PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Xu Huang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Koss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Koss has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Xu Huang's chin.

Huang
vs
Koss

180 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Xu Huang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Koss!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Elvis Blanc and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Koss closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Koss trying to control the action but Huang is working from the bottom.
Koss remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Koss trying to control the action but Huang is working from the bottom.
Huang is looking for a sweep.
Koss wants to take a breather but Huang manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Koss.
Koss pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Huang is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koss sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Huang's guard.
Koss wants to stand but Huang has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Huang tries to roll over but Koss keeps him under control.
Koss looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Koss trying to control the action but Huang is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Koss looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Koss wants to control but Huang is keeping him busy.

Despite being in the dominant position, John Koss just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Huang fails with a takedown attempt.
Koss shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Huang decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Koss's guard.
Huang has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Huang trying to control but Koss is working from the bottom.
Koss wants to stand but Huang is controlling the position.
Huang trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Huang throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Koss works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Huang postures up in Koss's guard and throws a big left but Koss blocks it.
Huang trying to control but Koss is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huang is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Koss is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Huang postures up in Koss's guard and throws a big left but Koss blocks it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Koss fails to land the takedown.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Huang misses with a punch on the inside.

Koss breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Koss tries to clinch but Huang is having none of it.
Koss throws the left hand but Huang avoids the punch easily.

Koss clinches with his opponent.
Koss blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Huang tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Koss smiles and moves away.

Huang feints and as Koss raises his hands in defense, Huang changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Huang drops back, looking for a kneebar! Koss looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Koss looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Koss!
Huang is being controlled here.

Koss tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Huang tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Koss happy to just control the position for now.
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 Xu Huang will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Huang fails in his attempt to clinch.
Huang tries to clinch up but Koss circles away and keeps his distance.
Huang tries to clinch up.
Koss shoots in for a takedown but Huang shows good takedown defense.
Koss shoots in for a takedown but Huang shows good takedown defense.
Huang tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Koss closes the distance and pushes Huang back into the cage.

Huang jumps guard and drags Koss to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Huang manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koss manages to get himself to full guard.
Koss can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Huang controls the pace.
Huang wants to control from the top but Koss keeps moving.
Huang stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Koss swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Koss is on top in guard.
Koss stopping the sweep attempt from Huang.
Koss trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Koss's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Huang wants to sweep but no luck.
Koss slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Koss passes into half guard.
Koss sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Koss works his way into full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huang is trying desperately to improve position.
Koss sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four 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.
Koss tries to control but Huang wriggling away.

Despite being in the dominant position, John Koss just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Huang wants to clinch up but Koss keeps it at a distance.
Koss has his takedown stuffed

and Huang counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Huang.
Xu Huang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Koss.
Koss is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Huang is controlling him.
Koss is breathing heavily.
Koss utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Koss keeping moving, preventing Huang from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xu Huang dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Koss throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Huang's waist but Huang gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Koss off to one side.
John Koss seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Huang shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Koss pinned against the cage. Koss gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Koss shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Huang is trying to defend but Koss finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Koss trying to control from half guard but Huang is working away.
Koss controlling the action here.
Huang is not content to let Koss control the position.
Koss takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huang trying to hold on to Koss's head to control him but Koss postures up.
Huang is trying to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Koss seems content to control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Koss misses with a takedown attempt

and Huang counters with a takedown into side control.
Huang wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koss keeps working.
Xu Huang overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Koss sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koss is defending against the submission attempts here by Huang.
Huang stops Koss from getting back to his feet.
Koss regains full guard. Nicely done.
Koss keeping moving, preventing Huang from controlling successfully.
Huang stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Koss swivels though and keeps the full guard.
John Koss has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Koss pulls Huang in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koss looking for a guillotine here but Huang defends easily.
Huang forces his way into half guard.
Huang is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Koss!

Huang is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Koss can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
You get the feeling that Koss really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Huang jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Koss manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Huang looking to control but instead Koss has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koss pushes Huang off looking to stand but Huang dives back in and keeps control.

Koss is defending against the submission attempts here by Huang.

Huang wants to work for an arm triangle but Koss is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Koss scores with a few weak punches.
Xu Huang is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Huang stalling away here and it's allowed Koss to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xu Huang showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Huang, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xu Huang!