PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keith Bishop (ranked 689 p4p, 65 weight class) and Mark Strong (ranked 504 p4p, 50 weight class). Strong has chosen Egypt Central - Kick Ass as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bishop
vs
Strong

200 cm
28
250 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

194 cm
29
242 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

BuriedAlive// Fight Gear
Aspire Clothing

Sin City Allstars

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 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Keith Bishop!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Strong!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bishop goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Keith Bishop seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Strong decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Bishop moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Strong stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bishop swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Strong postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Strong's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Strong pushing down on Bishop's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strong not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bishop is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Strong tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bishop knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

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

Strong looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Bishop on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Strong wants to control but Bishop is keeping him busy.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Strong working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Bishop wants to get back to his feet.

That's two 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.
Strong scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Bishop is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Hey Steves Fight Shack, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Strong trying to control the action but Bishop is working from the bottom.
Strong with the ground and pound but Bishop uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Bishop has control of Strong's left arm, preventing Strong from doing any damage.
Strong wants to control from the top but Bishop keeps moving.
Strong scoring with punches to the head and body.
Strong throwing strikes but missing.
Bishop keeping moving, preventing Strong from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bishop is trying to keep Strong in close.
Strong sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Strong darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Strong misses with a straight right.
Strong staying out of range there.
Bishop throws a head kick but Strong moves out of range.
Strong swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Strong scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Bishop doesn't seem bothered though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strong connects with a body shot.
Bishop tries to clinch but Strong is having none of it.
Strong scores with a punch to the head.
Bishop throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strong throws a predictable looking body shot
and Strong takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

It looks like Mark Strong has been cut.
Strong keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Strong! But no joy.
Bishop pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bishop looks to land a right hand but Strong moved out of range.
Bishop misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bishop throws a poor cross that misses

and Strong counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Strong is keen to just control but Bishop is a slippery customer.

Strong is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Strong dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mark Strong's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bishop throws a predictable looking body shot
and Strong counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bishop ducks under a wild hook from Strong.
Bishop misses with a wild body shot.
Strong misses the jab.
Bishop throws a shot from downtown. Strong moves away and avoids it.
Bishop is looking to chop away at Strong's legs.
Bishop scores with a hook.
Strong gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bishop makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bishop throws a right hand that Strong ducks under and follows up with a left that Strong also avoids with ease.
A little jabbing left from Strong on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
The fighters circling - Bishop throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Bishop tries to clinch up but Strong circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bishop throws a jab but it's blocked by Strong.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A hook to the body from Strong.
Bishop fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bishop's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

It looks like Keith Bishop has been cut.
Strong has a couple of punches blocked by Bishop.
Bishop goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bishop prevents a body shot from Strong.
Bishop struggles to land a body shot inside as Strong controls his hands.
Strong throws a punch but it's blocked by Bishop.
Bishop tries to throw a body punch but Strong avoids it by throwing Bishop back against the cage.
Bishop doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bishop tries a body shot but Strong blocks it.

Strong has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Bishop regains guard immediately.

Bishop is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Strong makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Strong misses with a punch on the inside.
Strong working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bishop.
Bishop makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Strong blocks an uppercut.
Strong misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Bishop misses with a hook from the clinch.
Strong prevents a body shot from Bishop.
Bishop digs a right hand into Strong's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Strong's gas tank.
Strong works on Bishop's body with a couple of short punches.
Bishop tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Strong's elbow.

Strong lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Strong perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Strong looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Bishop avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Strong.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong drops an elbow to the side of Bishop's head.
Strong is looking to pass Bishop's guard but actually Bishop recovers to full guard.
Strong working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Strong throwing strikes but missing.
Strong wants to pass the guard but Bishop is keeping the position.
Strong controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Strong has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Strong wants to control from the top but Bishop keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bishop throws a low kick, looking for Strong's leg but Strong calmly moves out of range.
Strong has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Bishop.
Bishop dips to his left and cracks Strong with an uppercut!
Bishop misses with a body kick.
Strong just misses with a punch to the body.
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 Keith Bishop will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bishop misses with a few strikes there.
Bishop misses the shot to the body.
Bishop misses with a body shot.
A slapping body kick lands there for Bishop.
Bishop swings for the body but Strong moves out of range.
Strong shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bishop but Bishop pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bishop is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Bishop smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bishop just misses with a punch to the body.
Strong looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Strong throws a poor cross that misses
and Bishop counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bishop throws a hook to the side of Strong's head but Strong sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bishop is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bishop lands a right hook to the body.
Bishop wants to clinch but Strong slips to the side
and Bishop takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bishop moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Bishop misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Strong.
Bishop misses with a lunging right hand
and Strong counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bishop throws a lazy uppercut
and Strong counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bishop. Strong does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little jabbing left from Strong on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bishop lands an overhand right.
A thudding body kick lands there by Bishop!
Bishop staying out of range there.
A head kick from Bishop lands but Strong takes it in his stride.

That has opened up Mark Strong's cut even more.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Strong throws out a loose jab but Bishop uses good head movement to avoid it.
A slapping body kick lands there for Bishop.
Keith Bishop is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bishop throws a sloppy head kick and Strong moves out of range easily.
Strong throws a counter combo.
Strong thows a left - swing and a miss!
And Bishop counters with a quick kick to the body but Strong blocks it.
Bishop bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Strong's head backwards.

Strong fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bishop sprawls well initially but Strong persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Bishop manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bishop slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Bishop misses with a wild combination.
Strong on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Keith Bishop is winning the standup battle so far.
Bishop ducks under a wild hook from Strong.
Bishop takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bishop throws a low kick but Strong avoids it.
Bishop lands with a shot to the body.
Strong throws a body punch but Bishop moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bishop throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strong stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bishop.
Strong lands with a hook. Bishop tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bishop throws a head kick that misses.
Bishop slips a straight right by Strong.
Bishop seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Strong ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Strong connects with a body shot.

Strong looking to score a takedown here. Bishop is defending well but Strong drives through and ends up in Bishop's guard.

Bishop pushes Strong off and gets back to his feet.
Strong moves into range and connects with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keith Bishop showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bishop has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Keith Bishop!
During a confident post fight interview, Keith Bishop thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.