PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jean Paul Laurent (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gringo Spice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Paul Laurent
vs
Spice

205 cm
22
275 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

195 cm
21
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Paul Laurent!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gringo Spice!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Trevor Gratis and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laurent lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Spice avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Spice tries to close the distance and clinch up but Laurent swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Spice tries to clinch but Laurent is having none of it.
Laurent fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Spice fails in his attempt to clinch.
Laurent throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Spice's waist but Spice gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Laurent off to one side.
Spice tries for a takedown but Laurent circles away easily

and Laurent counters with a single leg into guard. Spice didn't expect that.
Laurent looking to pass the guard.
Spice working a defensive guard here.
Spice looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Laurent puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Spice looks like he's trying to stand up.
Spice really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Laurent. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laurent trying to control the action but Spice is working from the bottom.
Spice trying to get back to full guard but Laurent takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Spice is looking to improve his position but Laurent isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Laurent with a couple of short strikes.
Laurent lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Spice hang on?
Spice is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Laurent cracks Spice with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Spice keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Spice really wants to buck Laurent off and get back to his feet.
Laurent looking to finish Spice with some ground and pound. This is bad for Spice!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laurent avoids the attempt from Spice to control.
Laurent working Spice over with strikes here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Spice is trying to reverse the position but instead Laurent has taken his back - oops!
Spice looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Laurent is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Spice trying to control but not successfully.
Laurent has the hooks in. Spice is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Laurent tightening his grip on Spice, looking for the choke.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laurent avoiding Spice 's attempts to control his hands.
Laurent has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Can Spice hold on?! Laurent is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Spice looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Spice takes a big shot to the side of the head.
I really don't envy Spice right now.
Laurent is not going to allow Spice to sit and survive in this position.
Spice tries to break free.
Spice looks gassed!
Spice is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Laurent working for the choke.
Spice trying to control the hands but Laurent won't let him.

Laurent working for the choke.
Laurent gets his hands free as Spice looks to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laurent is trying to stick to Spice's back but Spice is turning into Laurent. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Laurent's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Spice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Paul Laurent dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Spice wants to clinch

and Laurent decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Spice's guard.
Spice trying to strike off his back.
Jean Paul Laurent overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Laurent showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Laurent throwing strikes from guard but Spice blocks nicely.

Laurent drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Spice manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Laurent has Spice in his guard.
Spice wants to control from the top but Laurent keeps moving.
Spice is stalling in the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laurent looking to control.
Laurent keeping moving, preventing Spice from controlling successfully.
Spice content to stall in guard here.
Laurent trying to strike off his back.

Spice gets to his feet. Laurent looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Spice with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Laurent counter with a right hand.
Laurent fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Spice manages to avoid it.
Spice will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Spice shoots in but no luck this time.
Spice avoids a kick to the body.
Laurent avoids a punch combination nicely.
Laurent throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Laurent slips a jab and a cross from Spice.
Spice blocks a head kick by Laurent.
Spice shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Laurent counters with a nice uppercut.
Jean Paul Laurent has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gringo Spice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spice clinches but Laurent breaks the clinch
and Laurent counters with a straight right hand.
Laurent swings for the body but Spice moves out of range.
Spice shoots for a double leg takedown but Laurent sprawls well. He's pushed Spice's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Laurent throws a shot from downtown. Spice moves away and avoids it.
Laurent goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Laurent connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Spice uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Laurent.
Laurent throws a combination that misses
and Spice counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Jean Paul Laurent seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Laurent jabs Spice right on the nose. Spice blinks but takes it well.
Good leg kick by Laurent there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spice keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Laurent misses with a shot to the body

so Spice counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Spice wants to control from the top but Laurent keeps moving.
Laurent is trying to control the position but Spice postures up.
Laurent wants to sweep here but Spice controlling him for the moment.
Spice trying to control but Laurent is working from the bottom.
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 Jean Paul Laurent will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Laurent has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Spice closes the distance but Laurent moves to the side

and Laurent counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Laurent.
Spice is looking to stand up but Laurent isn't so interested in that idea.
Laurent 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.
Spice pulls Laurent in close to prevent any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Spice wants to stand and escape but Laurent is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laurent pushing down on Spice's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Laurent is looking for a kimura but Spice is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Laurent to get the leverage.
Spice pushes Laurent off looking to stand but Laurent dives back in and keeps control.
Laurent is tying to control. Spice wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Spice wants to get back to his feet.
Spice gets back to full guard.
Spice is trying to keep Laurent in close.
Spice looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Laurent not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Spice manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Laurent manages to get himself to full guard.
Laurent trying to keep a closed guard but Spice is proving a slippery customer.
Spice connects with a couple of short punches.
Spice postures up and lands a big shot to Laurent's brow.
Spice 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.
Spice wants to pass the guard but Laurent is keeping the position.
Spice trying to stand up but can't free himself from Laurent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spice is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Laurent looking for a guillotine here but Spice defends easily.
Spice must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Spice is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Spice wants to control from the top but Laurent keeps moving.
Spice showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Laurent working for a triangle but Spice defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spice slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Spice wants to control from the top but Laurent keeps moving.
Spice wants to pass the guard but Laurent is keeping the position.
Gringo Spice has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Laurent wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Paul Laurent showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Laurent has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 William Peck scores the fight 30:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jean Paul Laurent!