PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bleeding Spanner (ranked 225 p4p, 1161 weight class) and Mike Haggar (ranked 39 p4p, 135 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Spanner
vs
Haggar

202 cm
28
265
18 - 5 - 0

202 cm
26
266
15 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Core Combat

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bleeding Spanner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Haggar!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body punch from Haggar.
Haggar throws a lazy uppercut
and Spanner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Spanner misses with an uppercut.
Mike Haggar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haggar loads up on a big right hand but Spanner slips the punch.
Haggar misses with a body shot.
As Haggar backs away, Spanner returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Spanner getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Haggar moves away from the strike by Spanner.
Haggar lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Spanner has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Haggar swings widly with a right hand
and Spanner counters with a stiff right hand.
Spanner tries to land a leg kick but Haggar saw it coming and moves away.
Haggar has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Haggar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Haggar throws a hook but Spanner avoids it easily.
Spanner throws a right hand that misses
and Spanner takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Spanner throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Haggar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Spanner manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spanner fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Spanner stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Spanner throws a jab when Haggar was well out of range.
Haggar tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Haggar misses the shot to the body.
Haggar throws a body shot but no joy.
Spanner takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Haggar gets the takedown into side control.
Haggar trying to control the action but Spanner is working from the bottom.
Spanner is trying to escape the position but Haggar is controlling the position.
Spanner parries the strikes from Haggar easily there. Haggar is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Spanner to escape.
Haggar has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haggar is working Spanner over with some ground and pound from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Spanner takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
You can see the frustration on Spanner's face as Haggar controls the position.
Haggar is chipping away with strikes.

It looks like Bleeding Spanner has been cut.
Haggar throws an elbow but Spanner slips to the side and avoids it well.
Spanner defending against the ground and pound.
An elbow from Haggar crashes against the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haggar working the ground and pound but Spanner is defending the strikes.
Spanner is being controlled here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Haggar scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Spanner to see if he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanner is looking to regain half guard here but Haggar keeps moving and retains side control.
Spanner is not content to let Haggar control the position.
Haggar sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Spanner is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Haggar scores with punches from side control.
Spanner regains half guard there - taking advantage of Haggar's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Spanner tries to roll over but Haggar keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haggar not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Haggar not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Spanner is refusing to be controlled, as Haggar sits in half guard.
Haggar is controlling the pace.
Spanner blocking the ground and pound attempt from Haggar.
Haggar is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Spanner reverses the position - he's now on top in Haggar's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Haggar dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bleeding Spanner's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Haggar takes a swing at Spanner's ribcage but misses.
Spanner takes one to the chin there.
Haggar misses the jab.
As Haggar backs away, Spanner returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Spanner lands a nice hook to Haggar's body. Haggar takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Haggar fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Donk. Spanner catches Haggar right on the button with a cross.

It looks like Mike Haggar has been cut.
Haggar misses with a wild body shot.
Bleeding Spanner is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Haggar clinches up with Spanner and pushes him back against the cage.
A body shot lands from Spanner.
Haggar blocking some punches.
Spanner scores with a nice hook to the head.
Haggar stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Spanner digs a right hand underneath Haggar's ribcage. Haggar let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haggar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Haggar throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Spanner sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Spanner is looking to counter punch.
Haggar swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Spanner.
Haggar throws a looping overhand right but Spanner ducks down to avoid it.
It looked like Spanner wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Haggar steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Spanner.
Spanner throws a leg kick

and Haggar counters with a shoot takedown. Spanner fights it but they end up in guard.
Haggar content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Haggar not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Haggar trying to control but Spanner is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haggar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Haggar content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Haggar missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Haggar trying to control the position from guard on top but Spanner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Haggar is stalling in the full guard.
Haggar throws an elbow that misses. Spanner uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Haggar's guard. Nice move by Spanner!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanner stopping the sweep attempt from Haggar.
Spanner slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Haggar tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Haggar trying to keep a closed guard but Spanner is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Spanner swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Spanner drops his hands momentarily and Haggar takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Haggar throws a lazy uppercut
and Spanner counters with a leg kick.
Haggar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Spanner.
Haggar changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Haggar misses the body punch
and Spanner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Spanner just misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Spanner delivers a nice body kick.
Spanner slips under a jab.
Spanner steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Haggar.
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 Bleeding Spanner will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Spanner takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Spanner throws a big shot that misses.
Haggar tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Haggar steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Spanner.
Haggar just misses with a punch to the body.
Spanner uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Haggar has time to react.
Haggar scores with a crisp jab that stopped Spanner in his tracks.
Haggar throws a looping overhand right but Spanner ducks down to avoid it.
Haggar blocks the body kick.
Haggar swings for the body but Spanner moves out of range.
It looked like Spanner wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haggar tries for a takedown but Spanner circles away easily
and Spanner cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A telegraphed right hand from Haggar misses the target.
It looked like Spanner wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Spanner pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haggar lands a nice hook to Spanner's body. Spanner takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Haggar misses with a body shot.
Spanner fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Haggar misses with a body punch
and Spanner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Haggar ducks under a wild hook from Spanner.
Haggar paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Haggar swings away with a body shot that misses
and Spanner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Spanner staying out of range there.
A jab from Haggar misses.
A little feinted left hand from Spanner on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Bleeding Spanner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Haggar throws a lazy right hand but Spanner sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Some wild striking there from Spanner.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haggar lands with an uppercut that bounces Spanner off the cage and back into range.
Haggar misses with a body punch
enabling Spanner to counter with a crisp jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Haggar thuds a left hand into Spanner's body.
Nice defenses there by Spanner.
Spanner was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Haggar works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Haggar takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Spanner throws a low kick but Haggar avoids it.
Decent striking displayed by Spanner there.
That kick from Spanner tenderised Haggar's leg. Haggar is trying to keep his angry face on.
Spanner misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haggar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Spanner.
Spanner doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Haggar waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Spanner.
Haggar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Haggar lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Spanner throws out a loose jab but Haggar uses good head movement to avoid it.
Haggar with the counter takedown but Spanner avoids it easily.
Good standup being displayed there by Spanner as he connects with a hook.
Haggar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Spanner.
Haggar throws out a counter right but Spanner avoids it with no problem.
Spanner looks to land a right hand but Haggar moved out of range.
Spanner throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Haggar sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Haggar with the counter takedown but Spanner avoids it easily.
Spanner ducks under a wild hook from Haggar.
Haggar connects with a good right hand that stumbles Spanner. Spanner circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spanner staying out of range there.
Spanner fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Haggar checks it well.
Haggar misses with a looping left.
A little feinted left hand from Spanner on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Haggar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Jab from Haggar.
Haggar lands a nice looking body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Haggar dips to his left and cracks Spanner with an uppercut!
Haggar jabs at Spanner's body.
Haggar scores with a jab to the body.
Haggar tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Spanner was well out of range. Poor timing from Haggar.
Haggar lands a right hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mike Haggar.
I think Haggar has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Haggar!
The defeated Bleeding Spanner had this to say: 'That was fucking bullshit!'.