PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Anthony J (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Skinner (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?

J
vs
Skinner

150 cm
23
130 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

186 cm
22
146 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Anthony J!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Bobby Skinner!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Daniel Bishop and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Skinner wants to clinch up but J keeps it at a distance.

J drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Skinner tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but J wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Skinner is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
J is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Skinner will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
J wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skinner keeps working.

J decides to stand back up.

J gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

J drags the fight down to the ground.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
J has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
J trying to keep a closed guard but Skinner is proving a slippery customer.
Skinner stands up over J, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Skinner looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
J looking to hit a scissor sweep but Skinner is one step ahead there.
Skinner passes into half guard.
Skinner trying to pass the guard but J defending well.
J keeping hold of Skinner's head, controlling as best he can.
J is trying to control but can't.
Skinner missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Skinner tries to pass the half guard into mount. J knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
J trying to hold on to Skinner's head to control him but Skinner postures up.
Skinner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Skinner looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Skinner thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed J's head.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Skinner wants to clinch but J slips to the side

and J counters with a takedown into side control.
Skinner manages to get back to half guard.
J not doing much here.
Skinner regains full guard. Nicely done.
J trying to control but Skinner is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
J is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
J stopping the sweep attempt from Skinner.
J wants to control from the top but Skinner keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skinner manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
J on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if J tries to get out of the position.
Skinner with the ground and pound from mount.
Skinner trying to control but J is having none of it.
Skinner is landing with some decent strikes but J is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
J wants to hold on but Skinner pushes him away.
Skinner landing punches.
Skinner prevents J from getting the reversal.
Skinner scoring with strikes but J is staying in there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Skinner looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
J really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
J wants to hold on but Skinner pushes him away.
Skinner has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Skinner raining down shots from the mount!
Skinner with shots to the head and body - J looks very uncomfortable down there.
J is desperately trying to improve his position but Skinner has a good base and remains in mount.
J in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Skinner lands with some vicious ground and pound - can J hang on?
Skinner looking to finish J with some ground and pound. This is bad for J!
J is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony J dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Skinner rushes J and presses him up against the cage.
J tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Skinner smiles and moves away.

Skinner shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Skinner showed some decent athleticism there.
J trying to control from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skinner trying to mount his opponent but J defends it.
J is looking to improve his position.
Skinner is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
J wants to control but Skinner is keeping busy.
J could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Skinner wants to clinch but J slips to the side

and J counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Skinner is looking for a takedown up against the cage. J gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Skinner makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Skinner lands a body punch in the clinch.
Skinner lands a hook that snaps the head of J backwards.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Skinner pushes J back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Skinner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Anthony J is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Skinner fails with an attempt to clinch.

Skinner gets a clinch.
Skinner effectively controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
J blocks an uppercut.

Skinner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Skinner pushes J up against the cage in a clinch.
Skinner has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. J is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Skinner lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt J or not.
A nice right hand lands inside from Skinner.
Skinner lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Skinner.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

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.
J can't break the clinch.
Skinner lands a body shot in the clinch.
Skinner tries for a takedown but J manages to get underhooks.
Anthony J has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Skinner.

Skinner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
J with a poor takedown

and Skinner counters with a shoot takedown. J fights it but they end up in guard.
Skinner trying to control the position from guard on top but J is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Skinner lands a couple of decent looking shots.
J controls Skinner momentarily but Skinner frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Skinner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Skinner throws a sloppy head kick and J moves out of range easily.
J fails with the takedown

and Skinner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

J manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

Skinner clinches up with J and pushes him back against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Skinner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
J blocks a head kick by Skinner.
J looks for a takedown but Skinner sprawls well.
J looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Skinner is fending him off so far but J persists. Nope, Skinner circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony J. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Skinner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Skinner missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Skinner lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from J fails to land.
J tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Skinner just stands there and leans against the cage.
Skinner tries a knee to the head but J blocks it.

Skinner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Skinner moves in looking to clinch but J pushes him off.
J shoots and misses

and Skinner counters by moving into the clinch.

Skinner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Skinner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skinner throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around J's waist but J gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Skinner off to one side.
Skinner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Skinner misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Skinner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
J fails with the takedown

and Skinner counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for J!
J is trying desperately to improve position.
J in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Skinner breaks from J's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Skinner lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Skinner is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Skinner prevents J from getting the reversal.
J in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobby Skinner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Skinner has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight for Bobby Skinner!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Bobby Skinner!
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight for Bobby Skinner!

Bobby Skinner wins by unanimous decision!