PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Obrien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Swanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Joe Swanson enters the cage!

Obrien
vs
Swanson

189 cm
25
195 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

178 cm
23
191 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Obrien!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Swanson!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Jorge Garcia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Obrien throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Swanson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Obrien shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swanson wants to hold on but Obrien pushes him away.
Obrien content just to control the position here.
Swanson slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Obrien decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Obrien shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Obrien showed some decent athleticism there.
Swanson tries to kick Obrien off but Obrien keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Obrien is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Swanson reverses the position - he's now on top in Obrien's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obrien is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Obrien wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Swanson tries to free his leg and advance position but Obrien is retaining full guard.
Swanson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Obrien is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Swanson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Swanson's back!
Obrien has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Swanson's body.
Swanson tries to escape but Obrien has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Obrien controls the position.
Obrien doesn't have the hooks in and Swanson manages to turn into his guard.
Swanson wants to control from the top but Obrien keeps moving.
Swanson wants to pass the guard but Obrien is keeping the position.
Obrien 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.
Swanson takes a decent strike to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obrien wants to get back to his feet but Swanson passes into half guard.
Obrien moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Swanson wants to control from the top but Obrien keeps moving.
Obrien wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Obrien is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Swanson is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Obrien pulls Swanson in close to prevent any damage.
Swanson passes Obrien's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Obrien blocking the ground and pound attempt from Swanson.
Obrien keeping control of the position.
Obrien is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Obrien regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Obrien dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Obrien closes this distance looking for a takedown but Swanson circles away.
Swanson throws a wild body kick that Obrien sees coming a mile off.
Swanson misses with a takedown attempt

and Obrien counters with a single leg into guard. Swanson didn't expect that.
Swanson 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.
Obrien throwing strikes but missing.
Swanson wants to sweep but no luck.

Swanson working for a triangle but Obrien defends it easily.

Swanson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Obrien passes into half guard.
Swanson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obrien looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Obrien moves nicely into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Swanson struggling a bit here.
Obrien creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Obrien decides to stand up, so the ref orders Swanson to his feet.

Obrien shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Obrien showed some decent athleticism there.
Obrien content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swanson trying to hold on to Obrien's head to control him but Obrien postures up.
Obrien slows the pace down in half guard.

Mike Obrien has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Swanson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Obrien moves into the clinch.

Obrien pulls Swanson into guard.
Obrien is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Obrien is looking for a triangle but Swanson pushes his legs off easily.
Obrien seems keen to control Swanson's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obrien looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Swanson wants to pass the guard but Obrien is keeping the position.
Obrien on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Obrien tries to get out of the position.

Obrien manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Swanson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Obrien to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Obrien looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Obrien's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Obrien dominated that second round.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Swanson shoots and misses

and Obrien counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Swanson's guard now.
Swanson being controlled here, momentarily.
Obrien stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Swanson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Swanson keeping moving, preventing Obrien from controlling successfully.
Obrien trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Obrien stands up and waves to Swanson to follow him.
Swanson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Obrien shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Swanson as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson blocks a head kick by Obrien.
Swanson misses with a double jab

and Obrien counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Obrien.

Obrien decides to pull guard.
Obrien is trying to control the position but Swanson postures up.
Obrien wants to sweep but no luck.
Swanson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Obrien has his foot on Swanson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Swanson works his way back into a safe position though.
Obrien manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Swanson manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obrien looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Swanson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Obrien is looking to work some ground and pound but Swanson has wrist control.
Obrien has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Swanson trying to strike off his back.

Obrien drops back looking for a leg! Swanson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Swanson manages to kick Obrien off! Obrien jumps back into Swanson's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swanson will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Obrien is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Swanson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Swanson is looking to stand back up but Obrien counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Swanson.

Swanson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Obrien pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Obrien seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Obrien uses his free foot to push down on Swanson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Swanson.
Mike Obrien overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Obrien controlling from the full mount.

Obrien is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Swanson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Obrien showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Obrien, 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Obrien!