PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between JJ Lotz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lotz
vs
Velasquez

188 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
19
277 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, JJ Lotz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Cain Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Sandra Marshall and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velasquez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lotz drops down looking for a counter takedown but Velasquez sprawls and moves away.
Lotz fails with a takedown attempt.
Lotz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cain Velasquez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lotz leaves Velasquez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Lotz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Velasquez, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lotz wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for JJ Lotz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lotz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Velasquez closes the distance and pushes Lotz back into the cage.
Velasquez being controlled against the cage.
Velasquez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lotz smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Velasquez fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Lotz to the ground. Velasquez is now in Lotz's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lotz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Velasquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Velasquez wants to control from the top but Lotz keeps moving.

Velasquez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Velasquez trying to control but Lotz is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Velasquez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Velasquez stops Lotz from standing up.
Lotz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lotz tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Lotz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Velasquez defends well.
Velasquez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lotz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Lotz keeping moving, preventing Velasquez from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Velasquez tries for a takedown but Lotz manages to get underhooks.
Velasquez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lotz gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Velasquez wants a takedown but no success here.
Lotz tries for a takedown. No joy.

Lotz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Lotz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Velasquez, pushing him back against the cage.
Velasquez is trying to drag Lotz to the mat but Lotz just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Velasquez can't get the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez jumps guard and drags Lotz to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Lotz wants to control from the top but Velasquez keeps moving.

Velasquez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Velasquez has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Lotz 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 Velasquez.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Velasquez manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Velasquez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Velasquez looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Velasquez working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Velasquez is fighting to break Lotz's control of his arms but Lotz is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Lotz throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cain Velasquez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lotz is trying to keep Velasquez in close.

Lotz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Velasquez defends well.
Velasquez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Velasquez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velasquez won't allow Lotz to sweep him here.
Velasquez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Velasquez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Lotz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Velasquez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Velasquez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Velasquez lands a couple of elbows.
Velasquez wants to control from the top but Lotz keeps moving.
Lotz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Velasquez is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Velasquez is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Velasquez chips away with some ground and pound.
Velasquez wants to control from the top but Lotz keeps moving.

Velasquez drops back looking for a leg! Lotz is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lotz manages to kick Velasquez off! Velasquez jumps back into Lotz's guard.
Velasquez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Lotz controlling Velasquez's posture.
Velasquez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Velasquez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Velasquez stands up over Lotz, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Velasquez lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lotz being controlled here, momentarily.
Lotz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Lotz is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Velasquez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Lotz's head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Velasquez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Lotz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Velasquez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Velasquez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Velasquez scoring well with a low kick there.

Velasquez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Velasquez seems to be working for a kimura but Lotz defends the submission attempt.

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

Velasquez seems to be working for a kimura but Lotz defends the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lotz trying to hold on to Velasquez's head to control him but Velasquez postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lotz's head.

Velasquez has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Lotz defend it? Velasquez steps over the head and cranks it - Lotz is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Velasquez!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Cain Velasquez!
Cain Velasquez decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.