PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between C Liddell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Bastian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sean Bastian has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Liddell
vs
Bastian

188 cm
23
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
215 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, C Liddell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sean Bastian!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liddell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Liddell throws a right and a left that Bastian avoids nicely.
Liddell fails to land with a series of punches.
Liddell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bastian.
Liddell steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bastian.
Liddell throws a right and a left that both miss.
Liddell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Some wild striking there from Liddell.
Liddell throws a right hand that Bastian ducks under and follows up with a left that Bastian also avoids with ease.
Bastian blocks a head kick by Liddell.

Bastian shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Liddell manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Bastian is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Liddell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Liddell tries to get out of the position.
Bastian makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bastian stops Liddell from standing up.
Bastian missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bastian advances to half guard.
Bastian working the head and body with strikes.
Bastian has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bastian is pressing down on Liddell's thigh, looking to free his foot. Liddell is holding on for now.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet.
Bastian looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Bastian lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Liddell manages to get to full guard.
Bastian chips away with some ground and pound.
Bastian lands a couple of digs.

Bastian is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Liddell lands a decent shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bastian chips away with some ground and pound.
Liddell throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Bastian loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet but Bastian is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bastian stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Liddell swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Liddell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bastian circles away quickly and effectively.
Liddell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bastian circles away quickly and effectively.
Bastian showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Liddell.
A punch combination from Liddell misses.
Liddell is breathing heavily.
Bastian tries to clinch up but Liddell circles away and keeps his distance.
Bastian tries to clinch but Liddell is having none of it.
Bastian pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Bastian moves out of range.
A punch combination from Liddell misses.
Bastian avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bastian dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Liddell. That did some damage!
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bastian.
Liddell throws a nice looking combination but Bastian bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Liddell does no damage.
Liddell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Liddell checks a low kick from Bastian.
Bastian looks to land a combination but Liddell avoids it well.
Bastian dodges the punch combination from Liddell.
Liddell misses with a double jab

and Bastian decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Liddell's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bastian is working Liddell over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Bastian prevents Liddell from getting back to his feet.
Liddell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Liddell keeping full guard, as Bastian tries to pass.
Bastian won't allow Liddell to get back to his feet.
Liddell manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bastian manages to get himself to full guard.
Liddell wants to stand and escape but instead Bastian has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Liddell keeping full guard, as Bastian tries to pass.
Liddell tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Liddell trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Bastian trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Liddell striking off his back.
Liddell trying to keep a closed guard but Bastian is proving a slippery customer.
Bastian advances position into side control!
Liddell is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bastian moves in looking to clinch but Liddell pushes him off.
Liddell misses with the body kick

and Bastian counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bastian.
Liddell is trying to break free.

Liddell breaks from the clinch.
Bastian slips a jab and a cross from Liddell.
Liddell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Liddell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Liddell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bastian moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bastian slips a jab and a cross from Liddell.
Liddell throws a sloppy head kick and Bastian moves out of range easily.
Liddell misses with a series of wild punches.
Bastian throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Liddell.
Liddell misses with a series of wild punches.

Bastian gets a takedown into half guard.
Liddell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bastian.
Liddell is trying to stand up here but Bastian is controlling him well.
Bastian is pressing down on Liddell's thigh, looking to free his foot. Liddell is holding on for now.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet.
Bastian blocks the strikes from Liddell.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet.
Bastian throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Liddell landing a few short strikes.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Liddell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bastian moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Liddell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bastian moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Liddell misses with a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Bastian slips a jab and a cross from Liddell.
Bastian showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Liddell.
Bastian throws a jab when Liddell was well out of range.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Liddell looks to land a combination but Bastian avoids it well.
Bastian moves out of range as Liddell throws a body kick.
Liddell gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Bastian counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Liddell's guard now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Liddell is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bastian is controlling him.
Bastian pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Liddell is keeping the position for now.
Bastian keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Liddell's head.
Bastian won't allow Liddell to get back to his feet.

Liddell is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Liddell is looking to break free of the clinch but Bastian has double underhooks.
Liddell wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bastian is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Liddell pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Liddell wants to break free but Bastian has control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Liddell's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Bastian breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Bastian avoids them all with ease.
A punch combination from Liddell misses.
Liddell throws a body kick that misses.

Bastian rushes Liddell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Liddell working hard to break the clinch.

