PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between CA Bova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russell Brand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brand is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Russell Brand and Katie Perry. Russell Brand struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 136.2lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. CA Bova has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bova
vs
Brand

170 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

187 cm
22
146 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]
►Schwarzenegger Nutrition

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 London, CA Bova!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Russell Brand!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Chris Edwards and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Brand closes the distance and clinches.

Brand pulls guard successfully.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Bova looking to sit in guard and control but Brand gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Brand stands up over Bova, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Brand has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bova can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Brand controls the pace.
Bova doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Brand gets to his feet. Bova looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Brand moves into the clinch.

Brand's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Brand shoots in and bounces Bova off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Brand pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bova is keeping the position for now.
Brand prevents Bova from getting back to his feet.
Brand wants to control from the top but Bova keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bova preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Brand looking to pass the guard.
Bova is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Brand is controlling him.
Brand passes into half guard.
Bova is trying to stand back up but Brand is controlling him

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bova shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Brand counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bova!
Bova wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Brand working the ground and pound effectively.
Brand content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bova throws a strike from the bottom but Brand uses the opportunity to take his back.
Brand connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Bova to escape the position.
Brand lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Bova holding both Brand 's hands and preventing any damage.
Brand biding his time, controlling Bova.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Brand is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Brand looks gassed!
Brand lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Brand.
Bova trying to get back to his feet but Brand is in full control for now.
Brand is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Brand gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Brand gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Brand apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Bova moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Bova lands with a nice combination. Brand backs away looking to recover.
Brand shoots in for a takedown but Bova shows good takedown defense.
Brand fails to land the takedown.
Bova falls off balance throwing a combination

and Brand counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bova is trying to stand.
Bova throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Brand frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bova is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Brand tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Brand avoids the attempt from Bova to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bova throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Brand dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Brand scores with a takedown into Bova's guard.
Bova is looking to stand back up but Brand counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Bova.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Well, if Brand is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Bova pushes Brand off but Brand dives into side control.
Bova looks to move to half guard but instead Brand has passed into mount! Damn!
Brand tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bova wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Brand sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bova is trying to stand.
Brand is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Brand controlling the position easily from mount.
Brand working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Brand has control of Bova's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Bova regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Brand looking to control but Bova is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

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.
Bova is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Brand looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Bova holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Brand tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Brand trying to control but Bova is having none of it.
Bova is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bova really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Brand stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Bova fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Brand dodges the punch combination from Bova.
Bova lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Bova swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Brand counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Bova wants to stand up but Brand is controlling him.
Brand is pushing down on Bova's leg trying to pass to half guard. Bova is fighting to maintain full guard but Brand has managed to sneak the leg through.
Brand uses his free foot to push down on Bova's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Bova.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brand tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Brand trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bova is trying to stand.
Brand controlling from mount.
Bova in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Brand has hold of Bova's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Bova manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Brand sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Brand showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bova throws a sloppy head kick

and Brand counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bova!
Brand lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Bova hang on?
Bova is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Brand has taken his back!
Good control from Brand.
Bova is keeping busy.
Bova is trying to stand back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Bova defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bova wants to get back to his feet.
Brand really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Bova.
Brand trying to control momentarily.
Bova holding both Brand 's hands and preventing any damage.
Brand loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Bova hold on?

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.
Bova trying to get back to his feet but Brand is in full control for now.
Brand controls the position.
Bova holding both Brand 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brand is working the ground and pound. Can Bova escape?

Bova is trying to shake Brand off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Brand won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.

Brand takes the fight into the clinch.
Bova looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Brand digs a right hand underneath Bova's ribcage. Bova let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Brand stalls.

Brand has Bova pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Brand pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Bova tumbling to the mat - Brand dives into Bova's guard.
Brand trying to control the position from guard on top but Bova is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bova is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bova wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Brand manages to pass to side control.
Brand controlling the action here.
Bova blocking the ground and pound attempt from Brand.
Bova wants to get back to his feet.
Brand winds up and cracks Bova with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
CA Bova has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Russell Brand is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Brand working the head and body with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Russell Brand comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Brand winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russell Brand!