PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dennis Bird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeff Glover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Bird
vs
Glover

185 cm
27
195 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

180 cm
25
190 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dennis Bird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jeff Glover!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Glover blocks a head kick by Bird.
Bird tries to close the distance and clinch but Glover swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Glover uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bird.
Bird steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Glover.
Bird misses with a left hand

and Glover decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bird's guard.
Glover with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Glover accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bird wants to sweep here but Glover controlling him for the moment.

Glover drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Glover jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Glover trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Glover trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Glover trying to control but Bird is working from the bottom.
Glover pushes down on Bird's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Glover is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bird defends it well.

Bird looking for submissions off his back.
Bird wants to get back to full guard.

Glover is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Glover seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Glover throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Glover is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Glover wants to control but Bird is keeping him busy.

Glover is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Glover is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Glover has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird tries to get to full guard but Glover has control of the leg.
Glover trying to control from Bird's half guard. Bird has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Bird working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Glover.
Bird bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Glover's guard.
Glover is trying to control the position but Bird postures up.
Glover told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

Bird drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bird jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bird won't allow Glover to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Glover looking for a guillotine here but Bird defends easily.

Glover throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bird pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Glover is keeping the position for now.
Glover manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bird manages to get himself to full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Glover slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Glover drops back, looking for a kneebar! Bird looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Bird looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Bird!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Glover dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Bird connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Bird tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Glover manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bird is looking to clinch.
Dennis Bird seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bird lands with a right hand.
Bird's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Glover connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Bird scrambles back to his feet.
Glover swats away the attempt to clinch by Bird.

Bird drives through and clinches with Glover against the cage.
Bird tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Glover's elbow.

Glover manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Glover can't keep his opponent in guard - Bird advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

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

Bird is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Glover sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bird is working for a kimura but Glover is defending it quite comfortably.
Glover trying to control from the bottom.
Glover is not content to let Bird control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Glover manages to get to full guard.
Bird has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Glover looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Bird puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Bird throwing shots but Glover is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bird is looking for a kimura but Glover is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bird to get the leverage.
Glover wants to improve his position but Bird is controlling well.

Bird is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Glover has managed to free his arm - good work.

Bird is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Glover trying to control here.
Jeff Glover has got the better of the ground game so far.
Glover is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Bird's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Bird's back!
Bird is trying to break free.

Bird preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Glover.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Glover looking to break Bird's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Bird remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Glover will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Glover is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged Bird with him. Bird is trying to defend but Glover has an arm under the chin now! Bird grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Jeff Glover!
Our winner, Jeff Glover, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.