries a knee to the head but champion blocks it.
champion avoiding damage as Pot throws knees to the body.
champion blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Pot lands a good knee to the midsection. champion won't want to take too many of those.
Pot throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but champion blocks it with crossed arms.
Pot tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pot is pressed up against the cage. champion has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pot down to the mat. Pot avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pot scores with a spinning back kick!
No luck for champion with that takedown attempt.

Pot has managed to clinch.
Pot landing knees to the head.
Pot misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from champion.
Pot using the Thai plumb to throw knees but champion has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two 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.
champion is trying to drag Pot to the mat but Pot just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Pot misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from champion.
Pot tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and champion avoids it.
Pot is pressed up against the cage. champion has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pot down to the mat. Pot avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pot throws a quick head kick that skims the top of champion's head.

Pot darts in and clinches champion up against the cage.
Pot utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
champion tries for a takedown. No joy.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Pot.

Pot decides to pull guard.
Pot tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Pot isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. champion stacks Pot on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by champion!
Pot is looking to reverse the position.
Paul Pot has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

champion is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pot is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Pot wants to control but champion postures up.

champion working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Pot sneaks back into half guard.
Pot is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

champion is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
champion prevents Pot from improving his position.
champion tries to pass to full mount but Pot defends it.
Pot moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
champion wants to control from the top but Pot keeps moving.

Pot has his foot on champion's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. champion works his way back into a safe position though.
Pot working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from champion.
grappler champion is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Pot looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Pot comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think champion 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... grappler champion!