PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chance Knapp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucky Luciano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Knapp's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Lucky Luciano is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Knapp
vs
Luciano

150 cm
22
130 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

187 cm
22
133 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Chance Knapp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lucky Luciano!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knapp lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Knapp scores with a nice head shot.
Luciano tries to clinch there but Knapp circles away.
Luciano tries to clinch up.
Luciano misses with a series of wild punches.
Luciano tries to close the distance and clinch but Knapp swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Knapp pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Luciano doesn't manage to clinch there - Knapp circles away.
Luciano moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Chance Knapp has been cut.
Knapp avoids a punch combination nicely.
Luciano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Knapp.
Luciano fails with an attempt to clinch.
Knapp lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Luciano is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Knapp swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Luciano is looking to clinch but Knapp is avoiding it.
Luciano throws a combination that misses
enabling Knapp to counter with a crisp jab.
Luciano throws a right and a left that both miss.
Luciano darts in trying to clinch
and Knapp connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano tries to clinch
and Knapp counters with a right hand to the body.
Luciano closes the distance but Knapp moves to the side
enabling Knapp to counter with a crisp jab.
Luciano tries to clinch

and Knapp counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Knapp seems content to control.
Luciano pushes Knapp off looking to stand but Knapp dives back in and keeps control.
Knapp is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Knapp frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Luciano manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Knapp is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Luciano missing with punches from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luciano is trying to stand back up but Knapp is controlling him
Luciano looks gassed!
Luciano is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Knapp drops an elbow to the side of Luciano's head.
Knapp stops Luciano from getting back to his feet.
Knapp content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Knapp seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Luciano for as long as he can get away with.
Knapp has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Luciano is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knapp takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Knapp knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Luciano on the ground.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Luciano tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Knapp looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Knapp landing strikes, looking to finish!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luciano flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Knapp looking to control and managing it successfully.
Luciano squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Knapp content just to control the position here.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Chance Knapp just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Luciano closes the distance but Knapp moves to the side

and Knapp moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Luciano breaks the clinch.
Luciano looks to clinch
and Knapp counters with a stiff right hand.
Luciano throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Knapp counters with a straight right hand.
Luciano darts in trying to clinch

and Knapp counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chance Knapp dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Chance Knapp's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Knapp feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Luciano throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Luciano throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Luciano wants to get back to his feet but Knapp is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Knapp preventing the sweep.
Knapp has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Luciano being controlled here, momentarily.
Luciano 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.
Luciano is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Knapp is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Luciano closes the distance looking to clinch

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano throws a knee to the head but misses.
Knapp is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Knapp avoiding damage as Luciano throws knees to the body.
Luciano tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Luciano is breathing heavily.
Knapp wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Knapp prevents Luciano from breaking the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Luciano just misses with a elbow thrown towards Knapp's brow.
Luciano tries a knee to the head but Knapp blocks it.

Luciano is fighting off a takedown attempt but Knapp is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Luciano to the mat. Luciano regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Luciano is on top in guard.
Knapp preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Knapp on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Knapp tries to get out of the position.
Knapp is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Luciano is controlling him.
Luciano thows a big elbow that misses.
Knapp wants to get back to his feet but Luciano is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Luciano tries to stand but Knapp is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knapp is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Luciano landing some decent shots from guard.
Knapp can't keep his opponent in guard - Luciano advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Luciano seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Luciano lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Luciano not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Luciano throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Knapp blocking the ground and pound attempt from Luciano.
Luciano lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luciano not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Knapp trying to control here.
Knapp might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Luciano working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Luciano sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Knapp defending well though.
Luciano sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Knapp defending well though.
Luciano landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Luciano not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Knapp is trying to stand.
Luciano wants to free his trapped foot but Knapp is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Knapp pushes Luciano off looking to stand but Luciano dives back in and keeps control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Knapp misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Luciano tries to clinch

and Knapp counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Luciano!
Knapp takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
BOOM! Knapp connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Knapp tries to control but Luciano wriggling away.
Luciano has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Luciano keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Knapp controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chance Knapp dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chance Knapp's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Luciano tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Knapp counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Luciano moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Knapp cracks Luciano with a good jab.
Luciano slips a straight right by Knapp.

Knapp fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Luciano sprawls well initially but Knapp persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Knapp prevents Luciano from improving his position.
Knapp tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Knapp decides to return to a standing position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Luciano tries to clinch up
and Knapp counters with a straight right hand.

Luciano is rocked!
Knapp jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Luciano is still on wobbly legs! Can Knapp finish him?
Knapp throws the left hand but Luciano avoids the punch easily.
Luciano moves away from the strike by Knapp.
Luciano seems to have recovered his senses.
Lucky Luciano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Luciano ducks under a wild hook from Knapp.
Knapp misses with an attempted mid kick.
Luciano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Knapp darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Luciano works his way to full guard. Good work.
Knapp advances to half guard.
Luciano manages to get to full guard.
Luciano tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lucky Luciano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knapp looking to pass the guard.
Knapp stops Luciano from standing up.
Luciano bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Knapp's guard.
Luciano scoring with punches to the head and body.
Luciano in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Knapp is looking to stand up but Luciano isn't so interested in that idea.
Chance Knapp overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Luciano tries to free his leg and advance position but Knapp is retaining full guard.
Knapp working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Luciano.
Knapp seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Luciano wants to stand but Knapp is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Knapp kicks Luciano off and gets to his feet.
Knapp looks to land a left hand but Luciano moved out of range nicely.
Knapp misses with a two punch combination.
Luciano throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Knapp.
Luciano looks to clinch

and Knapp decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Luciano's guard.
Knapp wants to stand but Luciano has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Luciano wants to stand and escape but Knapp is having none of it.
Knapp wants to control from the top but Luciano keeps moving.
Luciano will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luciano wants to sweep but no luck.
Luciano wants to get back to his feet but Knapp is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Luciano looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Luciano throws a one two combo.
Luciano ducks under a wild hook from Knapp.
Luciano looks to clinch
and Knapp counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Luciano wants to clinch

and Knapp counters by moving into the clinch.

Luciano manages to break the clinch.
Luciano throws a sloppy head kick and Knapp moves out of range easily.
Knapp uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Knapp is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Knapp circles away from the clinch attempt
and Knapp counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Knapp tests Luciano's chin there with a solid looking shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chance Knapp showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Knapp has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chance Knapp!