PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikel Arteta (ranked 1000 p4p, 1072 weight class) and Yeshua Immanuel (ranked 133 p4p, 144 weight class). Arteta's entrance music is Stranglehold/ Ted Nugent. A fine choice. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Arteta
vs
Immanuel

191 cm
27
200
8 - 3 - 0

181 cm
35
190
10 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite chin

Vegan Gains

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 8 - 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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yeshua Immanuel!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Paul Tew and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arteta ducks under a wild hook from Immanuel.
Arteta will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Yeshua Immanuel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arteta misses with a looping left.
Immanuel pulls out of a head kick attempt.
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 tries to land a leg kick but Immanuel saw it coming and moves away.
Arteta takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Arteta scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Immanuel slips a jab and a cross from Arteta.
Arteta bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Arteta throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Arteta with a jab.
Arteta throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Immanuel stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Immanuel has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

Immanuel has Arteta up against the cage in a clinch.
Arteta prevents a body shot from Immanuel.

Arteta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Immanuel misses with a looping left.
Immanuel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Arteta with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Arteta pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Immanuel takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Arteta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Immanuel circles away.
Immanuel misses with a looping left.
Arteta misses with a body kick.
Immanuel is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Arteta checks a low kick from Immanuel.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Arteta.
Immanuel checks a low kick from Arteta.
Arteta throws a head kick that misses.
Immanuel only half commits to the counter leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Immanuel. Arteta does a little dance to reset his feet.
Immanuel uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
A head kick misses from Arteta.
Arteta takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Immanuel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Immanuel looks to score with a jab to the body but Arteta is just out of range.
A head kick misses from Arteta.
Immanuel throws a big shot that misses.
Arteta throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Arteta checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Arteta shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Immanuel is staying active underneath Arteta, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Immanuel is looking for a sweep. Arteta is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Arteta is looking to stall here but Immanuel recovers full guard.
Arteta advances position into side control!

Arteta is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Immanuel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Arteta trying to control the action but Immanuel is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arteta throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Immanuel works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Immanuel moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Arteta trying to control the position from guard on top but Immanuel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Arteta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Immanuel is pulling down on Arteta's head. It's preventing any offense from Arteta, at least for the moment.
Arteta trying to control the position from guard on top but Immanuel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four 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.
Arteta passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Arteta swings around for an armbar but Immanuel sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Arteta's guard.
Immanuel stays in close to Arteta's body and controls the position.
Arteta wants to sweep but no luck.
Arteta avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Arteta manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Immanuel manages to get himself to full guard.

Immanuel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Arteta wants to pass the guard but Immanuel is keeping the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Arteta dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Immanuel fails to land with a series of punches.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Arteta.
Arteta trying to control the position but Immanuel is working away.

Arteta is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Immanuel has escaped the position, nice work there.
Immanuel tries to get back to half guard but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arteta throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Arteta taking a breather here.
Immanuel sneaks back into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arteta is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Immanuel is refusing to be controlled, as Arteta sits in half guard.
Immanuel is looking to improve his position.
Immanuel blocking the ground and pound attempt from Arteta.
Arteta passes to side control.

Arteta working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

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.
Arteta trying to control the position but Immanuel is working away.
Arteta wants to take a breather but Immanuel manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Arteta.
Arteta controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Arteta is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Immanuel can do to turn this around?
Arteta wants to pass the guard but Immanuel is keeping the position.
Arteta advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arteta is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Immanuel has managed to free his arm - good work.

Arteta seems to be working for a kimura but Immanuel defends the submission attempt.
Immanuel is looking for a sweep. Arteta is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Arteta seems to be looking for submissions.
Mikel Arteta overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Immanuel is trying to maintain the position but Arteta is very close to passing his half guard.

Arteta is working for a kimura but Immanuel is defending it quite comfortably.

Arteta seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Immanuel wants to control but Arteta is keeping busy.
Arteta lands strikes from half guard.
Immanuel is looking for a sweep. Arteta is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Arteta has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Arteta working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Arteta 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Arteta throws a wild body kick that Immanuel sees coming a mile off.
Sloppy strikes from Arteta. Those never looked like landing.
A left lands for Arteta.
Arteta misses with a double jab.
Immanuel swings for the body but Arteta moves out of range.
Immanuel jabs Arteta to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Immanuel tries to clinch but Arteta is having none of it.
Arteta ducks under a wild hook from Immanuel.

Arteta closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Immanuel quickly recovers to half guard.
Arteta is trying to control the action in half guard but Immanuel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Immanuel is trying to get back to full guard.

Arteta looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Immanuel keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arteta works his way into side control.

Arteta is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Immanuel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Arteta looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Arteta thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Immanuel can't do much from the bottom here.
Arteta wants to control but Immanuel is keeping him busy.
Immanuel is trying to control Arteta's posture but Arteta avoids it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sloppy strikes there by Arteta.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arteta working away.

Arteta wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Immanuel, who protects the arm well.

Arteta is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Immanuel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Arteta working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Arteta wants to lay and pray for a moment but Immanuel keeps working.
Immanuel is looking to regain half guard here but Arteta keeps moving and retains side control.
Immanuel wants to get back to his feet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Arteta is trying to get an arm triangle but Immanuel is defending well.

Arteta tries for a kimura but Immanuel is defending well.
Mikel Arteta is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Immanuel managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Arteta.
Arteta lands some shots froms side control.
Yeshua Immanuel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Arteta tries for a kimura but Immanuel is defending well.
Immanuel sneaks back into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikel Arteta showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Arteta, 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikel Arteta!
Mikel Arteta very nearly forgot to thank Vegan Gains amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.
In defeat, Yeshua Immanuel stepped up to the mic, saying 'Thanks to my coaches, sorry I came up short. Great game plan by my opponent. It was his night tonight. '.