PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Houston Sickaruba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and andrew strachan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). andrew strachan told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Sickaruba
vs
strachan

194 cm
18
265 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Houston Sickaruba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, andrew strachan!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Steve Erwin and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

strachan moves into the clinch successfully.
Sickaruba is trying to drag strachan to the mat but strachan just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

strachan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice takedown defense from strachan. No joy for Sickaruba on that attempt.

strachan is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sickaruba's half guard.
strachan stalling.

strachan is trying to work for a kimura but Sickaruba is defending well.
strachan is looking to take a break and control but Sickaruba is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sickaruba kicks strachan off and gets back to his feet.
Sickaruba tries for a takedown but strachan circles away easily

and strachan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Houston Sickaruba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sickaruba is breathing heavily.
Sickaruba is trying to stand.
strachan is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
strachan trying to control the pace.
strachan tries to pass to full mount but Sickaruba defends it.
strachan takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
strachan wants to control but Sickaruba is keeping him busy.
strachan stalling away here and it's allowed Sickaruba to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
strachan trying to control but Sickaruba is working from the bottom.
Sickaruba could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

strachan decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sickaruba shoots and misses

and strachan holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

strachan manages to break the clinch.
strachan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sickaruba doesn't succeed with the takedown
and strachan counters with a nice body kick.
strachan lands with a kick to the ribs.

strachan drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
strachan wants to control from the top but Sickaruba keeps moving.
Sickaruba keeping full guard, as strachan tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

andrew strachan dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

strachan shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sickaruba's guard.
strachan wants to stand but Sickaruba is controlling his posture from full guard.

Sickaruba is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Sickaruba has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed strachan clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

strachan fending off the submission attempt from Sickaruba.

That's one minute gone in the round.
strachan trying to get back to his feet but Sickaruba is in full control for now.

Sickaruba is looking for the choke from the back position but strachan is controlling his hands well.
strachan tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Sickaruba is going olschool here, as he tries to force strachan to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so strachan shrugs it off.
strachan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Sickaruba working for a guillotine from mount but strachan is in no mood to give up.

Sickaruba swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and strachan is now in Sickaruba's guard. A big mistake from Sickaruba there, giving up the dominant position!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sickaruba is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst strachan is controlling him.
strachan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sickaruba has a closed guard, preventing strachan from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
strachan trying to control but Sickaruba is working from the bottom.
Sickaruba is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst strachan is controlling him.
strachan trying to control the position from guard on top but Sickaruba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sickaruba avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
strachan looking to pass the guard.
strachan trying to control the position from guard on top but Sickaruba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Houston Sickaruba dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sickaruba doesn't succeed with the takedown

and strachan counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
strachan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sickaruba pushes strachan off looking to stand but strachan dives back in and keeps control.
strachan controlling the action here.
strachan takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
strachan trying to control from half guard but Sickaruba is working away.
Sickaruba wants to get back to his feet.

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.
strachan trying to control the action but Sickaruba is working from the bottom.
strachan is just content to waste time from the top position. Sickaruba takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
strachan wants to pass the guard but Sickaruba is keeping the position.
strachan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sickaruba looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Sickaruba tries to keep at a distance but strachan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sickaruba can't find room to land a body shot as strachan controls the action.
Sickaruba tried to land a shot to the body but connects with strachan's elbow.

That's four 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.
Sickaruba is looking to control strachan's arms but strachan gets an underhook and turns him. Now Sickaruba has his back to the cage.
Sickaruba wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Houston Sickaruba. That's going to take a lot out of him.

strachan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
strachan shoots and misses

and Sickaruba counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
strachan wants a takedown.
strachan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
strachan gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sickaruba.
strachan fails to pull guard.
Sickaruba goes for a takedown attempt but strachan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

strachan bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
strachan is looking to take a break and control but Sickaruba is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
andrew strachan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well strachan 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... andrew strachan!