PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Beta Knox (ranked 1086 p4p, 121 weight class) and Xing Pugberg (ranked 1463 p4p, 156 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Knox might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Anthrax | Fight Em Till You Can't. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Knox
vs
Pugberg

172 cm
28
150 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

150 cm
21
130 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Beta Knox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xing Pugberg!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Alyssa Summers and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pugberg dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Pugberg walks into a jab.
Pugberg loads up on a big right hand but Knox slips the punch.
Knox is looking for a counter combo.
Knox lands a glancing blow to the side of Pugberg's head.
Knox connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Pugberg's hands.
Pugberg has a takedown stuffed.
Knox wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Knox throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Pugberg on the side of the head.
Knox takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Knox uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Pugberg.
It looked like Knox wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Knox just misses with a punch to the body.
Knox dodges the punch combination from Pugberg.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Knox lands with an uppercut that bounces Pugberg off the cage and back into range.
Knox has been working on his boxing with his coaches at ~T~ Troid - Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Pugberg dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Pugberg throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Knox is looking to counter punch.
Knox looks to land a combination but Pugberg avoids it well.
Pugberg shoots in but no luck this time.
Knox tries to counter by clinching up but Pugberg breaks away and moves out of range.

Pugberg dives in and scores a takedown into Knox's guard.

Pugberg 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.
Knox is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pugberg works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Knox on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Knox tries to get out of the position.
Knox tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Knox trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Knox is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Knox manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox keeping full guard, as Pugberg tries to pass.
Pugberg is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Knox holds on and takes a little breather.
Pugberg passes into half guard.
Knox is concentrating on defense, preventing Pugberg from advancing position.

Pugberg is looking for a kimura here.
Knox controlling the position well.

Pugberg is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Knox is just riding it out for now. Pugberg eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox landing a few short strikes.
Knox is trying to get back to full guard.
Pugberg wants to free his trapped foot but Knox is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Pugberg is working for a submission of some sort.
Knox is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four 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.
Knox throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Pugberg is looking for a kimura here.
Knox tries to get to full guard but Pugberg has control of the leg.
Knox trying to control from the bottom.
Knox is looking for a sweep. Pugberg is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Pugberg is thwarting Knox's attempts to control the position.
Knox is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Xing Pugberg will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Knox scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Pugberg throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Knox is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Knox lands with a nice combination. Pugberg backs away looking to recover.
Pugberg throws a body shot but no joy.
Pugberg throws an overhand right that lands on Knox's shoulder, as Knox tries to avoid the shot.
A little feinted left hand from Knox on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Pugberg swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A quick step to the side and Knox tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circling - Pugberg throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Knox thuds his right hand into Pugberg's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Knox moves forwards but Pugberg connects with a nice, crisp jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A punch combination from Knox misses.
Pugberg throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Knox misses with a body shot.
Pugberg throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox thows a left - swing and a miss!
Pugberg lands a slapping body shot.
Beta Knox is winning the standup battle so far.
Knox is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Beta Knox is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pugberg thows a left - swing and a miss!
Pugberg throws a poor cross that misses
letting Knox counter with a right hand.
Knox avoids the body shot from Pugberg.
Xing Pugberg seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pugberg cracks a nice hook into Knox's ribs.
Pugberg works the jab nicely.
Pugberg with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Knox rushes Pugberg and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Knox stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Knox lands with a light punch inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Knox creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Knox lands a left hand.

Knox breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pugberg throws a body punch but Knox moves out of range.
Knox misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And Pugberg tries to counter it with a takedown but Knox pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Knox is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Knox connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Pugberg's hands.
Pugberg misses with a looping right.
As Pugberg looks to move away, Knox throws a big counter combo but Pugberg just gets out of the way.
Pugberg throws a big shot that misses.
Knox seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Pugberg throws a body shot but no joy.
Pugberg uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Knox.
Pugberg misses with a body shot.
Pugberg misses with an uppercut. Knox saw that one coming.
Knox throws a shot from downtown. Pugberg moves away and avoids it.
A slow jab from Knox misses its intended target.
Pugberg showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Knox.
Pugberg throws a lazy right hand but Knox sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Pugberg pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pugberg lands a nice shot to the body.
Pugberg misses the body punch

and Knox counters by clinching up.
Knox scores with a shot to the side of Pugberg's head.
Pugberg wants to take the fight to the mat but Knox manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Knox lands a hook that snaps the head of Pugberg backwards.
Knox gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Pugberg.
Pugberg has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Knox is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Beta Knox has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xing Pugberg.
Nice body punch from Knox.

Knox breaks the clinch.
Knox throws an overhand right that lands on Pugberg's shoulder, as Pugberg tries to avoid the shot.
Knox on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
Pugberg thows a left - swing and a miss!
A combination from Knox does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Knox as Pugberg shoots in.
Knox catches Pugberg with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pugberg tries to score a power double leg takedown but Knox sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Pugberg somewhat.

Knox fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Pugberg, pushing him back against the cage.

Knox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Knox is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Pugberg scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Knox tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Pugberg is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Knox knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Knox struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Beta Knox dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Pugberg throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.
Knox ducks under a wild hook from Pugberg.
Knox clobbers Pugberg with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Pugberg is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Knox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pugberg has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Pugberg walks into a jab.
Knox ducks right into an uppercut from Pugberg.
Pugberg shoots in and drives through. Knox sprawls well.
Some wild striking there from Knox.
Knox takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pugberg tries to score with a low kick but Knox moves his leg out of the way.
Pugberg moves out of range of the strikes.
Pugberg ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Knox moves away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Knox slowing the pace effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Knox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pugberg throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.
Pugberg lands a jab to Knox's midsection.
Knox drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Pugberg throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Knox throws an overhand right that lands on Pugberg's shoulder, as Pugberg tries to avoid the shot.
Knox moves out of range as Pugberg strikes.
Knox swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Knox lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Pugberg tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Knox defends well and Pugberg ends up having to push Knox into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Pugberg tries for a takedown but Knox sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Beta Knox has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xing Pugberg.
Some wild striking there from Knox.
Pugberg pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pugberg throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pugberg fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Knox gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Pugberg stands and throws Knox's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Knox is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Pugberg is trying to get an arm triangle but Knox is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Knox's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pugberg avoids the strikes from the bottom by Knox.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pugberg is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Knox has escaped the position, nice work there.
You can see the frustration on Knox's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Knox wants to improve his position, back to half guard but Pugberg has ideas of his own. He's got hold of Knox's far side arm and it looks like he's got an Americana. Ohh! Ohhhh! OOOOOOOOOH! A human being's arm is not meant to bend like that! Knox is tapping like a morse code operator on the Titanic! SOS SOS! He's out of here! Great win for Pugberg!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Xing Pugberg!