PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gender Bender (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Savage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bender
vs
Savage

182 cm
22
163 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gender Bender!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Savage!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Franklyn Lucas and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Savage connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Bender gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Savage wants to get back to his feet.
Bender tries to pass to full mount but Savage defends it.
Savage has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bender is working away from the top position though.

Savage kicks Bender off and gets back to his feet.
Bender looks to land a left hand but Savage moved out of range nicely.
Savage fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bender fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bender fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender fails with the takedown.
A punch combination from Savage misses.
Bender tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Savage paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Savage looks to clinch

and Bender decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Savage's guard.
Savage tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bender trying to control but Savage is working from the bottom.

Savage is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bender trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bender tries to stand but Savage is controlling from the bottom.
Bender is breathing heavily.
Bender prevents Savage from getting back to his feet.
Savage keeping full guard, as Bender tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Savage is trying to keep Bender in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bender looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Savage!
Savage is trying to stand.
Bender looking to control and managing it successfully.
Bender prevents Savage from getting the reversal.
Bender will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bender throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Bender is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Savage can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Savage is looking to improve his position but Bender isn't that keen on the idea.
Bender controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bender lands a nice shot to the head.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bender controlling the pace for now.

Bender is working for a guillotine from mount but Savage frees his head quite easily.
Bender breaks from Savage's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Savage tries to reverse the position but Bender maintains control.
Bender controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bender trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Bender stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Savage feints and as Bender raises his hands in defense, Savage changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bender looking to hit a scissor sweep but Savage is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bender had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Savage is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Bender Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Savage's back instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gender Bender dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bender fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Savage doesn't manage to clinch there - Bender circles away.

Bender looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Bender decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Savage, up you get!
Bender fails with an attempt to clinch.
Savage fails with the takedown
and Bender counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Bender rushes Savage and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Bender gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Savage is in trouble now - Bender has advanced to mount!
Bender content just to control the position here.
Savage has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Bender's lack of action.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savage holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Bender has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Savage wants to get back to his feet.
Gender Bender overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Bender working for a submission but Savage is keeping him at bay.
Savage working to try and regain half guard.
Bender controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Savage is looking to improve his position but Bender isn't that keen on the idea.
Savage slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Savage avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bender.
Savage is trying to stand back up but Bender is controlling him
Savage is staying active underneath Bender, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bender is pressing down on Savage's thigh, looking to free his foot. Savage is holding on for now.
Bender perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bender sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Savage defending well though.
Savage trying to control but Bender postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Savage keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bender misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Horrible takedown by Bender or perhaps it was just good defense by Savage which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gender Bender. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bender fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Savage, pushing him back against the cage.

Savage manages to break the clinch.
Bender throws a lazy right hand but Savage sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bender shoots for a double leg takedown but Savage sprawls well. He's pushed Bender's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Savage doesn't manage to clinch there - Bender circles away.

Savage fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bender, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bender looking to stall.
Savage tries a knee to the head but Bender blocks it.

Savage breaks from the clinch.
Bender throws an overhand right that lands on Savage's shoulder, as Savage tries to avoid the shot.

Savage has closed the distance and engaged Bender in a clinch.

Savage escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Savage looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bender is fending him off so far but Savage persists. Nope, Bender circles away and we're back to standing.
Bender shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Savage holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Savage fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Savage tries to pull guard but Bender holds him up against the cage and eventually Savage drops back down to his feet.
Savage avoiding damage as Bender throws knees to the body.
Bender is stalling here.
Savage looking to slow down the pace here.

Bender is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Savage can't fight it off and eventually Bender manages to take the fight to the floor. Savage looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bender advances position into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gender Bender dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bender shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Savage counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bender won't be happy with that.
Savage is looking to take a break and control but Bender is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bender is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Savage off and has taken his back!
Savage is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Bender.
Will Bender go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Savage trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Savage takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender biding his time, controlling Savage.
Savage is keeping busy.

Bender is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Savage just trying to survive but Bender is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Savage turns into Bender and is now in his guard.
Savage trying to control but Bender is working from the bottom.

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.

Bender working for submissions but it's allowed Savage to get to half guard.
Bender throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Bender desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Bender missing with punches from the bottom.
Bender works his way to full guard. Good work.

Bender manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Bender looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Bender advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Savage regains half guard.
Savage is pressing down on Bender's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Savage throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Savage keeping moving, preventing Bender from controlling successfully.
Bender would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Savage is trying to control the position but Bender postures up.
Savage wants to sweep here but Bender controlling him for the moment.
Savage is trying to control the position but Bender postures up.
Bender stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Savage swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Savage misses with a takedown attempt
and Bender counters with a nice uppercut.

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.
Bender stuffs the takedown attempt from Savage. Savage gets slowly back to his feet.
Gender Bender is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Savage throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Bender avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Savage tries to keep at a distance but Bender has taken the fight into the clinch.

Bender breaks from the clinch.
Bender tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Savage wants to clinch up but Bender keeps it at a distance.

Savage instigates a clinch.
Bender using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Savage has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Savage has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bender is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gender Bender has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Savage.

Bender escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Savage feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Bender looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Savage passes Bender's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Mike Savage has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Savage thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mike Savage.
I think Bender 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gender Bender!