PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taco Grande (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Holmes has chosen Muse: MK Ultra as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Grande
vs
Holmes

193 cm
29
204 lbs
16 - 13 - 0

190 cm
27
218 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

LOD: Affordable Quality

Just Fight (Everything 7$)
LOD: Affordable Quality

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Taco Grande!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, George Francis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holmes feints and then cracks Grande's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Grande down.
Holmes throws a nice outside leg kick.
Holmes moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Holmes lands a jab to Grande's midsection.
Grande has been working on his boxing with his coaches at CW's Elite Kung-Fu Academy in the buildup to the fight.
Holmes looks to throw the jab but Grande is out of range.
Grande takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Holmes missing with a left hand there. Grande was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A slapping leg kick lands for Holmes.
Holmes misses with a hook
and Grande counters with a leg kick.
We've been informed that Holmes has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Holmes lands a leg kick that knocks Grande off balance momentarily.
Grande tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Holmes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Grande just misses with a punch to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grande scores with the left hand. Holmes knows he should have avoided that one.

It looks like James Holmes has been cut.
Grande feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Holmess jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grande tries to clinch but Holmes is having none of it.
Grande fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holmes tests Grande's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Holmes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Holmes fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Grande.
Holmes misses with an uppercut. Grande saw that one coming.
Grande tries to close the distance and clinch up but Holmes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Holmes thows a leg kick but Grande checks it

and Grande counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Holmes misses with a hook to the ribs.
Holmes fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Grande lands a shot to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Knees to the body from Grande.
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!
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grande throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Holmes blocks it with crossed arms.
Holmes's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Grande misses with a punch on the inside.
Grande is looking to break free of the clinch but Holmes has double underhooks.
Grande throws a punch but it's blocked by Holmes.
Nice elbow from Grande.
Grande fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Grande throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Grande avoiding damage.
Grande wants to get back to striking at distance but Holmes won't allow it.
Grande throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Holmes blocks it with crossed arms.
Grande lands an elbow just above Holmes 's eye.

Holmes breaks the clinch.
Nice body punch from Grande.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grande tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Grande takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A low kick from Holmes is predictable there
and Grande makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Holmes jabs at Grande's body.
Holmes misses with a leg kick

and Grande counters by moving into the clinch.
Grande tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Grande throws an elbow that misses.
Holmes misses with a short punch on the inside.
Grande throws a punch but it's blocked by Holmes.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Holmes.
Holmes works on Grande's body with a couple of short punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Holmes lands with a short shot to the head.
Grande misses with the head strike.
Holmes working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grande tries to work over Holmes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Holmes blocks an elbow strike from Grande.
Grande looking to throw knees to the head but Holmes is blocking nicely.
Grande is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Holmes is keeping busy.
Holmes avoids the elbow strike from Grande, against the cage.
Grande misses with an elbow strike.

Holmes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Holmes thuds his right hand into Grande's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Holmes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Grande tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Holmes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Holmes throws a leg kick but Grande sees it coming and checks it nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Holmes throws a quick inside leg kick.
Grande tries to close the distance and clinch up but Holmes swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Grande closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Taco Grande will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on James Holmes's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Holmes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Holmes lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Grande gets a clinch.
Grande misses with a knee strike.
Grande is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Holmes is stalling here.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Grande just misses with a elbow thrown towards Holmes's brow.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Holmes creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Grande breaks the clinch.
Holmes throws a hook but Grande blocks it.
James Holmes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Holmes misses with a low kick.
Holmes with a jab.
Holmes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Grande was well out of range. Poor timing from Holmes.
Holmes throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Grande counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Holmes misses.
Holmes misses with a straight right.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Holmes, as that shot connected.
Grande looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Holmes throws out a leg kick but Grande moves out of range and Holmes only half commits.
Holmes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Holmes fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Grande checks it well.
Holmes throws a front kick aimed at Grande's knee but Grande avoids it well.
Holmes throws a low kick but Grande avoids it.
Holmes throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Grande.
Holmes throws a right hand that misses

and Grande counters by moving into the clinch.
Taco Grande has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short left from Grande.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short right from Holmes.
Holmes lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Grande misses with the head strike.
Holmes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Holmes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Grande lands a right hand.
Nice elbow from Grande.
Holmes throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Grandes head.

Holmes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Grande is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Holmes getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Holmes throws a shot from downtown. Grande moves away and avoids it.
Grande tries to clinch but Holmes is having none of it.
Holmes missing with a left hand there. Grande was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Holmes.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Grande takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Holmes paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Holmes lands a nice leg kick that just misses Grande's sensitive parts.
Holmes throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Grande counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Holmes lands a slapping body shot.
Holmes pivots, looking for a leg kick but Grande is out of range and Holmes settles back down.
Holmes goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Holmes tries a low kick but Grande avoids it.
Holmes is looking to score with low kicks.
Holmes misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Grande to counter with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grande gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Holmes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes throws a jab but it's blocked by Grande.
Grande is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Grande walks into a left hand.
Grande steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Holmes. That one must have hurt.
Holmes throws a leg kick
and Grande counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Holmes attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Grande tries to close the distance and clinch but Holmes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Holmes misses with a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Grande looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Holmes swats away the attempt to clinch by Grande.
Grande uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Holmes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Holmes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on James Holmes's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A cross from Holmes lands.
Good work by Grande as he checks the leg kick.

Grande rushes Holmes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Grande scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Grande throws a knee to the head but misses.
Grande throws an elbow but it misses.
Grande misses with a short punch on the inside.
Holmes lands a right hand that snaps the head of Grande backwards.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Holmes lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Grande throws an elbow but it misses.
Holmes tries to pull guard but Grande holds him up against the cage and eventually Holmes drops back down to his feet.
Grande throws an elbow that misses.
Grande creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Holmes's defenses.

Holmes successfully pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Grande wants to get up but he can't break Holmes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Holmes is pulling down on Grande's head. It's preventing any offense from Grande, at least for the moment.
Grande wanted to stand there but Holmes had control of the position.
Grande trying to control but Holmes is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taco Grande has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Holmes connects with the punch.
Grande ducks under a wild hook from Holmes.
Holmes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Grande.
Holmes swings for the body but Grande moves out of range.
Grande checks the leg kick nicely there.
Grande checks a leg kick.
Holmes digs a good body shot into Grande's ribs.
James Holmes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A telegraphed right hand from Holmes misses the target.
Holmes fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Grande on the side of the head.
Holmes scores with a decent looking hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Grande was well out of range. Poor timing from Holmes.
A slow jab from Holmes misses its intended target.
Grande wants to clinch up but Holmes keeps it at a distance.
Holmes comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A cross from Holmes lands.
Grande thuds a left hand into Holmes's body.
Good shot there by Holmes.
Grande tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Holmes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Grande manages to avoid it.
Grande shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Grande scoring well with a low kick there.
Grande fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes misses with a body shot.
Holmes scores with a hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grande tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Holmes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jab by Holmes.
Grande slips a jab from Holmes.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Holmes lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Grande has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Grande and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Grande tries to clinch
and Holmes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Grande lands a nice shot to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Grande avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Holmes throws the left hand but Grande avoids the punch easily.
Holmes connects with a crisp jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Holmes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Holmes 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Holmes!