PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andre Azh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kallias Straton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Azh comes into the arena with Manu Militari - Voix De Fait blaring out of the sound system. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Kallias Straton was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Azh
vs
Straton

190 cm
21
212 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

205 cm
22
205 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Azh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kallias Straton!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paulsen Ambrosius and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Azh uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Straton.
Azh fails in his attempt to clinch.
Straton is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Azh.
The fight stays on the outside here - Azh looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Azh avoids a punch combination nicely.
Straton lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Azh is looking to clinch.
Straton fails to land the takedown.
Azh fails in his attempt to clinch.

Azh pushes Straton up against the cage in a clinch.
Azh misses with a punch on the inside.
Azh is pushing Straton up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Azh misses with a hook to the ribs.

Straton's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Straton is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Straton misses with a double jab.
Straton fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Azh gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Azh lands a nice shot to the body.
Straton blocks a body shot from Azh.
Azh lands a right hand.
Azh softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Straton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Straton works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Azh doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Straton throws a series of punches but Azh moves out of range.
Azh feints and then cracks Straton's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Straton down.
Azh throws a right and a left that both miss.
Straton lands with a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Azh has managed to clinch.
Azh tries to work over Straton's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Straton wants to break the clinch but can't.
Azh scores with a hook to the body.

Azh has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Straton regains guard immediately.
Azh trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azh pushing down on Straton's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Azh is looking to pass Straton's guard but actually Straton recovers to full guard.
Azh trying to control the position from guard on top but Straton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Straton is looking for a triangle but Azh pushes his legs off easily.
Azh trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Straton keeping moving, preventing Azh from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azh looking to sit in guard and control but Straton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Azh looking to control.

Azh looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Straton has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Azh is proving hard to escape from.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Straton connects with the punch.
Straton lunges at Azh with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Azh's hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azh tries to clinch up but Straton circles away and keeps his distance.
Straton connects with a nice looking jab.
Azh throws a sloppy head kick and Straton moves out of range easily.
A left lands for Azh.
Straton swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Azh wants to clinch.
Straton misses the shot to the body.
Some wild striking there from Straton.

Azh has Straton up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Straton blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Azh has Straton pressed against the cage, preventing Straton from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Azh.
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 Andre Azh will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Straton shoots in looking for a takedown. Azh tries to sprawl out of it but Straton keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Azh manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Straton smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Azh fails with an attempt to clinch.
Azh connects with a solid leg kick.
Azh moves in looking to clinch but Straton pushes him off.
Azh tries to land a front kick but Straton steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Straton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Azh misses with a double jab.
Azh throws a sloppy head kick and Straton moves out of range easily.
Azh tries to score with a low kick but Straton moves his leg out of the way.
Straton throws a right and a left that both miss.
Straton keeps the fight on the outside.
Straton throws a right hand that Azh ducks under and follows up with a left that Azh also avoids with ease.
Azh throws the kick towards the body but Straton avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Straton takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Straton is breathing heavily.

Azh closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Good body shot from Azh.
Azh misses with a body punch.
Straton is trying to break free.
Straton blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Straton has had enough of the clinch but Azh keeps him there for the moment.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Straton.
Azh gets underhooks to prevent Straton's takedown attempt.
Azh pushes Straton back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Azh misses with a short punch on the inside.
Azh makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Straton manages to break the clinch.
Straton moves out of range of the body kick.
Straton is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Azh wants to clinch.
Andre Azh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Azh is looking to clinch but Straton is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azh fails in his attempt to clinch.
Straton lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Straton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Azh moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Azh fails in his attempt to clinch.
Azh avoids a punch combination nicely.
Straton circles away from the clinch attempt.
Azh tries to clinch there but Straton circles away.
Kallias Straton seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Straton throws a hook but Azh blocks it.
Azh goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Straton misses with a jab, cross combination.
Straton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Azh misses with a two punch combination.
Azh is looking to clinch.
Straton tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Azh swivels and escapes.
Andre Azh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kallias Straton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azh moves in looking to clinch but Straton pushes him off.
Azh pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Straton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Azh gets a clinch.
Azh lands a right hand.
Straton drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Azh gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Azh pushes Straton back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Azh.
Azh lands a nice uppercut.
Nice body punch from Azh.
Azh fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Azh works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A short uppercut from Azh.
Azh is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Straton prevents a body shot from Azh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azh throws a punch but it's blocked by Straton.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Azh misses with a body punch.
Straton is trying to break free.
Azh lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Straton or not.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Azh.
Azh tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A nice left hand lands by Azh.
Azh lands a nice uppercut.
A body shot lands from Azh.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Straton blocks a body shot from Azh.
A right hook to the body lands for Azh.
Nice body punch from Azh.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch on the inside from Azh fails to land.
Azh cracks Straton with a nice body shot.
Azh misses with a hook from the clinch.
Azh misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Azh dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Good exchange - Azh coming out on top.
Azh dodges the punch combination from Straton.
Azh takes one to the chin there.

Azh clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Straton's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Azh lands a body shot in the clinch.
Azh misses with a punch to the body.
Azh is leaning against Straton and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Straton prevents a body shot from Azh.
A short uppercut from Azh.
Azh tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Azh.
Azh lands a body shot in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Azh.
Azh pushes Straton back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nice body punch from Azh - that landed with a thud.
A shot in the inside from Azh.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azh misses with a punch to the body.
The referee is keeping an eye on Azh - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A short left from Azh.
A head punch on the inside from Azh fails to land.
Azh tries a body shot but Straton blocks it.
Azh misses with the head strike.
Azh tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Straton's elbow.
Azh wants to stall.

Straton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Straton does no damage.
Azh is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Straton lands with an uppercut that bounces Azh off the cage and back into rage.
Straton throws a right hand that Azh ducks under and follows up with a left that Azh also avoids with ease.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Straton.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Azh throws a series of strikes that have Straton backpedaling.
Straton takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Straton throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Straton has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Horrible takedown by Straton or perhaps it was just good defense by Azh which made him look bad.
Azh lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Azh closes the distance and clinches.
Straton being controlled against the cage.
Azh misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Azh works on Straton's body with a couple of short punches.
Azh lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Straton.
A head punch on the inside from Azh fails to land.
Azh is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azh lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Straton or not.
Azh lands with a left to the head.
Azh digs a right hand underneath Straton's ribcage. Straton let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A right hand to the body from Azh.
Azh throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Straton's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Azh works on Straton's body with a couple of short punches.
Straton is trying to force a seperation but Azh has the dominant position.
Azh misses with a punch to the body.
Straton's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Azh throws a head punch that misses.
A short uppercut from Azh.
A nice left hand lands by Azh.

Azh gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Straton regains guard.
Straton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Straton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Straton wants to stand and escape but Azh is having none of it.
Azh stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Straton swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Azh showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Azh has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Azh!