PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Red Cup (ranked 7083 p4p, 461 weight class) and Aurora Borealis (ranked 19891 p4p, 491 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cup
vs
Borealis

190 cm
32
183 lbs
7 - 14 - 1

184 cm
28
173 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Red Cup!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Aurora Borealis!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Borealis ducks under a wild hook from Cup.
Cup blocks a low kick nicely.
Borealis slips under a jab.
Borealis checks a low kick from Cup.
And Borealis tries to counter it with a takedown but Cup pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Borealis closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cup to the mat! Cup manages to get full guard.
Borealis looking to sit in guard and control but Cup gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Cup looking to pass the guard.
Cup pushes down on Borealis's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Borealis is looking for a sweep. Cup is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cup passes the guard and advances to mount!
Borealis keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cup trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cup takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cup can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Borealis is looking to escape.
Borealis sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Cup is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Borealis is just riding it out for now. Cup eventually gives up the hold.
Borealis has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cup is working away from the top position though.
Borealis is refusing to be controlled, as Cup sits in half guard.
Still in half guard, Cup seems content to control.
Borealis is trying to get back to full guard.
Cup is looking to take a break and control but Borealis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Borealis is trying to get back to full guard.
Borealis punching from the bottom.
Cup is trying to control. Borealis wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cup works his way into full mount!
Borealis is desperately trying to improve his position but Cup has a good base and remains in mount.
Borealis wants to hold on but Cup pushes him away.
Cup wants to control the pace but Borealis is squirming around nicely.
Borealis is desperately trying to improve his position but Cup has a good base and remains in mount.
Cup controlling his opponent.
Cup moves to take his opponent's back.
Borealis rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cup prevents Borealis from improving his position.
Borealis manages to get to full guard.
Borealis is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Borealis is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cup's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cup pushing down on Borealis's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Borealis is in trouble now - Cup has advanced to mount!
Borealis working to try and regain half guard.
Cup content just to control the position here.

Cup gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cup clinches up with Borealis and pushes him back against the cage.

Cup manages to break the clinch.
Cup has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cup there as he acknowledges the shot.
Cup connects with a looping right hand.

Borealis closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Cup's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Borealis looking to pass the guard.
Borealis missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Borealis looking to sit in guard and control but Cup gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Cup got a little sloppy there for a moment and Borealis has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cup has managed to get both his arms back between Borealis's legs - danger averted.
Cup stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Borealis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cup works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Cup seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Borealis won't allow Cup to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Red Cup dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Borealis gets the takedown into side control.
Borealis trying to control the position but Cup is working away.
Who's going to make the next move?
Borealis cracks Cup with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Borealis tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Borealis works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Borealis landing a few strikes.
Red Cup overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Borealis tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Borealis throwing strikes but Cup manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cup stands up and beckons Borealis to his feet.
Borealis ducks under a wild hook from Cup.
Borealis moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Borealis takes one to the side of the head.
Borealis avoids the body shot from Cup.
Borealis uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cup.
Red Cup is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Cup gets caught flat footed, as Borealis shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Cup is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Borealis is aware though and is defending well.
Borealis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Borealis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Borealis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Borealis trying to control but Cup is working from the bottom.
Cup is controlling Borealis's posture.

Cup is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Borealis is looking to advance position but Cup has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Borealis tries to reverse the position but Cup maintains control.
Cup trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cup looking to control and managing it successfully.
Borealis can't escape the position.
Cup is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Borealis can do to turn this around?
Borealis regains half guard.
Borealis tries to get to full guard but Cup has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borealis moves into full guard.

Cup gets to his feet. Borealis looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Cup tries to close the distance and clinch up but Borealis swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Borealis drives through with a takedown into guard.
Borealis postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Borealis trying to control but Cup is working from the bottom.
Borealis passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Cup avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Borealis.
Cup parries the strikes from Borealis easily there. Borealis is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Cup to escape.
Cup tries to escape but Borealis is in control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cup can't do much from the bottom here.
Borealis scores with a couple of short elbows.
Sloppy strikes there by Borealis.
Borealis in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Borealis throws a strike aimed at the side of Cup's head but Cup avoids it well.
Borealis lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Borealis scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Cup to see if he's OK.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Borealis landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Borealis.
Borealis is looking to take a break and control but Cup is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cup is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Borealis is controlling him well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aurora Borealis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Cup misses with an uppercut. Borealis saw that one coming.
Borealis ducks under a wild hook from Cup.
Borealis is looking for the big counter here.
Cup pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Borealis scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cup.
We've been told by Cup's head coaches at Rabid Dog that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Cup swings for the body but Borealis moves out of range.
Cup blocks a low kick nicely.
A big left from Cup misses.
Borealis walks into a jab.
Cup fails to land the takedown.

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

Cup throws Borealis to one side and escapes!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Borealis slips under a jab from Cup.

Borealis shoots in and bounces Cup off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Borealis lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cup utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Borealis stops Cup from standing up.
Borealis trying to control but Cup is working from the bottom.
Cup is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Borealis stopping the sweep attempt from Cup.
Borealis content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Cup preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cup is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Borealis throws an elbow that misses. Cup uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Borealis's guard. Nice move by Cup!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cup trying to control the position from guard on top but Borealis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cup pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Borealis is keeping the position for now.
Cup trying to control the position from guard on top but Borealis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cup being controlled here momentarily.
Borealis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cup is one step ahead there.
Borealis is trying to control the position but Cup postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Borealis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Borealis looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Borealis working a defensive guard here.
Cup works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Borealis makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Borealis.
Cup advances position into side control!
Cup trying to control the position but Borealis is working away.
Borealis tries to bench press Cup off him but Cup keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Borealis is being controlled here.
Borealis is trying to get back to half guard.
Cup works to advance to full mount. Borealis defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Cup looking to control and managing it successfully.
Borealis is trying desperately to improve position.
Borealis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cup looking to control but Borealis is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cup content just to control the position here.
Borealis is in all sorts of trouble here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Red Cup showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cup has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Red Cup!
A very excited looking Red Cup made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.