PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chico Lao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Mir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chico Lao looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Lao
vs
Mir

180 cm
27
265 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

186 cm
26
265 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chico Lao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Frank Mir!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lao shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mir as he avoids it easily.
Mir with a poor takedown

and Lao counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mir is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Lao stands up from half guard.
Mir fails with the takedown

and Lao counters with a shoot takedown. Mir fights it but they end up in guard.
Mir is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Lao wants to stand but Mir has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mir has his hands on Lao's head, controlling the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mir is on top in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mir throwing strikes from guard but Lao blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir looking to sit in guard and control but Lao gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Mir not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mir looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Mir looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Mir throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mir pulls Lao in to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Frank Mir hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Lao shoots in looking for a takedown. Mir tries to sprawl out of it but Lao keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mir manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mir chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lao is breathing heavily.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lao enables Mir to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lao manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Mir chips away with some ground and pound.
Mir content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lao keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mir accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mir wants to control from the top but Lao keeps moving.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Frank Mir wasn't active enough on the ground.
Mir tries for a takedown but Lao circles away easily

and Lao counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mir's guard now.
Chico Lao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Mir.
Lao wants to stand but Mir has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Mir is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mir is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Mir looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
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 Chico Lao will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mir fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mir throws out a loose jab but Lao uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mir explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Mir throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mir with a poor takedown

and Lao counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Mir!
Mir tries to hold on but Lao postures up.
Lao wants to control the pace but Mir is squirming around nicely.
Mir gets back to half guard.
Mir trying to control here.

Mir manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
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!
Mir wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mir wants to clinch up but Lao keeps it at a distance.
Chico Lao is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mir pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Mir shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mir was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mir looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chico Lao overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Mir swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Lao is now in Mir's guard. A big mistake from Mir there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir has control of Lao's left arm, preventing Lao from doing any damage.
Mir manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lao manages to get himself to full guard.
Mir controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Lao looking for a sweep. Not yet Lao, not yet.

Frank Mir has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Lao leaves Mir with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Chico Lao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Mir.

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

Mir has managed to clinch.

Mir pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mir closes the distance and clinches up with Lao, looking for a takedown. Mir pushes Lao against the cage but Lao circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mir lands a nice looking body shot.
Mir throws a head kick but Lao moves out of range.

Mir throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Lao tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mir is in Lao's guard.
Lao wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lao keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Mir showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Mir tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lao avoids the head kick by Mir.
Lao shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mir counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lao won't be happy with that.
Mir is working Lao over with some ground and pound from side control.
Lao taking punishment in the form of punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mir happy to just control the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mir stands up and beckons Lao to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mir shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mir landing with the ground and pound.
Lao can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mir controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mir trying to control but Lao is working from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Mir decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir shoots in and drives through. Lao sprawls well.
Mir shoots in for a takedown but Lao shows good takedown defense.
Mir shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lao defends it nicely.
Chico Lao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Mir.
Mir connects with a high kick.

It looks like Chico Lao has been cut.

Mir shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mir was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mir is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Lao can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mir lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mir content just to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lao is in a horrible position here. Mir smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Mir comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mir 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Mir!