PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Lashley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Connoly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Connoly has chosen Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lashley
vs
Connoly

190 cm
20
255 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
21
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bobby Lashley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dan Connoly!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Connoly tries for a takedown but Lashley sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Connoly feints and as Lashley raises his hands in defense, Connoly changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Connoly distracts Lashley with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Lashley on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Lashley tries to get out of the position.
Lashley pulls Connoly in close to his closed guard and prevents Connoly from doing any damage or advancing position.
Connoly wants to get up but he can't break Lashley's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Lashley is pulling down on Connoly's head. It's preventing any offense from Connoly, at least for the moment.
Lashley looking to hit a scissor sweep but Connoly is one step ahead there.
Connoly wants to pass the guard but Lashley is keeping the position.
Connoly trying to control the position from guard on top but Lashley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Connoly would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connoly trying to control but Lashley is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Connoly gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lashley sitting in guard here, content to control.
Lashley is working Connoly over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lashley slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lashley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lashley passes Connoly's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lashley is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lashley is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Lashley content to control rather than advance.
Connoly trying to hold on to Lashley's head to control him but Lashley postures up.
Lashley not doing much here.
Lashley looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Connoly taking some punishment here, with Lashley in his half guard.
Lashley moves into full mount! Connoly won't be happy about that!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lashley looking to control and managing it successfully.
Lashley lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Connoly is wriggling around trying to escape.
Lashley blocks Connoly's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Lashley lands with some strikes.
Lashley scoring with strikes but Connoly is staying in there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lashley looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The referee warns Connoly that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Connoly looks gassed!
Lashley avoids the attempt from Connoly to control.
Lashley controlling from mount.
Lashley with the ground and pound from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lashley wants to control the pace but Connoly is squirming around nicely.
Lashley controlling his opponent.

Lashley looking to secure an arm triangle but Connoly defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Connoly is bucking up trying to escape but Lashley cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Lashley connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lashley controlling from the full mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Connoly is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lashley postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Connoly looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Connoly throws a nice inside leg kick.
Bobby Lashley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Lashley gets the takedown into side control.
Lashley is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Lashley lands a few punches from side control.
Bobby Lashley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lashley works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Lashley lands some shots froms side control.
A lull in the action here.
Lashley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Connoly keeps working.
Lashley in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Connoly is trying to control Lashley's posture but Lashley avoids it.
Connoly tries to buck Lashley off but Lashley is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lashley is chipping away with strikes.
Lashley is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Connoly tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lashley wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Lashley wants to control but Connoly is keeping him busy.
Lashley looks up at the clock and then as Connoly takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Lashley smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Lashley grinds an elbow into Connoly's temple.
Connoly is looking for a sweep.
Lashley trying to control the action but Connoly is working from the bottom.
Connoly manages to get back to half guard.
Lashley wants to free his trapped foot but Connoly is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lashley is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Connoly is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lashley content just to control the position here.
Connoly is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Connoly is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Lashley here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Lashley looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Lashley with shots to the head and body - Connoly looks very uncomfortable down there.
Connoly is bucking up trying to escape but Lashley cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Lashley controlling from mount.
Lashley seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Connoly for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Lashley.
Lashley controlling the position easily from mount.
Lashley raining down shots from the mount!
Lashley pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Lashley controlling from the full mount.
Lashley lands a big elbow.
Lashley landing strikes from the mount and Connoly is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lashley working Connoly over with strikes here.
Lashley has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Connoly's face.
BOOM! Lashley connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Connoly is rocked!
Lashley lands a heavy elbow.
Connoly is still in real trouble! Can Lashley finish him?
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lashley lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lashley landing strikes from the mount.
Lashley with the ground and pound from mount.
Lashley punishing his opponent with strikes.
Lashley controlling from the full mount.
Connoly regains half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lashley prevents Connoly from improving his position.
Connoly seems to have recovered his senses.

Connoly looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Lashley dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

No luck for Connoly with that takedown attempt.
Connoly misses with a takedown

and Lashley counters with a shoot takedown. Connoly fights it but they end up in guard.
Lashley looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Connoly is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Connoly is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Connoly being controlled here, momentarily.
Connoly looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lashley wants to pass the guard but Connoly is keeping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Connoly manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lashley manages to get himself to full guard.
Lashley is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Connoly can do to turn this around?
Lashley looking to hit a scissor sweep but Connoly is one step ahead there.
Lashley is working hard here to advance position.
Connoly trying to control but Lashley is working from the bottom.
Connoly preventing the sweep.
Lashley is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Lashley wants to sweep here but Connoly controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lashley is trying to control the position but Connoly postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Connoly works over Lashley's head and body with a nice combination.
Connoly shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Lashley counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bobby Lashley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Connoly.
Lashley wants to control from the top but Connoly keeps moving.
Lashley lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Connoly is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Lashley throwing strikes but missing.
Lashley tries to free his leg and advance position but Connoly is retaining full guard.
Connoly not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lashley trying to control the position from guard on top but Connoly is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lashley trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connoly controls Lashley momentarily but Lashley frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Connoly shoots and misses

and Lashley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Lashley perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Connoly tries to get to full guard but Lashley has control of the leg.
Connoly is looking to control Lashley's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Connoly avoid being mounted?
Lashley is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lashley trying to pass the guard but Connoly defending well.
Connoly taking some punishment here, with Lashley in his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Lashley connects with a nice short shot to Connoly's temple.
Connoly is trying to control but can't.

Lashley stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Lashley looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Connoly!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Connoly wants to hold on but Lashley pushes him away.
Lashley connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lashley dominating with strikes here.
Lashley blocks Connoly's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Lashley lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Connoly in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lashley looking to finish Connoly with some ground and pound. This is bad for Connoly!
Connoly sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Connoly is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Lashley scores with a couple of nice shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobby Lashley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lashley, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bobby Lashley!