PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lane Sturgis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Fightmen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sturgis
vs
Fightmen

175 cm
24
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
21
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Lane Sturgis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Matthew Fightmen!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, William Gold and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Fightmen. No joy for Sturgis on that attempt.
Fightmen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fightmen shoots in looking for a takedown but Sturgis manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fightmen's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Fightmen fails with the takedown

and Sturgis counters with a takedown into side control.
Lane Sturgis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthew Fightmen.

Sturgis stands up.
Horrible takedown by Sturgis or perhaps it was just good defense by Fightmen which made him look bad.
Sturgis tries to score with a low kick but Fightmen moves his leg out of the way.
Fightmen looks for a takedown but Sturgis sprawls well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sturgis shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Fightmen manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sturgis is in close to Fightmen's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sturgis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sturgis loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sturgis being controlled here momentarily.
Fightmen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sturgis knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fightmen on the ground.
Fightmen wants to get back to his feet but Sturgis is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Sturgis being controlled here momentarily.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Matthew Fightmen wasn't active enough on the ground.
Sturgis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Matthew Fightmen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sturgis misses with a kick to the body.
Fightmen is looking to clinch but Sturgis is avoiding it.
Fightmen shoots in looking for a takedown but Sturgis manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fightmen's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Fightmen misses with a takedown attempt - Sturgis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sturgis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fightmen but Fightmen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Fightmen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fightmen throws a combination that misses
and Sturgis counters with a left to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sturgis pushes Fightmen up against the cage in a clinch.
Sturgis is trying to push Fightmen away but Fightmen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Fightmen misses with a knee strike.
Sturgis tries to circle away but Fightmen has him pinned against the cage.
Sturgis takes a knee right on the jaw!
Sturgis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Fightmen scores with a knee to the head.
Sturgis wants a takedown.
Fightmen connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Lane Sturgis has been cut.
Fightmen avoiding damage.
Fightmen looks winded!

Sturgis is trying to trip Fightmen. He has hold of a leg but Fightmen is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Sturgis persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Sturgis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fightmen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sturgis manages to get himself to full guard.
Sturgis wants to stand but Fightmen is controlling the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Fightmen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sturgis takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lane Sturgis dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lane Sturgis's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Fightmen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sturgis but Sturgis pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nice takedown defense from Sturgis. No joy for Fightmen on that attempt.
Fightmen avoids the head kick by Sturgis.

Sturgis forces Fightmen back against the cage and clinches.
Fightmen misses with a hook to the ribs.

Sturgis breaks the clinch.
Fightmen wants to clinch up but Sturgis keeps it at a distance.
Fightmen is looking to clinch.

Sturgis tries to keep at a distance but Fightmen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sturgis digs a right hand underneath Fightmen's ribcage. Fightmen let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sturgis wants to break free but Fightmen has control.

Sturgis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fightmen fails to land with a series of punches.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sturgis.

Sturgis manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Fightmen on his heels. He'll look to pass Fightmen's guard now, I'm sure.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sturgis postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sturgis would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sturgis has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sturgis trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Sturgis loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lane Sturgis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Fightmen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sturgis!
Fightmen content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sturgis is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fightmen content just to control the position here.
Fightmen punching from mount but Sturgis doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Sturgis squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fightmen throws some wild stikes that Sturgis manages to avoid easily.
Fightmen controlling his opponent.
Sturgis wants to try and get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fightmen is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Fightmen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matthew Fightmen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Lane Sturgis's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sturgis shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Sturgis was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sturgis working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Sturgis working the ground and pound.
The ground and pound from Sturgis seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Fightmen manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Sturgis is defending against the submission attempts here by Fightmen.
Fightmen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fightmen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sturgis tries to kick Fightmen off but Fightmen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Fightmen slows the pace down in half guard.
Fightmen tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Matthew Fightmen hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Fightmen shoots in and drives through. Sturgis sprawls well.
Fightmen closes the distance but Sturgis moves to the side

and Sturgis holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Fightmen lands a knee to the head.
Fightmen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Sturgis can't break the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Sturgis.

Sturgis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fightmen checks a leg kick.
Sturgis shoots in for a takedown but Fightmen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A clash of legs there as Fightmen blocks the low kick.
Fightmen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sturgis sprawls well. Sturgis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Fightmen gets slowly back to his feet.
Fightmen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sturgis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice body punch from Sturgis.
Sturgis shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sturgis looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Sturgis closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fightmen lands a knee to the head.
Fightmen tries to throw a body punch but Sturgis avoids it by throwing Fightmen back against the cage.
Fightmen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Fightmen struggles to land a body shot inside as Sturgis controls his hands.
Sturgis is trying to break the clinch but Fightmen has him pressed against the cage.
Fightmen with a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Fightmen obliges.
Sturgis is trying to push Fightmen away but Fightmen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Fightmen tries to land a knee to the head but Sturgis blocks with his arms.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sturgis blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fightmen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Fightmen looking to stall.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lane Sturgis.
I think Sturgis has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 30:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lane Sturgis!