PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jonathan Handerson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Lauzon (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.

Handerson
vs
Lauzon

185 cm
19
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

ADCC Champion
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jonathan Handerson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Lauzon!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Gregory Folan and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lauzon shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Handerson is trying to defend but Lauzon finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Lauzon trying to control from half guard but Handerson is working away.
Handerson tries to get to full guard but Lauzon has control of the leg.
Lauzon should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Lauzon is keen to just control but Handerson is a slippery customer.
Handerson trying to control from the bottom.
Handerson is refusing to be controlled, as Lauzon sits in half guard.

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

and Lauzon moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauzon tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Handerson turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Handerson manages to end up in side control.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Lauzon is looking for a sweep.
Handerson working the head and body with strikes.
Lauzon is trying to buck Handerson off.
Handerson tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Handerson wants to control but Lauzon is keeping him busy.
Lauzon can't do much from the bottom here.
Lauzon tries to buck Handerson off but Handerson is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handerson throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Lauzon works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Handerson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lauzon is refusing to be controlled, as Handerson sits in half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lauzon fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Handerson manages to avoid it.
Lauzon slips under a jab.
Handerson shoots and misses

and Lauzon counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Lauzon.
Lauzon trying to control the position from guard on top but Handerson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Handerson is trying to keep Lauzon in close.
Lauzon wants to control from the top but Handerson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handerson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Handerson looking for a sweep. Not yet Handerson, not yet.
Handerson is breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Lauzon bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Handerson tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Lauzon presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lauzon trying to control but Handerson is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lauzon scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lauzon content just to control the position here.
Lauzon tries to control but Handerson wriggling away.
Lauzon looking to finish with strikes here!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Lauzon cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Lauzon lands a nice shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Lauzon dominated that 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.

Lauzon changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Handerson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Lauzon decides to stand back up.
Lauzon tries to close the distance and clinch up but Handerson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lauzon tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Handerson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Lauzon counters with a single leg into guard. Handerson didn't expect that.
Lauzon trying to control but Handerson is working from the bottom.
Handerson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lauzon on the ground.
Lauzon wants to get up but he can't break Handerson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Lauzon is breathing heavily.
Lauzon wants to control from the top but Handerson keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauzon might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Handerson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Handerson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lauzon's guard.
Lauzon is trying to control the position but Handerson postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matt Lauzon.

Handerson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Handerson wants to pass to mount but Lauzon is defending the position.
Lauzon is pressing down on Handerson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Handerson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lauzon is looking to stand up but Handerson isn't so interested in that idea.
Handerson looking to pass the guard.
Lauzon looking to control.
Lauzon has Handerson pulled in close to control his posture.
Lauzon keeping full guard, as Handerson tries to pass.
Handerson trying to control the position from guard on top but Lauzon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Handerson advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handerson lands a decent elbow from side control.
Handerson throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Lauzon tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Handerson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Lauzon pushes Handerson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Handerson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Lauzon is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Matt Lauzon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lauzon makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Lauzon.
Handerson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Handerson lands a couple of digs.
Handerson slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Lauzon can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handerson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Handerson working away.
The ground and pound from Handerson seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Handerson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Lauzon scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Handerson is trying to control but Lauzon passes into side control!
Lauzon moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Lauzon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Lauzon tries to close the distance and clinch but Handerson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jonathan Handerson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Handerson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Handerson 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.
Lauzon wants to control but Handerson is having none of it.
Lauzon is trying to escape the mount.
Handerson breaks from Lauzon's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Handerson sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Handerson tries to control but Lauzon wriggling away.
Lauzon working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauzon is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Handerson looking to ground and pound but Lauzon is blocking nicely.
Lauzon is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Handerson thowing shots but they're missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Handerson swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Lauzon is now in Handerson's guard. A big mistake from Handerson there, giving up the dominant position!
Lauzon throwing strikes from guard but Handerson blocks nicely.
Lauzon forces his way into half guard.
Lauzon throws a strike but Handerson avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Handerson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Lauzon controls the pace.
Lauzon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Handerson is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lauzon preventing the sweep.
Lauzon showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Handerson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lauzon is one step ahead there.
Lauzon looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

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.
Handerson wants to improve his position but instead Lauzon has moved into half guard.
Handerson is looking for a sweep. Lauzon is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lauzon trying to control the action but Handerson is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lauzon tries to stand but can't do so whilst Handerson controls his leg.
Jonathan Handerson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Lauzon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Handerson regains full guard. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jonathan Handerson.
Well Lauzon has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Lauzon!