PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Talon Cape (ranked 5172 p4p, 232 weight class) and Zach Degrom (ranked 4559 p4p, 207 weight class). Zach Degrom has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cape
vs
Degrom

180 cm
20
140 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
25
144 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Talon Cape!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zach Degrom!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Franklyn Lucas and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Degrom misses with a hook. Cape ducked under it nicely.
Degrom throws out a loose jab but Cape uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cape slips a jab from Degrom.
We've been told by Cape's head coaches at Stark Combat Center that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Cape scores with a shot to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cape is stalling here.
Degrom swings wildly with an uppercut but Cape uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cape gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cape controlling the action here for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cape has Degrom pressed against the cage.
Cape with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Cape keeps control of Degrom as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
We've been informed that Degrom has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cape lands a good knee to the midsection. Degrom won't want to take too many of those.
Degrom wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Degrom is trying to maintain a safe position but Cape gets an underhook and turns Degrom into the cage.
Cape will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Degrom up against the cage.
Degrom avoiding damage as Cape throws knees to the body.
Degrom wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cape slowing the pace effectively.
Cape stalling in the clinch.
Degrom is trying to push Cape away but Cape has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Cape stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Degrom swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cape stalling.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Talon Cape.
Degrom is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cape.
Cape throwing a counter right hand but Degrom manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cape throws a predictable looking body shot
and Degrom counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Cape moves into the clinch.
Degrom lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Degrom is trying to push Cape away but Cape has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Degrom has had enough of the clinch but Cape keeps him there for the moment.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cape lands an elbow that stopped Degrom in his tracks for a moment.
Degrom is trying to force a seperation but Cape has the dominant position.
Cape lands a nice knee to the body.
Cape lands a nice knee to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Degrom working hard to break the clinch.
A knee to the head by Cape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cape slows down the pace here.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cape keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Degrom's efforts to push away.
Cape stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Cape misses with a knee to the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Cape takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Cape landing knees to the head.
Cape manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
The referee calls for Cape to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Talon Cape.
Cape looks to throw the jab but Degrom is out of range.
A punch lands to the side of Cape 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Degrom uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cape.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cape.
Some wild striking there from Degrom.

Cape gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Cape throws an elbow but misses.
Stalling in the clinch from Cape.
Degrom has had enough of the clinch but Cape keeps him there for the moment.
Degrom wants to break free but Cape has control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Talon Cape dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cape takes a swing at Degrom's ribcage but misses.
Degrom throws a lazy right hand but Cape sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cape with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Degrom throws a jab when Cape was well out of range.
Cape misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Cape pushes Degrom up against the cage in a clinch.
Cape leaning against his opponent.
Degrom tries to break free but Cape pushes him back against the cage.
Cape comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Cape has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Degrom breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Degrom swings widly with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cape connects with a leg kick. Degrom looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Degrom misses with a hook. Cape ducked under it nicely.

Cape darts in and clinches Degrom up against the cage.
Degrom effectively controlling the action here.
Cape putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Degrom in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Cape is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Degrom can do to turn this around?
Degrom is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cape content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Degrom misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cape slowing the pace effectively.
Stalling in the clinch from Cape.
Cape is struggling to control the position.
Cape scores with a knee to the head.
Cape throws a punch but it's blocked by Degrom.
Cape stalling in the clinch.
Cape stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Talon Cape.
Degrom slips a jab from Cape.
Cape misses the shot to the body.
Degrom throws a jab but it's blocked by Cape.
Cape fires out a quick counter leg kick but Degrom just manages to avoid it.

Cape clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Degrom's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cape really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cape lands an elbow inside that Degrom shrugs off.
Degrom is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Cape just misses with a elbow thrown towards Degrom's brow.
Cape taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Talon Cape has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cape stalling in the clinch.
Cape tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Degrom avoids it.
Cape is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Degrom is defending well for now.
Cape taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Degrom blocking some punches.
Cape throws an elbow but it misses.
Degrom is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cape has Degrom pushed against the cage.
Cape using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Degrom has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Degrom tries to break the clinch but Cape is controlling the position.
Degrom has had enough of the clinch but Cape keeps him there for the moment.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Cape.
Degrom avoids the elbow strike from Cape, against the cage.
Cape stalling the fight.
Cape prevents Degrom from breaking the clinch.
Cape tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cape tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Cape creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Degrom's defenses.
A knee to the head by Cape.
Cape lands a nice elbow.
Degrom avoiding damage as Cape throws knees to the body.
Degrom wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cape throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cape missing with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Degrom has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cape is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Cape leaning against his opponent.

Degrom manages to break the clinch.
Degrom is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cape.
Cape wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Degrom lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Cape backs up against the cage.
Zach Degrom seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cape with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Cape takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Good exchange - Cape coming out on top.
Cape avoids the body shot from Degrom.
Degrom takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Cape misses the shot to the body.
Cape swings widly with a right hand
and Degrom counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Talon Cape dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Degrom throws a hook but Cape avoids it easily.
A jab from Degrom misses.
Degrom lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cape circles away quickly and effectively.
Cape throws a counter high kick but Degrom was just alert enough to avoid it.
Cape tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Cape moves into the clinch.
Degrom avoiding damage as Cape throws knees to the body.
Cape lands an elbow inside.
Cape tries to land a knee to the head but Degrom blocks with his arms.
Stalling in the clinch from Cape.
Cape content to slow the pace in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cape trying to land knees to the body.
Cape is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Cape.
Cape leaning his opponent against the cage.
Cape lands a knee to the head.
Degrom takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cape has Degrom pressed against the cage.
Cape controlling the action here for a moment.
Cape holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Talon Cape.
Degrom throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Degrom circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Degrom counter with a right hand.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Degrom crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Cape - the referee stops the clock and Degrom gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Cape. Degrom manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Jab from Degrom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cape throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Degrom misses with a lunging right hand
and Cape counters with a good, hard body kick but Degrom shrugs it off.
Degrom on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Cape takes one on the button.
A lazy left from Cape finds it's target.
Cape fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Degrom working hard to break the clinch.
Cape lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Cape is struggling to control the position.
Cape keeps control of Degrom as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cape stalling the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cape lands a damaging elbow.
Cape misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Degrom.
Cape working aggressively here.
Cape with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cape prevents Degrom from breaking the clinch.
Cape tries a knee to the head but Degrom blocks it.
Cape lands a damaging elbow.
Cape pressing his opponent against the cage.
Cape stalling in the clinch.
Cape stalling.
A knee to the head by Cape.
Degrom looking to slow down the pace here.
Degrom takes an elbow to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cape lands an elbow inside.
Cape stalling against the cage.
Cape using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Degrom has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Degrom misses with a punch on the inside.
Degrom being controlled against the cage.
Zach Degrom has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cape lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cape gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Degrom is trying to stall.
Degrom is trying to break the clinch but Cape has him pressed against the cage.
Degrom misses with some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Talon Cape showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cape, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Talon Cape!
A victorious Talon Cape thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.