PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lee Date (ranked 1079 p4p, 173 weight class) and Gerrald James (ranked 1077 p4p, 172 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Date
vs
James

194 cm
25
215 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

185 cm
35
206 lbs
19 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

FORCEE
RAGS of a RONIN

Urban Fighter
Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lee Date!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gerrald James!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Richard Clark and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James works the jab nicely.
Date throws a right hand that misses
and James counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Date tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but James paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Date wants to clinch.
James swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Lee Date seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
James stuns Date with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Date takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Date closes the distance and clinches.
A nice left hand lands by James.
Date swings wildly with an uppercut but James uses good head movement to avoid it.
James wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Date has him pressed against the cage.
Date struggles to land a body shot inside as James controls his hands.
James stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James tries to break the clinch but Date is controlling the position.
James prevents a body shot from Date.
James lands a shoulder strike.
Date misses with the head strike.
Date is struggling to control the position.
James looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
James fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Date throws a punch but it's blocked by James.
Date throws a head punch that misses.
A short uppercut from Date.
James stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Date swings wildly with an uppercut but James uses good head movement to avoid it.
James blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Date working aggressively here.
Date lands a right hand.
Date misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James lands with a right to the head.
Date misses with a shot to the kidneys.
James throws a head punch that misses.
Date misses with some punches.
Date tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

James breaks from the clinch.
Date has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Hellfire Antechamber in the buildup to the fight.
Date moves out of range as James strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Date throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Date pushes James up against the cage in a clinch.
James digs a right hand into Date's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Date's gas tank.
Date digs a right hand into James's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on James's gas tank.
Date throws a head punch that misses.

James breaks the clinch.
James lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Date at a distance.
Date avoids the head kick by James.
James ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Date moves away.
Date appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Date.
Good shot there by James.
Date tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from James! But no joy.
James works the jab nicely.
Date fakes high and swings low for a body shot but James manages to avoid it.
Date swinging wildly here.
Date lands with a right hand.
Date misses with a wild body shot.
Date wants to clinch but James slips to the side
and James counters with a nice uppercut.
Date rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting James counter with a right hand.
Date throws out a loose jab but James uses good head movement to avoid it.
Date misses with a looping right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James connects with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
James closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
James displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Date throws out the jab.
Jab by James.
The fighters circling - James throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Date lunges at James with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by James's hand.
James scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
James lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Date misses with a hook
enabling James to counter with a crisp jab.
Date tries to clinch but James is having none of it.
James only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Date fails with an attempt to clinch.
Date is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
James on the wrong end of a nice jab.
James misses with a low kick.
James thows a left - swing and a miss!
Date misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerrald James dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Date misses with a lunging right hand
enabling James to counter with a crisp jab.
A swing and a miss from Date.
Date moves out of range of the leg kick from James.
Date tries to clinch there but James circles away.
Date tries to close the distance and clinch up but James swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Date pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
James throws a low kick but Date moves out of range easily.
Date swings away with a body shot that misses
and James counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Date tries to clinch up.
James throws a low kick but Date moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Date tries to close the distance and clinch but James swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A nice inside leg kick there by James. That's going to slow Date down.
James takes one on the chin but seems OK.

It looks like Gerrald James has been cut.
Date looks to throw the jab but James is out of range.
Date takes one to the chin there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Date scores with a sloppy right hand. James should have avoided that one.
Date throws a body shot but no joy.
James throws a body shot but no joy.
Date was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
James uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Date.
Date connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
James fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Date.
James throws a jab but it's blocked by Date.
Date scores with a jab to the head.
Date fails with an attempt to clinch.

Date closes the distance and clinches.
A nice left hand lands by James.
Date misses with the head strike.
James misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
James lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Date.
Date misses with a hook to the ribs.
James has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
James misses with the head strike.
James scores with a hook to the body.
Date wants to stall.
James fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
James presses Date against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
James fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
James stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Date misses with a punch to the body.
Date lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

James manages to break the clinch.
James connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Date momentarily.
James lands with a thumping leg kick.
Date tries to clinch there but James circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James lands a jab to the head.
James with a body punch. A glancing blow.
James misses with an uppercut. Date saw that one coming.
James slips a jab from Date.
Date bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Date tries to close the distance and clinch up but James swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Date misses with a double jab.
Date tries to clinch but James moves away
and James counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
James takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Date misses with a jab to the body
and James counters with a thumping low kick.
James connects with a leg kick. Date looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Nice defenses there by Date.
Date steps to the side to avoid the strikes from James.
James connects with a leg kick. Date looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
James looks to throw the jab but Date is out of range.
James throws a solid leg kick but Date takes the impact on his shin and smiles at James.
Date throws a big shot that misses.
Date takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
James slips under a jab.
Gerrald James seems to be getting the better of the standup.
James takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Date connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed James momentarily.
Date's jab looks to have found its range, popping James under the eye.
A punch combination from James misses.
James bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
James listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Date ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A swing and a miss from James.
A little feinted left hand from Date on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerrald James showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gerrald James's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Date throws out a loose jab but James uses good head movement to avoid it.
A big right from James misses.
Date throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
James only half commits to the counter leg kick.
The crowd cheers as James lands an impressive looking overhand right. Date doesn't seem phased though.
Date ducks down and throws a hook to the body but James moves away.
A swing and a miss from James.
James misses with a leg kick
letting Date counter with a right hand.
James needs to keep his hands up - Date had a free shot at his head there.
James ducks under a wild hook from Date.
James gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
James keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Date has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James misses with a short punch on the inside.
James swings wildly with an uppercut but Date uses good head movement to avoid it.
Date tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Date throws a head punch that misses.
Date fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

James escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from James, right into the meat.
James connects with a solid leg kick.
Date throws a lazy right hand but James sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Date closes the distance and clinches.
James blocks an uppercut.
James working hard to break the clinch.

James manages to break the clinch.
James rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Date counters with a left to the body.
Lee Date has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gerrald James 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.
James lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Date lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but James circles away quickly and effectively.
Date tries to clinch but James moves out of range.
Date displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as James throws out the jab.
James misses with a hook.
Date throws an overhand right that lands on James's shoulder, as James tries to avoid the shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Date avoids the head kick by James.
Date misses with an uppercut.
James ducks under a wild hook from Date.
Date blocks a jab.
Date changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Date connects with a crisp jab.
James throws a nice outside leg kick.
James swats away the attempt to clinch by Date.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Date. James does a little dance to reset his feet.
Date doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
Date misses with a hook. James ducked under it nicely.
James ducks under a wild hook from Date.
It seemed like James was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Date scores with a nice strike.
Date stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Date misses with a hook. James ducked under it nicely.
James connects with a good right hand that stumbles Date. Date circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A jab from James misses.
Date throws an off balance right hand
and James counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
James keeps the fight on the outside.
Date tries to close the distance and clinch but James swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James avoids a punch combination nicely.
Date is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
James lands the left hand.
Date tries to clinch up.
James looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
James throws out a powerful jab.
Date smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Date drops his hands momentarily and James takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Date jabs at James's body.
James misses with a looping right.
An inside leg kick from James misses.
A slow jab from James misses its intended target.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lee Date.
I think James has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gerrald James!
A relieved looking Gerrald James thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.