PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gary Player (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jim Bo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Player comes to the cage accompanied by Bettie Grind - I'm Floatin'. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Player
vs
Bo

170 cm
23
144 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

160 cm
29
135 lbs
15 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gary Player!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jim Bo!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Player rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Player on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Player throws out a loose jab but Bo uses good head movement to avoid it.

Bo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Player looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Player tries to escape but Bo is in control.
Player tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

Bo patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Player is trying to get back to his feet but Bo has full control of the position and if anything, Player has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Bo slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that Bo has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Player is trying to get back to his feet but Bo has full control of the position and if anything, Player has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bo biding his time, controlling Player.
Player has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

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.
Bo trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Player doesn't escape.
Player wants to get back to his feet.
Bo is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Player holding both Bo 's hands and preventing any damage.
Bo trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Player doesn't escape.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Player is trying to get back to his feet but Bo has full control of the position and if anything, Player has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
What can Player do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Player controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Bo really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Player.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Player is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Bo controlling from the back.
Player has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

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.

Player is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
Bo is looking to chop away at Player's legs.
Bo shoots in for a double leg but Player sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Player lands an overhand right.
Player throws a combination that misses

and Bo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Player's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Bo dominated that 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.

Player dips to his left and cracks Bo with an uppercut!
Player fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Player.
Player tests Bo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gary Player seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bo defending well as Player loads up on a big left hand.
Player ducks under a wild hook from Bo.
Player throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Bo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Player looks like he's trying to stand up.
Bo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Bo prevents Player from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bo not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Player pushes Bo off and gets back to his feet.
Player falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Bo stays in close to Player's body and controls the position.
Bo wants to pass the guard but Player is keeping the position.
Player wants to get back to his feet but Bo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Player keeping moving, preventing Bo from controlling successfully.
Bo is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jim Bo wasn't active enough on the ground.
Bo looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Bo is looking to score with low kicks.
Gary Player is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Player misses with a looping right.
Player looks to throw the jab but Bo is out of range.
A nice combination there by Player.
Player punishes Bo's body with a nice straight punch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Player, as that shot connected.
Player throws a big shot that misses.
Player misses with a straight right.
Bo slips under a jab.
Player misses with a body shot

and Bo counters with a single leg into guard. Player didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Player wants to stand and escape but Bo is having none of it.
Bo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bo prevents Player from getting back to his feet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bo controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jim Bo wasn't active enough on the ground.
Player throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Bo counter with a right hand.
Bo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gary Player is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Player uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Player misses with a straight right.

Bo 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.

Player pushes Bo off and gets back to his feet.
Player keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bo misses with a leg kick.
Bo has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Bo there as he acknowledges the shot.
Player checks a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Bo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Bo misses with a few strikes there.
Nice shot lands for Player.
Player getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Player works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Bo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Player tries to bum rush Bo with a series of wild strikes but Bo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Player on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Player fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Player avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Player throws a right and a left that both miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Player throws a poor cross that misses

so Bo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Player kicks Bo off and gets to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Player misses with a right hand

and Bo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Player's guard.
Player wants to stand and escape but Bo is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Player being controlled here, momentarily.
Player wants to stand and escape but Bo is having none of it.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jim Bo.
Bo tries to move into range but Player moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Some bone on bone action there as Player checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Player slaps away a takedown attempt from Bo, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Bo shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Bo was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Player wants to try and get back to his feet.
Bo controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Player wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Jim Bo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four 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.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
You get the feeling that Player really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Bo looking to control and managing it successfully.
Player is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Bo controlling the pace for now.
Bo is landing with some decent strikes but Player is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Gary Player has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bo controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jim Bo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bo 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jim Bo!