Liddell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Bastian, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Liddell throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Bastian counters with a single leg into guard. Liddell didn't expect that.
Bastian won't allow Liddell to get back to his feet.
Liddell wants to sweep here but Bastian controlling him for the moment.

Liddell pushes Bastian off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Bastian cracks the inside of Liddell's front leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A swing and a miss from Bastian.
Liddell swinging wildly here.
Liddell throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
C Liddell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bastian throws a one two combo.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Bastian avoids them all with ease.
Liddell misses with a few strikes there.
Bastian slips a jab and a cross from Liddell.
Liddell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bastian throws a sloppy head kick and Liddell moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Liddell misses with a double jab

and Bastian counters by clinching up.

Liddell breaks the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Liddell misses with a wild combination.
Liddell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bastian counters with a three punch combo that has Liddell backing up. Liddell nods at Bastian to acknowledge the strikes.
C Liddell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Bastian moves out of range.
Liddell throws a combination. Bastian tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Liddell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bastian circles away quickly and effectively.
Bastian slips a jab and a cross from Liddell.
Liddell has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Bastian.
Liddell avoids a punch combination nicely.
A punch combination from Bastian misses.
Bastian tried to score with a low kick but Liddell checks it.
Liddell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bastian throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Liddell's head.
Bastian throws and low kick but Liddell moves out of range easily.
The fighters circling - Liddell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Bastian slips a jab and a cross from Liddell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bastian misses with a hook.
Liddell uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bastian.
Bastian tries to clinch up but Liddell circles away and keeps his distance.
Liddell tries to bum rush Bastian with a series of wild strikes but Bastian uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bastian.
Bastian throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Liddell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

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

Liddell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Liddell misses with a few strikes there.
Liddell defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bastian.

Bastian moves into the clinch successfully.
Liddell wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Liddell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bastian shoots in looking for a takedown. Liddell tries to sprawl out of it but Bastian keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Liddell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Liddell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Liddell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bastian will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Liddell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Liddell fails to land with a series of punches.
Liddell scores with a kick to the midsection.
Liddell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Liddell throws a combination that misses

and Bastian counters with a nice double leg into side control. Liddell won't be happy with that.

Bastian wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Liddell, who protects the arm well.
Bastian prevents Liddell from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bastian has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Liddell!
Liddell manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Liddell is trying to stand back up but Bastian is controlling him
Liddell wants to get back to full guard.
Bastian lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Liddell missing with punches from the bottom.
Liddell is trying to stand up here but Bastian is controlling him well.
Sean Bastian has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bastian wants to control but Liddell is keeping him busy.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Liddell moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bastian stops Liddell from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Liddell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bastian counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Liddell!
Bastian is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Liddell blocking the ground and pound.
Liddell tries to buck Bastian off but he can't manage it.
BOOM! Bastian connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Liddell wants to try and get back to his feet.
Bastian fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Bastian is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Liddell throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Bastian won't let Liddell get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Bastian working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Liddell tries to buck Bastian off but he can't manage it.
Bastian lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Bastian working the ground and pound effectively.
Bastian misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Liddell is trying to stand.

Liddell somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Liddell throws the kick towards the body but Bastian avoids it.
Bastian tries to bum rush Liddell with a series of wild strikes but Liddell uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Liddell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Bastian moves out of range.
Bastian tries to score a power double leg takedown but Liddell sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Bastian somewhat.
C Liddell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Bastian.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Liddell.
Liddell looks to land a combination but Bastian avoids it well.
Liddell misses with a wild combination.
Liddell misses with a series of wild punches.
Bastian swinging wildly here.
Bastian dodges the punch combination from Liddell.
Liddell throws a right and a left that Bastian avoids nicely.

That's eight 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.
Liddell looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Liddell checks the leg kick.
Liddell falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bastian counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Liddell!
Liddell is in a horrible position here. Bastian smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Liddell manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Liddell, under a barage of strikes from Bastian.
Liddell is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Bastian's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Bastian's back!
Liddell is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Bastian. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Liddell is punishing Bastian with strikes - can he finish him?!
Liddell throwing damaging strikes from the back! Bastian could be in trouble here!
Liddell is working the ground and pound. Can Bastian escape?

