PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paul Chapman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brantley Cermak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cermak has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Brantley Cermak has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Chapman
vs
Cermak

160 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

ZonE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paul Chapman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brantley Cermak!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Hugh Johnson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chapman connects with a looping right hand.
Cermak looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Chapman tries to clinch there but Cermak circles away.
Chapman dives in and grabs Cermak's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cermak pushes down on Chapman's head and hops out.
Chapman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cermak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chapman shoots for a double leg takedown but Cermak sprawls well. He's pushed Chapman's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Chapman fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Chapman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chapman tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cermak sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Chapman somewhat.
Chapman shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cermak as he avoids it easily.
Cermak takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Cermak leaves Chapman with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Chapman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chapman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chapman throws a head kick but Cermak moves out of range.
Chapman shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Chapman looks for a takedown but Cermak sprawls well.
Chapman tries to clinch there but Cermak circles away.
Chapman shoots in looking for a takedown but Cermak manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Chapman's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Chapman shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cermak pinned against the cage. Cermak gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Chapman fails with the takedown

and Cermak counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cermak's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cermak wants to control from the top but Chapman keeps moving.
Chapman looking to control.
Chapman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cermak on the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Chapman working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cermak doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cermak manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cermak 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Brantley Cermak was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cermak stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cermak wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chapman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cermak takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Chapman gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cermak to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Cermak pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Chapman is keeping the position for now.
Chapman could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Cermak trying to control the position from guard on top but Chapman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chapman keeping full guard, as Cermak tries to pass.
Cermak wants to control from the top but Chapman keeps moving.
Chapman trying to control the position here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Brantley Cermak.
Chapman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cermak paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chapman tries to clinch up but Cermak circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Brantley Cermak will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cermak has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Chapman.
Chapman shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cermak doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Chapman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cermak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chapman throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Chapman shoots in looking for a takedown but Cermak manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Chapman's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Chapman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Chapman shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cermak but Cermak pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Chapman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chapman shoots for a takedown but Cermak saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Chapman looks for a takedown but Cermak sprawls well.
Chapman shoots in looking for a takedown. Cermak tries to sprawl out of it but Chapman keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cermak manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chapman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cermak manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Chapman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Chapman.
Nice sprawl there from Cermak as Chapman shoots in.
Chapman lands with a slapping head kick.
Chapman tries to bum rush Cermak with a series of wild strikes but Cermak uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Chapman scores with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chapman dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cermak. That did some damage!
Chapman shoots in looking for a takedown. Cermak tries to sprawl out of it but Chapman keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cermak manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Cermak drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Cermak stands up over Chapman, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Chapman keeping moving, preventing Cermak from controlling successfully.
Cermak postures up in Chapman's guard and throws a big left but Chapman blocks it.
Cermak trying to control the position from guard on top but Chapman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Brantley Cermak was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Chapman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cermak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chapman shoots in looking for a takedown. Cermak tries to sprawl out of it but Chapman keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cermak manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cermak has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Chapman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cermak takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Chapman fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Chapman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Chapman has a takedown stuffed.
No luck for Chapman with that takedown attempt.

Cermak moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chapman trying to control the position but instead, Cermak has worked for underhooks and has pushed Chapman into the cage.
Cermak is pressed up against the cage. Chapman has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cermak down to the mat. Cermak avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Paul Chapman will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Cermak stuffs the takedown.
Cermak steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Chapman. That one must have hurt.
Chapman scores with a spinning back kick!
Chapman throws a quick inside leg kick.
Chapman looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Chapman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cermak circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chapman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chapman pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Cermak fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Chapman to the ground. Cermak is now in Chapman's guard.
Cermak trying to control but Chapman is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chapman trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cermak content to stall in guard here.
Chapman wants to stand up but Cermak is controlling him.

Brantley Cermak has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Chapman shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Cermak counters with a nice body shot.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Chapman. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chapman moves to clinch but Cermak breaks away

and Cermak decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Chapman's guard.
Cermak is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Cermak gets to his feet. Chapman looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Chapman with a poor takedown

and Cermak counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Chapman's guard now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chapman wants to sweep here but Cermak controlling him for the moment.
Cermak showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Cermak loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Chapman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Chapman working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Cermak has passed into half guard!
Chapman wants to get back to full guard but Cermak has passed into side control.
Cermak remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cermak is looking to take a break and control but Chapman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cermak throwing shots but missing, from side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cermak is looking to take a break and control but Chapman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Chapman can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brantley Cermak comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cermak has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brantley Cermak!
An out of breath Brantley Cermak thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.