PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikel Arteta (ranked 2519 p4p, 2253 weight class) and Uriah Small (ranked 329 p4p, 296 weight class). Arteta's entrance music is Stranglehold/ Ted Nugent. A fine choice. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Arteta
vs
Small

191 cm
26
200
6 - 3 - 0

183 cm
38
200
29 - 12 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikel Arteta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Uriah Small!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Small with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A jab from Arteta does it's job there.
Small fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arteta manages to avoid it.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Small checks a leg kick.

Small closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've been hearing reports that Arteta has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Arteta is leaning against Small and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Small goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Small lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Arteta or not.
Still in the clinch, Small scores with a nice short uppercut.
Arteta has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Arteta throws a punch but it's blocked by Small.
Arteta blocks an uppercut.
Arteta digs a right hand underneath Small's ribcage. Small let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Small has a couple of punches blocked by Arteta.
Arteta pushes Small back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Small lands a right hand.
Arteta tries to circle away but Small has him pinned against the cage.
Small has a couple of punches blocked by Arteta.

Arteta breaks the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arteta tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Small misses with a body shot.
Small connects with an inside leg kick.
Small throws a nice inside leg kick.
Arteta throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Arteta just misses with a punch to the body.

Arteta looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Arteta is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Small defends it well.
Arteta is just content to waste time from the top position. Small takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Arteta looking to sit in guard and control but Small gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Arteta has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Small can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Arteta looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Small passes into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arteta is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Small wants to stand but Arteta is controlling his arm.
Arteta is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Arteta's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Arteta is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arteta struggling a bit here.
Arteta is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Arteta manages to get back to half guard.
Arteta wants to control but Small is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Arteta manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Arteta wants to sweep here but Small controlling him for the moment.
Arteta working a defensive guard but Small manages to pass into side control anyway.
Arteta is looking for a sweep.
Arteta manages to get back to half guard.
Arteta wants to improve his position but Small is controlling well.
Arteta works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Arteta blocks a jab.
Arteta lands a jab to the head.
Arteta misses with an uppercut
and Small counters with an outside leg kick.
Arteta throws a body shot but no joy.
Arteta takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Arteta, as that shot connected.
Small lands a jab-cross combination.
Arteta tries to score with a low kick but Small moves his leg out of the way.
Small looks to throw the jab but Arteta is out of range.
Small takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Arteta slips under a jab.
Arteta keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Arteta uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Arteta bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Arteta goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Small has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Arteta but great work by Small.
Arteta is looking to regain half guard here but Small keeps moving and retains side control.
Arteta manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arteta trying to control here.
Uriah Small has got the better of the ground game so far.

Arteta looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Arteta trying to control from the bottom.
Arteta tries to roll over but Small keeps him under control.

Arteta with the active half guard here but Small passes nicely into side control.
Arteta struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Small decides to stand up, so the ref orders Arteta to his feet.
A leg kick checked by Small.
Arteta rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Small moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Small slips a straight right by Arteta.
Arteta throws a series of punches but Small avoids them all with ease.
Arteta throws a leg kick but Small moved away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Small looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Arteta throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Small to counter with a crisp jab.
Nice jab there from Arteta.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Small tries to clinch but Arteta is having none of it.
Arteta is looking to counter punch.
Arteta throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Small stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Arteta takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Arteta takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Small misses with a straight left.
Small is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Arteta.
Arteta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Small moves away.
Arteta throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Arteta is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Small.
Small is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Small throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Small steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Arteta.
It seemed like Small was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mikel Arteta is winning the standup battle so far.
Arteta throws a leg kick but Small sees it coming and moves out of range.
Arteta checks a leg kick nicely.
Arteta connects with an inside leg kick.
Mikel Arteta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Small is looking to slow Arteta down with leg kicks.
Arteta misses with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A swing and a miss from Arteta.
Arteta connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Arteta moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Small checks a leg kick.
Arteta is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Nice shot by Small.

Arteta throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Small tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Arteta is in Small's guard.
Arteta pushing down on Small's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Small is looking to escape.
Arteta wants to pass to mount but Small is defending the position.
Arteta is working hard here to advance position.
Small keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mikel Arteta will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Small tries to clinch but Arteta moves out of range.
Arteta fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
It seemed like Small was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Small with the inside leg kick.
Arteta uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Small.
Arteta looks to land a combination but Small avoids it well.
Small avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Small feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Artetas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Arteta throws a poor cross that misses
and Small counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Small digs a good hook to Arteta's body.
Small scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arteta waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Small.
Arteta waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Small.
Small slips under a jab.
Small looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Small displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Arteta.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arteta scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arteta scores with a jab to the jaw.
Small throws the left hand but Arteta avoids the punch easily.
Arteta is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Arteta attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Small moves into the clinch successfully.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Small as Arteta tries to tie him up.
Small lands a left hand.
Small lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Small misses with a hook from the clinch.
Small misses with a punch on the inside.

Arteta has clasped his hands together around Small's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Arteta tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Arteta trying to control the action but Small is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Arteta is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Small knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Arteta tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Small is being controlled here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small is not content to let Arteta control the position.

Arteta is working to tighten his grip on Small's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Small has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Arteta is really squeezing tight and eventually Small passes out! Arteta breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Mikel Arteta!
Mikel Arteta decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.