PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fabricio Arona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Spencer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Arona
vs
Spencer

188 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
26
215 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 London, Fabricio Arona!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Michael Spencer!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Ackerman and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arona looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Spencer is fending him off so far but Arona persists. Nope, Spencer circles away and we're back to standing.
Arona tries to close the distance and clinch but Spencer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Spencer lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Spencer clinches up against the cage.

Spencer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Spencer closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Spencer is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arona wants to control but Spencer is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Spencer seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Spencer is looking to advance position but Arona won't allow it.
Spencer is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Spencer prevents Arona from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spencer is thwarting Arona's attempts to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Arona shoots and misses

and Spencer holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Spencer stalling in the clinch.

Spencer breaks the clinch.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Arona!

Spencer clinches up against the cage.
Arona looking to stall.

Spencer is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Arona can't fight it off and eventually Spencer manages to take the fight to the floor. Arona looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Spencer would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Arona looking for a guillotine here but Spencer defends easily.
Arona wants to sweep here but Spencer controlling him for the moment.
Spencer trying to control but Arona is working from the bottom.
Arona manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Spencer manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Spencer is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Arona swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Spencer gets underhooks to prevent Arona's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fabricio Arona. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Spencer is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Arona can't fight it off and eventually Spencer manages to take the fight to the floor. Arona looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Spencer postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Spencer got a little sloppy there for a moment and Arona has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Spencer has managed to get both his arms back between Arona's legs - danger averted.
Spencer stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Arona swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spencer wants to stand but Arona is controlling his posture from full guard.
Spencer wants to control from the top but Arona keeps moving.
Arona trying to keep a closed guard but Spencer is proving a slippery customer.
Arona wants to stand and escape but Spencer is having none of it.
Spencer throwing strikes but missing.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Arona not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Spencer dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Spencer takes a head kick and keeps coming.
No joy there for Arona, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Arona with a poor takedown

and Spencer counters with a nice double leg into side control. Arona won't be happy with that.
Spencer has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Arona!
Arona wants to hold on but Spencer pushes him away.
Spencer trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Spencer really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Arona. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Spencer working Arona over with strikes here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Arona wants to control but Spencer is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona working to try and regain half guard.
Spencer controlling the pace for now.
Arona gets back to half guard.
Spencer seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Spencer is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Arona has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Spencer is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Arona wants to get back to his feet.
Spencer not doing much here.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Michael Spencer was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Arona walks into a straight right hand from Spencer.

It looks like Fabricio Arona has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arona tries for a takedown but Spencer circles away easily

and Spencer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Spencer.
Spencer trying to control but Arona is working from the bottom.

Spencer stands up from Arona's guard - Spencer perhaps looking for a knockout.

Spencer moves into the clinch.
Arona working hard to break the clinch.

Arona drags the fight down to the ground.
Spencer is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Arona keeping moving, preventing Spencer from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Spencer decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Spencer throws a sloppy head kick and Arona moves out of range easily.
Fabricio Arona is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Arona throws a sloppy head kick and Spencer moves out of range easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arona gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Spencer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Spencer.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fabricio Arona. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Spencer trying to control but Arona is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Spencer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Fabricio Arona's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Spencer lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Arona circles away quickly and effectively.
Arona throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Spencer counters with a good low kick that Arona was not able to check.
Arona misses with a takedown attempt

and Spencer decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Arona's guard.
Arona throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Spencer decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Arona tries for a takedown but Spencer circles away easily
and Spencer makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A head kick misses from Spencer.
Nice shot lands for Spencer.
Spencer swings and misses with a hook to the body.
No joy there for Spencer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Spencer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Arona circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spencer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arona manages to avoid it.
Arona gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Spencer moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fabricio Arona. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Spencer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Spencer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Arona misses with a takedown

and Spencer holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Arona tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Spencer avoids it.
Arona fails to pull guard.

Spencer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Arona scores with a nice body kick.
Arona tries to clinch up

and Spencer decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Arona's guard.
Michael Spencer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arona working a defensive guard here.
Spencer seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Spencer won't allow Arona to sweep him here.

Spencer decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Arona fails with the takedown

and Spencer decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Arona's guard.
Spencer has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Spencer looking to sit in guard and control but Arona gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arona would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Arona sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Spencer's guard.
Arona not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Spencer is trying to stand.
Arona not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Spencer wants to control but Arona is keeping busy.

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.
Arona wants to stand but Spencer has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Arona is looking to advance position but Spencer won't allow it.

Arona is working for a submission of some sort.
Spencer has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Arona is working away from the top position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Spencer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Spencer winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Spencer!