PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ma Chao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Laurin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ma Chao is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Chao
vs
Laurin

180 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
212 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ma Chao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Justin Laurin!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Dillan Fox and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laurin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chao stuffs the takedown attempt from Laurin. Laurin gets slowly back to his feet.

Chao fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Laurin, pushing him back against the cage.
Laurin has Chao pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Chao manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Chao working hard to break the clinch.
Laurin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Chao has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Laurin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Chao looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Chao preventing the sweep.
Laurin wants to stand and escape but Chao is having none of it.
Chao sitting in guard here, content to control.
Chao looking to sit in guard and control but Laurin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laurin postures up in Chao's guard and throws a big left but Chao blocks it.
Laurin thows a big elbow that misses.
Chao is trying to keep Laurin in close.
Laurin wants to pass the guard but Chao is keeping the position.

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

Chao moves into the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Laurin. Chao does a little dance to reset his feet.
Laurin misses with a low kick as Chao jumps back.
Laurin shoots in but Chao avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ma Chao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Justin Laurin.
Chao shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Laurin pinned against the cage. Laurin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

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.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Laurin has Chao pressed against the cage, preventing Chao from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Laurin is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Laurin looks gassed!
Laurin goes for a takedown in the clinch but Chao prevents it.
Chao looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Chao just misses with a elbow thrown towards Laurin's brow.

Chao drags the fight down to the ground.
Laurin thows a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chao has his hands on Laurin's head, controlling the position.
Chao looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Chao knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Laurin on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laurin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Laurin's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Laurin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Laurin stopping the sweep attempt from Chao.
Chao working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Laurin.
Chao is controlling Laurin's posture.
Chao has momentary wrist control but Laurin slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laurin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Chao controls Laurin momentarily but Laurin frees himself.
Chao has control of Laurin's left arm, preventing Laurin from doing any damage.
Laurin throwing strikes from guard but Chao blocks nicely.
Chao on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Chao tries to get out of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chao preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ma Chao 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.

Laurin shoots and misses

and Chao counters by moving into the clinch.
Laurin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Laurin dodges an elbow strike from Chao.
Chao wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Laurin has him pressed against the cage.
Chao tries to break the clinch but Laurin is controlling the position.
Chao has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Chao could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Laurin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Laurin tries to clinch but Chao moves away

and Chao moves into the clinch.
Laurin lands a nice uppercut.
Chao is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Laurin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Chao blocks it with crossed arms.
Chao is trying to break free.
Chao tries to circle away but Laurin has him pinned against the cage.
Laurin tries to stall but Chao uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Laurin looking to throw knees to the head but Chao is blocking nicely.
Chao is trying to break the clinch but Laurin is controlling him.
Chao tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Chao tries a knee to the head but Laurin blocks it.
Chao wants to break the clinch but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chao has had enough of the clinch but Laurin keeps him there for the moment.
Laurin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Chao gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Chao decides to pull guard.
Laurin is breathing heavily.
Chao is pulling down on Laurin's head to control his posture.
Chao's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chao working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Laurin.
Chao is adopting a defensive guard.
Laurin is looking to work some ground and pound but Chao has wrist control.
Chao looking for a sweep. Not yet Chao, not yet.
Laurin wanted to stand there but Chao had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Chao wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Chao looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Chao preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Chao clinches.
Chao is looking to break free of the clinch but Laurin has double underhooks.
Chao avoids a wild elbow strike from Laurin.
Laurin tries to land a knee to the head but Chao blocks with his arms.
Laurin prevents Chao from breaking the clinch.
Laurin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Chao prevents the takedown attempt.
Ma Chao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Justin Laurin.

Chao manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Chao is adopting a defensive guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laurin tries to stand but Chao is controlling from the bottom.
Chao looking to control.
Laurin wanted to stand there but Chao had control of the position.
Chao tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Laurin postures up in Chao's guard and throws a big left but Chao blocks it.

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.
Chao looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Chao has his hands on Laurin's head, controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Chao tries to circle away but Laurin has him pinned against the cage.

Laurin pulls guard effortlessly.
Laurin wants to stand up but Chao is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ma Chao dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Chao moves into range and clinches up with Laurin.
Chao wants to break free but Laurin has control.
A frustrated look appears on Chao's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Laurin keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Chao's efforts to push away.
Laurin prevents Chao from breaking the clinch.
Laurin keeps control of Chao as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Chao.
Laurin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Laurin manages to break the clinch.
Laurin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Chao misses with a body kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Chao is defended easily by Laurin.

Laurin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Laurin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chao trying to hold on to Laurin's head to control him but Laurin postures up.
Laurin lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Nice strikes from Laurin there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Laurin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Laurin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Laurin is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Chao keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Laurin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Laurin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Laurin wants to stand up but Chao has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chao wants to improve his position but Laurin is controlling well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Chao closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Laurin did well to prevent Chao getting side control.
Laurin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Chao's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Chao's back!
Laurin missing with punches from the back.
Laurin is hanging on to Chao's back as he tries to escape.
Chao has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Justin Laurin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laurin throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Chao is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Laurin loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Chao hold on?
Chao is really stuck here.
Chao grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Laurin.
Ma Chao is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Chao has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Laurin.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Laurin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Chao 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ma Chao!