PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alex Trager (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Charles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Trager comes into the arena with Bang Bang blaring out of the sound system. 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.

Trager
vs
Charles

170 cm
34
155 lbs
15 - 6 - 1

171 cm
35
159 lbs
20 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Dangerous knees
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 15 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Trager!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Jean Charles!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Dean Styles and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Charles looks to land a body kick but Trager moved away.
Charles lands a jab to the nose.
Charles throws a shot from downtown. Trager moves away and avoids it.
Trager checks the leg kick nicely there.
Charles lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Trager circles away quickly and effectively.
A looping hook to the body misses from Charles. Trager does a little dance to reset his feet.
Trager throws a leg kick but Charles moved away.
Charles misses the shot to the body.
Trager moves in looking to clinch but Charles pushes him off.
Trager staying out of range there.
Trager chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Charles can pounce on him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Trager moves into the clinch.
Trager tries to land a knee to the head but Charles blocks with his arms.
Charles gets underhooks to prevent Trager's takedown attempt.
Charles scores with a nice hook to the head.
Charles stalling the fight.
Trager changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Charles fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trager shoots in for a double leg but Charles sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Trager. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Charles tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Trager manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Trager looks for a takedown but Charles sprawls well.
Charles feints a counter leg kick.
Jean Charles seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Trager will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Charles throws out a counter right but Trager avoids it with no problem.
Trager blocks a jab.
Trager takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Trager tries to clinch there but Charles circles away.
Charles throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Trager shoots for a double leg takedown but Charles sprawls well. He's pushed Trager's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Charles tries to clinch up.
Trager walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Charles lands with a thumping leg kick.
An inside leg kick from Charles misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Trager looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Trager checks a leg kick.
Charles throws a left and a right that both miss
and Trager counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Charles jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Charles lands with a straight right. Trager didn't see that one coming.
Charles ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Trager moves away.
Trager slips a jab from Charles.
Trager misses with a takedown attempt

and Charles counters by clinching up.
Trager wants a takedown.
Knees in the clinch landing for Charles.
Charles throws a punch but it's blocked by Trager.
Charles connects with a knee to the head.
Charles misses with a hook to the ribs.
Charles trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charles tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Trager avoids it.
Charles misses with a body punch.
Trager goes for a takedown attempt but Charles pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Trager fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Charles connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Trager darts in looking for a takedown but Charles gets double underhooks and turns Trager into the cage.
Charles lands a leg kick that knocks Trager off balance momentarily.
Charles lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Charles lands an overhand right.
Charles lands the left hand.
Charles circles away from the clinch attempt.
Charles swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Charles enables Trager to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Charles manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Trager with a flurry of punches that miss.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Trager postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Trager working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Charles's head.
Trager throwing strikes from guard but Charles blocks nicely.
Charles keeping full guard, as Trager tries to pass.
Trager throws a strike but Charles rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Trager looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Charles engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Trager has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Charles is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Trager.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Charles is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Alex Trager is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Trager shoots in but no luck this time.

Trager drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Trager missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Trager wants to pass the guard but Charles is keeping the position.
Trager throwing strikes but missing.
Charles is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trager working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trager missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Trager missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Trager throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Charles works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Trager throws a big right hand that misses.
Trager throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Charles throws the left hand but Trager avoids the punch easily.
A jab from Charles does it's job there.
Charles is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Trager closes the distance and clinches up with Charles, looking for a takedown. Trager pushes Charles against the cage but Charles circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Charles is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Trager fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Trager. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Charles clinches with his opponent.
Trager has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Charles after a bit of a struggle.

Trager gets control of Charles's arms and successfully pulls guard. Trager will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Charles trying to control the position from guard on top but Trager is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Charles has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Trager looking for a guillotine here but Charles defends easily.
Alex Trager overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Charles is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Charles wants to control but Trager is keeping him busy.
Trager tries to buck Charles off but Charles is having none of it.
Charles wants to control but Trager is keeping him busy.
Trager is trying 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.
Trager tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Trager is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Trager is trying to escape the mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jean Charles will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Charles pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Trager drops his hands momentarily and Charles takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Trager fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Charles throws a leg kick which misses Trager's front leg but catches the back leg as Trager tries to avoid it.
Charles lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Trager fails with the takedown
and Charles counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Charles misses with a body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Trager misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trager tries to close the distance and clinch up but Charles swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Charles replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Trager blocks it well.
Charles tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Trager appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Charles has closed the distance and engaged Trager in a clinch.
Trager is trying to drag Charles to the mat but Charles just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Trager. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Charles trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles tries to stall but Trager uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Trager has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Charles regains guard immediately.
Trager throws an elbow that misses. Charles uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Trager's guard. Nice move by Charles!

Trager looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Charles has picked Trager up and slammed him! Trager can't keep hold of the triangle and Charles manages to pass to side control!
Trager is looking for a sweep.
Charles taking a breather here.
Trager tries to improve position but can't.
Jean Charles is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles controls the position.
Trager tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Trager looks to move to half guard but instead Charles has passed into mount! Damn!
Trager is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Trager is working hard here to advance position.
Charles controlling the position easily from mount.
Charles's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Trager is wriggling around trying to escape.
Alex Trager has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Charles controlling his opponent.
Trager 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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Trager tries to reverse the position but Charles maintains control.
Trager is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Charles comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Charles winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 28:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

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