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Can Bastian hold on?! Liddell is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Liddell is working the ground and pound. Can Bastian escape?
Liddell landing with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Liddell lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Bastian hold on?!
Liddell lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Liddell is looking for the choke from the back position but Bastian is controlling his hands well.
Bastian trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Liddell lands a shot to the head.
I really don't envy Bastian right now.
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 C Liddell will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Liddell tries to bum rush Bastian with a series of wild strikes but Bastian uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Liddell throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bastian blocks the body kick.
Liddell looks to land a combination but Bastian avoids it well.
Liddell misses with a two punch combination.
Bastian tries to clinch but Liddell moves out of range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Liddell!
Liddell looks to land a combination but Bastian avoids it well.

Bastian shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Liddell manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Bastian throws a big right hand that misses.
Liddell wants to sweep but no luck.
Liddell will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Bastian prevents Liddell from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bastian trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell wants to stand and escape but Bastian is having none of it.
Bastian working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Liddell's head.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Liddell looks to land a combination. Bastian sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Liddell scores with a three punch combo!
A combination from Liddell does no damage.
Liddell misses with the combination.
Liddell throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bastian tries to clinch but Liddell moves out of range.
Bastian showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Liddell.
Liddell misses with a few strikes there.
Bastian throws a looping overhand right but Liddell ducks down to avoid it.

That's two 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.
Liddell throws a wild body kick that Bastian sees coming a mile off.
C Liddell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bastian shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Liddell misses with a double jab.
Liddell swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Liddell gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Bastian to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Liddell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bastian working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Liddell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Liddell throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Liddell is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bastian throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Liddell scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Liddell throws a right hand that Bastian ducks under and follows up with a left that Bastian also avoids with ease.
Bastian has a takedown stuffed.
Liddell throws a combination that misses

and Bastian holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Liddell tries to break the clinch but Bastian is controlling the position.

Bastian breaks the clinch.
Liddell fails to land with a series of punches.
Liddell swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bastian looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Liddell misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Liddell does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liddell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Bastian.
Liddell wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Bastian goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Liddell has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Bastian but great work by Liddell.
Bastian can't do much from the bottom here.
Liddell grinds an elbow into Bastian's temple.
Liddell in side control lands a decent elbow.
Bastian is not content to let Liddell control the position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Liddell is working Bastian over with some ground and pound from side control.
Liddell lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Bastian down.

Liddell decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bastian to his feet.
Liddell misses with a few strikes there.
A punch combination from Liddell misses.
Liddell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bastian counters with a shoot takedown. Liddell fights it but they end up in guard.
Bastian won't allow Liddell to get back to his feet.

Bastian is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Bastian won't allow Liddell to get back to his feet.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Bastian drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bastian jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Liddell has his feet on Bastian's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Bastian slips a jab and a cross from Liddell.
Liddell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Liddell wants it to stay on the feet.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Bastian moves out of range.
Liddell looks to land a combination but Bastian avoids it well.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bastian.
Bastian looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
C Liddell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Bastian.
Liddell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bastian.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Bastian moves out of range.

Bastian fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Liddell, pushing him back against the cage.
Bastian misses with a knee strike.
Liddell is trying to break the clinch but Bastian has him pressed against the cage.

Liddell breaks the clinch.
Bastian misses with a takedown attempt - Liddell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Liddell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bastian counters with a shoot takedown. Liddell fights it but they end up in guard.
Bastian trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Bastian stops Liddell from standing up.

Liddell uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Liddell looks to land a combination but Bastian avoids it well.
Liddell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bastian circles away quickly and effectively.
No joy there for Liddell, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Liddell swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Bastian.
A combination from Liddell does no damage.
Bastian wants to clinch.
Liddell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bastian throws a right hand that Liddell ducks under and follows up with a left that Liddell also avoids with ease.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Bastian throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Liddell was covering up waiting for the punch and Bastian finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Bastian sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Liddell's guard.

Liddell manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Liddell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Liddell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bastian circles away quickly and effectively.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bastian.
Liddell misses with a double jab

and Bastian counters with a shoot takedown. Liddell fights it but they end up in guard.
Liddell is looking to stand up but Bastian isn't so interested in that idea.
Bastian pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Liddell is keeping the position for now.

Liddell pushes Bastian off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sean Bastian comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bastian has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Sean Bastian!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Sean Bastian!
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Sean Bastian!

Sean Bastian wins by unanimous decision!