PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Ante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Lawrence (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ante comes to the cage accompanied by Da Mystery of Chessboxin'. Dirk Ante has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Ante
vs
Lawrence

188 cm
23
176 lbs
12 - 7 - 1

177 cm
24
182 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dirk Ante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcus Lawrence!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Ante. Lawrence does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ante tries to clinch but Lawrence moves out of range.
Lawrence jabs at Ante's body.
Ante misses with a wild body shot.
A big right from Ante misses.
Ante is looking to clinch but Lawrence is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ante looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Ante clinches up against the cage.
Ante lands a body punch.
Lawrence swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Lawrence.
Lawrence misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lawrence tries to score a body lock takedown but Ante shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Lawrence swings wildly with an uppercut but Ante uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ante controlling the action here for a moment.
Lawrence working aggressively here.
Lawrence trying to stall but Ante improves his position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Lawrence throws a head punch that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence cracks Ante with a nice body shot.
Lawrence stalling in the clinch.
Ante gets underhooks to prevent Lawrence's takedown attempt.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ante - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lawrence throws a head punch that misses.
Lawrence swings wildly with an uppercut but Ante uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ante misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lawrence drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ante pulls his leg out and moves away.
Dirk Ante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcus Lawrence.
Ante tries to clinch up but Lawrence circles away and keeps his distance.
Ante throws a jab when Lawrence was well out of range.
Ante wants to clinch.
Ante stuns Lawrence with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Lawrence avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence misses with a body shot

and Ante holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lawrence looking for a takedown.
Ante has a couple of punches blocked by Lawrence.
Ante throws an elbow but it misses.
Ante lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Lawrence backwards.
Lawrence keeps control of Ante as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ante lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short left from Ante.
Lawrence can't find room to land a body shot as Ante controls the action.
Lawrence tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lawrence fails to pull guard.
Ante lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ante lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lawrence stalls.
Ante throws an elbow but it misses.
Lawrence misses with a punch on the inside.
Lawrence being controlled against the cage.

Ante escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ante is looking to clinch but Lawrence is avoiding it.
Ante is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence swats away the attempt to clinch by Ante.
Ante wants to clinch up but Lawrence keeps it at a distance.
Ante tries to clinch up but Lawrence circles away and keeps his distance.
Lawrence misses with an uppercut. Ante saw that one coming.
Lawrence shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lawrence takes a swing at Ante's ribcage but misses.
Ante tries to close the distance and clinch but Lawrence swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lawrence looks to score with a jab to the body but Ante is just out of range.
Ante tries to clinch but Lawrence moves out of range.
Ante lands the left hand.
Lawrence uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ante.
Ante moves in looking to clinch but Lawrence pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Ante gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Lawrence blocking some punches.
A right hand to the body from Ante.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ante is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Lawrence's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Lawrence wants to stall.
Ante fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nice body punch from Ante - that landed with a thud.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ante.
Ante misses with the head strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ante.
Ante misses with the head strike.
Ante scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ante has a couple of punches blocked by Lawrence.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lawrence wants to get back to striking at distance but Ante won't allow it.
Lawrence's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Ante lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lawrence backwards.
Lawrence looking to stall.
Lawrence misses with a hook to the ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Ante dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ante tries to close the distance and clinch but Lawrence swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lawrence fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Ante looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Lawrence avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lawrence looks to land a right hand but Ante moved out of range.
Nice defenses there by Ante.
Ante misses with a looping right.
Ante is looking to clinch.
Ante has his takedown stuffed
letting Lawrence counter with a right hand.
Ante wants to clinch but Lawrence slips to the side
and Lawrence counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawrence swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Ante takes the fight into the clinch.
Ante misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lawrence working aggressively here.
A right handed body shot lands from Ante.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence prevents a body shot from Ante.
Lawrence misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ante can't get the takedown.
Lawrence lands with a right to the head.
Good body shot from Ante.
Ante is leaning against Lawrence and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Lawrence misses with a body punch.
Ante misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ante throws a head punch that misses.
Ante lands with a short shot to the head.
A short body shot lands from Lawrence as the two fighters clinch.
Ante is working Lawrence over against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Lawrence throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Antes head.
Lawrence is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ante is keeping busy.
Ante gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lawrence.
Ante lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lawrence.
A short right from Lawrence.
Ante just leaning against Lawrence, taking a breather.
Ante lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Lawrence has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Ante is trying to keep an underhook but Lawrence manages to get the takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ante is pressing down on Lawrence's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Lawrence showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Lawrence is breathing heavily.
Lawrence wants to control from the top but Ante keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lawrence is looking to work some ground and pound but Ante has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ante manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ante looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ante punishing his opponent with strikes.
Lawrence is trying to escape the mount.
Lawrence in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Ante looking to control but Lawrence is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ante misses with a head shot.
Ante tries to control but Lawrence wriggling away.
Ante cracks Lawrence with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Lawrence keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ante wants to stand up but Lawrence is controlling the position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lawrence manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ante stopping the sweep attempt from Lawrence.
Lawrence trying to control the position here.
Ante pushes down on Lawrence's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Ante landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
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 Dirk Ante will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ante tries to clinch but Lawrence moves away
and Lawrence makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Lawrence uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ante.
Ante tries to clinch but Lawrence moves away
and Lawrence counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ante tries to clinch up
and Lawrence counters with a stiff right hand.
Ante tries to clinch but Lawrence moves away
and Lawrence counters with a nice uppercut.
Lawrence thows a body shot but no joy.
Lawrence misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ante.
Ante falls off balance throwing a combination
and Lawrence counters with a left and a right that stings Ante.
Lawrence throws the left hand but Ante avoids the punch easily.
Ante tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Lawrence counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Lawrence throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Ante sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ante wants to clinch
and Lawrence counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Lawrence moves away from the strike by Ante.

Ante gets a clinch.
Lawrence blocks an uppercut.
The referee calls for Ante to work.
Ante pushes Lawrence back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lawrence dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Lawrence lands a right hand.
Ante doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lawrence.
Ante blocks an uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Ante.
Lawrence lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Ante fails to land.

Ante breaks the clinch.
Ante wants to clinch but Lawrence slips to the side
and Lawrence counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ante.
Lawrence ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ante moves away.
Lawrence tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ante sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lawrence somewhat.
Ante tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lawrence counters with a straight right hand.
Ante closes the distance but Lawrence moves to the side

and Lawrence counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ante won't be happy with that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ante is trying to get back to half guard.
Lawrence with the ground and pound but Ante regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Dirk Ante is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence is looking to stall here but Ante recovers full guard.
Ante keeping moving, preventing Lawrence from controlling successfully.
Marcus Lawrence has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lawrence looking to sit in guard and control but Ante gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four 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.
Lawrence pulls Ante in close to prevent any damage.
Ante controls from within his opponent's guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ante won't allow Lawrence to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lawrence is pulling down on Ante's head to control his posture.
Lawrence being controlled here, momentarily.
Ante is pushing down on Lawrence's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lawrence is fighting to maintain full guard but Ante has managed to sneak the leg through.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ante in particular looking to stall.
Lawrence flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Lawrence comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ante 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Dirk Ante!