PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Wilfried Handel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oliver Strong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wilfried Handel looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Handel
vs
Strong

185 cm
32
165 lbs
19 - 14 - 0

180 cm
32
180 lbs
17 - 14 - 2

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Wilfried Handel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 14 - 2, fighting out of London, Oliver Strong!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Sam Margolis and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Strong misses.
Strong takes a swing at Handel's ribcage but misses.
Strong moves away from the strike by Handel.
Strong missing with a left hand there. Handel was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Handel walks into a stiff left hand from Strong.
Handel cracks a nice hook into Strong's ribs.
Strong cracks Handel with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Strong fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Handel on the side of the head.
Strong throws a leg kick but Handel sees it coming and moves out of range.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Handel enables Strong to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Handel manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Handel preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Strong throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Handel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Strong passes into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Strong scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Strong thows a huge punch but Handel dodges it nicely.

Strong is looking for a kimura but Handel is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Strong to get the leverage.
Handel manages to get to full guard.
Strong loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strong trying to control the position from guard on top but Handel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Strong postures up and lands a big shot to Handel's brow.

Strong drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Strong jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Strong makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Strong wants to control from the top but Handel keeps moving.
Strong lands a couple of digs.
Strong is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Strong wants to control from the top but Handel keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strong in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Strong slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Strong tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Strong has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Strong wants to control but Handel is keeping him busy.
Strong is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Handel can't do much from the bottom here.
Handel takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handel is not content to let Strong control the position.

Strong is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Handel has escaped the position, nice work there.

Strong tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Handel manages to work his way to half guard, despite Strong's best efforts.
Strong throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Handel to regain full guard.
Strong advances position into side control!
An elbow from Strong crashes against the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Strong's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Strong lands some shots froms side control.
Strong throwing shots but missing, from side control.

Strong is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Handel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Strong trying to control the position but Handel is working away.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Handel is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Strong tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Handel tries to bench press Strong off him but Strong keeps the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Strong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Handel.
Handel throws a big shot that misses.
Strong ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Handel moves away.
Handel misses with a hook.
Handel walks into a straight right hand from Strong.
Handel throws a right hand that Strong ducks under and follows up with a left that Strong also avoids with ease.
Strong swings for the body but Handel moves out of range.
Strong throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Handel sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Handel just misses with a punch to the body.
Strong with a nice cross.
Strong scores with a decent looking hook.
Handel avoids the body shot from Strong.
Strong lands with an overhand left.

Handel is rocked!
Strong throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strong scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Strong misses with a straight left.
Strong avoids a punch combination nicely.
Wilfried Handel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handel checks a low kick from Strong.
Handel avoids the body shot from Strong.
A shot to the liver by Strong. Beautiful body shot.
Handel misses with a combination
and Strong counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Strong fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Strong tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Handel was well out of range. Poor timing from Strong.
Strong cracks Handel with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Handel on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Strong lands with a thumping leg kick.
Strong throws a quick inside leg kick.
Strong's corner calls for a 1-2. Strong obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Oh Handel is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Strong scores with a hook to the body. Handel takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Handel seems to have got his legs back now.
Handel takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Handel scores with a sloppy right hand. Strong should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handel takes a shot to the body in his stride.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Handel lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Strong circles away quickly and effectively.
Handel takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Strong looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Strong postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Strong must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Strong wants to control from the top but Handel keeps moving.

Handel escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Strong gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Handel keeping moving, preventing Strong from controlling successfully.
Strong has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Strong drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Strong jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Handel keeping moving, preventing Strong from controlling successfully.
Oliver Strong has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Handel keeping moving, preventing Strong from controlling successfully.
Handel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Strong.
Strong in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Strong forces his way into half guard.

Strong looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Handel is not content to let Strong control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handel taking some punishment here, with Strong in his half guard.
Handel tries to kick Strong off but Strong keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Strong looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Strong is looking for a kimura but Handel is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Strong to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Handel is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Strong content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Strong winds up and cracks Handel with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strong trying to control the pace.
Strong sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Handel defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oliver Strong showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Handel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Strong stuns Handel with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Strong works Handel's body with a nice hook.
Strong throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Handel stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Strong scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Strong working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Handel is working to avoid the ground and pound but Strong connects with a decent elbow.
Handel is not content to let Strong control the position.
Strong scores with a couple of short elbows.

Strong is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Handel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Strong thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Handel manages to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handel is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Strong looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Handel is defending against the submission attempts here by Strong.
Handel is looking for a sweep. Strong is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Handel on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Strong trying to control from half guard but Handel is working away.
Strong lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Strong lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Handel quite badly. Handel pulls Strong in close trying to recover. Strong postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Handel on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Handel doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Oliver Strong!
After winning the bout, Oliver Strong thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.