PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ben Askren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Brown (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Askren
vs
Brown

179 cm
24
153 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

185 cm
27
171 lbs
6 - 0 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Askren!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 1, fighting out of London, Bobby Brown!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Atkins and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brown shoots for a takedown but Askren saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Brown looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Askren is fending him off so far but Brown persists. Nope, Askren circles away and we're back to standing.

Askren drives through and clinches with Brown against the ropes.
Askren lands a hook that snaps the head of Brown backwards.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Brown throws an elbow but misses.
Askren looking to throw knees to the head but Brown is blocking nicely.
Askren trying to land knees to the body.
Askren connects with a nasty looking knee right to Brown's face.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Askren.
A body shot lands from Askren.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Askren pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Askren.
Brown lands a head kick!
Brown throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Askren's waist but Askren gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Brown off to one side.
Ben Askren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Brown.
Brown has a takedown stuffed.
Brown lands with a slapping head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Askren darts in and clinches Brown up against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Askren.
Brown is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Askren is keeping busy.
Brown goes for a takedown attempt but Askren pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Askren is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Askren dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Brown tries for a takedown but Askren circles away easily
and Askren counters with a nice uppercut.
Askren misses with a jab, cross combination.
Brown fails with the takedown
and Askren counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Askren tries to close the distance and clinch but Brown swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Brown tries for a takedown but Askren circles away easily
and Brown takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brown has a takedown stuffed.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Askren doesn't manage to clinch there - Brown circles away.

Brown darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Askren is trying to stand up here but Brown is controlling him well.

Brown is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Askren as he works his way to full guard.
Brown stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Askren swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Askren is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brown tries to free his leg and advance position but Askren is retaining full guard.
Brown pushes down on Askren's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Brown is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Brown seems to be working for a kimura but Askren defends the submission attempt.

Askren kicks off Brown and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren tries to clinch but Brown is having none of it.
Brown will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Askren gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Brown fails to pull guard.
Brown is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Brown tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Askren smiles and moves away.
Askren tries to clinch but Brown is having none of it.
Brown swats away the attempt to clinch by Askren.
Ben Askren is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Askren doesn't manage to clinch there - Brown circles away.
Brown shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Askren as he jumps to the side.
Brown has his takedown stuffed
and Askren counters with a left to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Askren dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Askren moves into range and clinches up with Brown.
A short left from Askren.
Brown is looking to take this one to the mat.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Askren here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Brown is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Askren to keep the fight standing.
Askren lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Bobby Brown has been cut.
Askren is pressed up against the ropes. Brown has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Askren down to the mat. Askren avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ben Askren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Brown.
Askren lands with a hook. Brown tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Askren tries to clinch there but Brown circles away.
Askren fails in his attempt to clinch.
Brown gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Askren counters with a stiff right hand.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Askren moves in looking to clinch but Brown pushes him off.
Brown shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Askren counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Askren.
A short right from Askren.
Askren scores with a knee to the head.
Askren scores with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brown has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Askren is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Brown is breathing heavily.
Askren taking a breather.
Askren lands a left hand.

Brown breaks from the clinch.
Brown closes the distance and clinches up with Askren, looking for a takedown. Brown pushes Askren against the ropes but Askren circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ben Askren is winning the standup battle so far.
Askren avoids the head kick by Brown.

Askren drives through and clinches with Brown against the ropes.
Brown dodges an elbow strike from Askren.
Knees in the clinch landing for Askren.
Askren pushes off an throws an elbow but Brown leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Askren takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A short right from Askren on the inside.
Askren with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ben Askren has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Askren gets through Brown's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Askren working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Askren escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Brown doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Askren counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Askren.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short left from Askren.

Askren breaks the clinch.
Brown changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Askren tries to avoid it but Brown manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Askren to the ground. Askren escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Askren moves in looking to clinch but Brown pushes him off.
Askren tries to clinch but Brown is having none of it.
Askren connects with a jab.
Askren tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Brown paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Brown shoots in but no luck this time.
Askren tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brown shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Askren counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Brown is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Brown swats away the attempt to clinch by Askren.
Brown is trying hard to land a takedown here. Askren sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Brown lands with a slapping head kick.

Askren clinches up against the ropes.
Brown jumps guard but Askren stands there with Brown around his waist. Brown gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A knee to the head by Askren.
Askren stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Askren scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Brown managing to block the knees to the body from Askren.
Askren with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Askren.
Brown goes for a takedown attempt but Askren pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Askren forces Brown back against the ropes and clinches.
A nice left hand lands by Askren.
Askren gets through Brown's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Brown can't break the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Askren tries a knee to the head but Brown blocks it.
Askren prevents a takedown attempt there.
Askren can't find room to land a body shot as Brown controls the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Askren lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Brown looking to slow down the pace here.
Askren lands a hook that snaps the head of Brown backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Askren dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bobby Brown's cut.
That's time! Askren's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Askren throws a right and a left that Brown avoids nicely.
Askren tries to clinch up but Brown circles away and keeps his distance.
Askren is looking to clinch.
Askren tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Askren avoids the head kick by Brown.
Askren displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Brown.
Brown with a lazy takedown attempt
and Askren counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Brown shoots for a takedown but Askren saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ben Askren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Brown.
Askren throws a big shot that misses.
Bobby Brown seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Askren moves in looking to clinch but Brown pushes him off.
Brown swats away the attempt to clinch by Askren.

Askren moves into the clinch.
Brown is looking to control Askren's arms but Askren gets an underhook and turns him. Now Brown has his back to the ropes.
Askren lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Askren connects with a nasty looking knee right to Brown's face.
Brown is trying to break free.
Brown takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Knees to the body from Askren.
Askren scores with a shoulder strike.
Askren misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Brown.
Brown goes for a takedown attempt but Askren pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Askren moves in looking to clinch but Brown pushes him off.
Brown shoots for a takedown but Askren saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Askren is looking to clinch but Brown is avoiding it.
Askren is looking to clinch.
Brown avoids a punch combination nicely.

Askren clinches.

Askren breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren tries to close the distance and clinch up but Brown swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Brown gets tackled into the ropes by Askren. Askren maintains the clinch.
Brown is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Brown is trying to break the clinch but Askren has him pressed against the ropes.
Askren pushes off an throws an elbow but Brown leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Askren working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Askren throws a knee to the head but misses.
Askren keeps control of Brown as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Brown trying to control the position but instead, Askren has worked for underhooks and has pushed Brown into the ropes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Askren tries to land a knee to the head but Brown blocks with his arms.
Brown working hard to break the clinch.
Askren working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Askren lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brown is looking to break free of the clinch but Askren has double underhooks.

Askren breaks from the clinch.

Askren gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Askren wants to stand but Brown is controlling the position.
Brown passes Askren's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Brown is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Askren doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Brown.

Brown is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren wants to get back to his feet.

Brown is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Askren is just riding it out for now. Brown eventually gives up the hold.

Brown is working for a kimura but Askren is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Askren showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Askren, 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Ben Askren!
Judge James Atkins scores the fight for Ben Askren!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for Ben Askren!

Ben Askren wins by unanimous decision!
Ben Askren is the new welterweight champion!