PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Parks (ranked 2846 p4p, 261 weight class) and Beta Knox (ranked 2266 p4p, 215 weight class). Knox comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Anthrax | Fight Em Till You Can't kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Parks
vs
Knox

175 cm
23
159 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

172 cm
31
158 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lyoto Parks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Beta Knox!
The judges for this bout are Topper Green, Hugh Johnson and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knox on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Knox throws a jab but it's blocked by Parks.
Parks throws a quick counter kick to the body but Knox avoids it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Knox.
Parks slips under a jab.
And Parks counters with a quick kick to the body but Knox blocks it.
Knox has his takedown stuffed
and Parks counters with a big head kick but Knox shrugs it off.
Parks lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Knox slips under a jab.
Knox was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Parks lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Knox gets the takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Parks tries to buck Knox off but Knox is having none of it.

Knox decides to stand back up. Knox steps back and let's Parks get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Knox throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Knox closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
A lull in the action here as Knox stalls from top position.
Parks is trying to control Knox's posture but Knox avoids it.
Knox trying to control the action but Parks is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Parks's face as Knox controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Knox might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Parks is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Parks manages to work his way to half guard, despite Knox's best efforts.
Parks blocking the ground and pound attempt from Knox.
My spies in EMPIRE BJJ Academy inform me that Knox has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Knox throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Parks trying to control but Knox postures up.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Knox is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Knox dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Knox lands a lovely overhand right.
Knox lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Knox misses with a straight left.
It looked like Parks was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Knox.

Knox shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Knox was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Knox trying to control the action but Parks is working from the bottom.
Knox controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox wants to lay and pray for a moment but Parks keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Beta Knox dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Knox throws a big shot that misses.
Beta Knox seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Parks moves forwards but Knox connects with a nice, crisp jab.

It looks like Lyoto Parks has been cut.
Knox looks to throw the jab but Parks is out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Parks misses the target.
Knox has his takedown stuffed
enabling Parks to counter with a crisp jab.
Parks wants to land a leg kick but Knox is out of range.
Knox just misses with a punch to the body.
Knox swings widly with a right hand
and Parks counters with a nice low kick that buckles Knox's knee momentarily.
We've been told by Parks's head coaches at Shark Tank MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Parks on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A good leg kick by Parks.
Knox swings for the body but Parks moves out of range.
Knox waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Parks.
Knox just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox throws a body punch but Parks moves out of range.
Knox digs a good hook to Parks's body.
Knox shoots and misses
and Parks counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lyoto Parks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Parks avoids the body shot from Knox.
Parks lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Knox misses with a straight right.
Knox bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Knox throws a poor cross that misses
and Parks counters with a nice kick to the body.
Parks lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Knox looks for a takedown but Parks sprawls well.
Lyoto Parks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Beta Knox.
Parks lands a jab to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Parks to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Knox shoots in for a double leg but Parks sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Parks throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Knox is breathing heavily.
Parks stuffs the takedown.
Parks throws a body kick that misses.
Knox goes for a double leg but Parks avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Parks continues to drive forward.
Parks ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Parks tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Knox manages to circle out of the way.
Knox takes a swing at Parks's ribcage but misses.
Parks quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Knox misses with a wild body shot.
Parks connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Parks tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox just misses with a punch to the body.
Knox has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Parks.
Knox on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Parks. Parks obviously looking to wear him down.
Parks cracks the inside of Knox's front leg.
Knox thows a left - swing and a miss!
Parks misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Knox misses the shot to the body.
Knox gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Parks.
Parks avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Parks throws a head kick that misses.
A cross from Parks lands.
Knox fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Parks manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Parks tries to work over Knox's front leg with a kick but Knox checks it.
A head kick by Parks misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Knox punishes Parks's body with a nice straight punch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A jab from Knox misses.
Knox with a nice cross.
Knox works the jab nicely.
Knox looks to land a combination. Parks sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Parks is rocked!
Knox shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Parks defends it nicely.
Parks is looking to counter with head kicks.
Oh Parks is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A solid leg kick lands there for Parks.
Knox thows a left - swing and a miss!
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 Lyoto Parks will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Lyoto Parks's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Parks takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Parks seems to have got his legs back now.
Parks lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Parks takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Knox misses with a hook
and Parks counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Parks keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Knox.
Parks tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Knox closes the distance and clinches up with Parks, looking for a takedown. Knox pushes Parks against the cage but Parks circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
As Knox looks to move away, Parks throws a big counter combo but Knox just gets out of the way.
Knox looks to throw the jab but Parks is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox misses the body punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Knox looks to land a right hand but Parks moved out of range.
Parks throws a head kick that misses.
Parks throws a head kick that misses
and Knox makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox throws a shot from downtown. Parks moves away and avoids it.
Parks looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Knox checks the leg kick nicely there.
Knox throws a hook but Parks avoids it easily.
Knox throws a hook to the side of Parks's head but Parks sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Parks throws a head kick but Knox moves out of range.
Knox let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Knox misses the shot to the body.
Parks is looking to counter punch.
Parks feints a jab promting Knox to slip. Parks then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Knox slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Knox scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Parks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Knox throws a hook but Parks avoids it easily.
Parks throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Knox on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Parks misses with an uppercut. Knox saw that one coming.
Knox is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Parks.
Knox connects with a nice looking jab.
A nice inside leg kick there by Parks. That's going to slow Knox down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Knox ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Parks moves away.
Parks is looking to counter with head kicks.
Parks defending well as Knox loads up on a big left hand.
Knox looks to score with a jab to the body but Parks is just out of range.
Parks scores with a push kick.
Parks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Parks lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Knox slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Parks ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Knox throws a right hand that misses
and Parks makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Parks ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Knox swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Parks lands a head kick. Knox smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Parks has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Knox finds it's way round the side to connect with Parks's head.
Parks misses with a head kick.
Knox doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Parks connects with a high kick.

Knox looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Parks!

Parks throws Knox to one side and escapes!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Knox shoots in but Parks avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Parks appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Knox takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Parks showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Knox.
Parks appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Knox shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Knox prevents Parks from standing back up.
Knox throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

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 Lyoto Parks.
I think Parks 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 Topper Green scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Parks!