PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Andre Good Boy (ranked 2368 p4p, 6197 weight class) and Steve Bates (ranked 348 p4p, 689 weight class). The key to victory for Andre Good Boy has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Good Boy
vs
Bates

190 cm
26
196
2 - 2 - 0

184 cm
26
185
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Andre Good Boy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Steve Bates!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Daniel Franklin and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good Boy looks to score with a jab to the body but Bates is just out of range.
Good Boy misses with an uppercut.
Bates throws a body shot but no joy.

Bates decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Bates is looking to stall here but Good Boy recovers full guard.
Good Boy definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Good Boy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bates.
Bates tries to free his leg and advance position but Good Boy is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bates trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bates is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Good Boy wants to sweep here but Bates controlling him for the moment.
Bates must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates wants to control from the top but Good Boy keeps moving.
Bates scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates working some strikes from top position.
Bates tries to free his leg and advance position but Good Boy is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bates throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bates accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bates looking to sit in guard and control but Good Boy gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Good Boy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bates swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bates keeping moving, preventing Good Boy from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bates looking for a guillotine here but Good Boy defends easily.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bates can do anything to dispel that myth.
Good Boy slips nicely into half guard.
Good Boy is looking to advance position but Bates won't allow it.
Bates is pressing down on Good Boy's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Good Boy controls from within his opponent's guard.
Bates wants to sweep here but Good Boy controlling him for the moment.

Bates is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Good Boy is aware though and is defending well.
Good Boy trying to control but Bates is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good Boy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Good Boy pushes down on Bates's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Good Boy prevents Bates from improving his position.

Bates actively working from the bottom here.
Bates really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Good Boy. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Good Boy looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bates with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Good Boy has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bates is looking to improve his position but Good Boy isn't that keen on the idea.
Bates is squirming around, avoiding Good Boy's attempts to control the action.
Good Boy punching from mount but Bates doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good Boy avoids the attempt from Bates to control.
Bates is wriggling around trying to escape.
Good Boy wants to take his opponent's back but Bates doesn't allow it.
Bates is looking to get to half guard.
Good Boy misses with a head shot.
Bates is trying desperately to improve position.
Good Boy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bates is looking to escape.
Bates is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Good Boy wants to control the pace but Bates is squirming around nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Andre Good Boy will probably get the nod.
That's time! Good Boy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A punch combination from Bates misses.
Bates throws a shot from downtown. Good Boy moves away and avoids it.
Bates fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Good Boy manages to avoid it.
Bates's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Good Boy connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Bates scrambles back to his feet.
Bates swings for the body but Good Boy moves out of range.
Bates ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Good Boy has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Good Boy there as he acknowledges the shot.
Good Boy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice jab there from Bates.
Bates throws a series of strikes that have Good Boy backpedaling.
Good Boy throws a looping overhand right but Bates ducks down to avoid it.

Bates moves into range and clinches up with Good Boy.
Good Boy tries to circle away but Bates has him pinned against the cage.
Bates throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Good Boy avoids the elbow strike from Bates, against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Good Boy blocks the elbow strike.
Bates throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Good Boy is trying to force a seperation but Bates has the dominant position.
Good Boy blocks an elbow strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Good Boy.
Bates looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Good Boy blocks an elbow strike from Bates.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Good Boy blocks the elbow strike.

Bates has Good Boy pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Bates pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Good Boy tumbling to the mat - Bates dives into Good Boy's guard.
Bates wants to control from the top but Good Boy keeps moving.
Bates with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bates postures up in Good Boy's guard and throws a big left but Good Boy blocks it.
Bates stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Good Boy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bates is looking to advance position but Good Boy has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Bates is looking to improve his position but Good Boy isn't that keen on the idea.
Good Boy trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good Boy is really struggling to control Bates but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Good Boy looking to finish with strikes here!
Bates can't escape the position.
Bates keeps trying to improve his position.
Bates manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good Boy moves nicely into side control.
Andre Good Boy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bates gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Good Boy looking to ground and pound but Bates is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good Boy prevents Bates from getting the reversal.

Good Boy is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Bates can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Good Boy looking to control but Bates is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Good Boy is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Bates is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Good Boy breaks from Bates's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Good Boy trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bates is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates tries to hold on but Good Boy pushes him away.
Bates looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Bates looking very determined here, making life difficult for Good Boy.
Bates rolls, trying to escape but Good Boy keeps control of the position.
Good Boy avoiding Bates 's attempts to control his hands.
Good Boy throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Good Boy is not going to allow Bates to sit and survive in this position.
Good Boy is hanging on to Bates's back as he tries to escape.
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 Andre Good Boy will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Good Boy looks to score with a jab to the body but Bates is just out of range.

Bates closes the distance and clinches.
Good Boy lands a shot to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Bates just misses with a elbow thrown towards Good Boy's brow.
Bates comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Bates looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Bates gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Bates seems to be working for a kimura but Good Boy defends the submission attempt.
Good Boy gets full guard.
Good Boy is trying to keep Bates in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates trying to control but Good Boy is working from the bottom.
Bates trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates looking to sit in guard and control but Good Boy gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bates can't keep his opponent in guard - Good Boy advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Good Boy seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bates does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bates tries to roll over but Good Boy keeps him under control.
Good Boy uses his free foot to push down on Bates's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Bates.
Bates is wriggling around trying to escape.
Good Boy wants to control the pace but Bates is squirming around nicely.
Good Boy controlling from the full mount.
Good Boy trying to control but Bates is having none of it.
Steve Bates has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates tries to lock up and control but Good Boy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bates gets back to half guard.
Bates is staying active underneath Good Boy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bates wants to improve his position but Good Boy is controlling well.
Good Boy wants to take a breather but Bates is having none of it.
Bates is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Good Boy is keen to just control but Bates is a slippery customer.

Good Boy is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Good Boy is looking to take a break and control but Bates is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates trying to hold on to Good Boy's head to control him but Good Boy postures up.
Good Boy works his way into full mount!
Bates manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Bates is refusing to be controlled, as Good Boy sits in half guard.
Good Boy thows a huge punch but Bates dodges it nicely.
Good Boy thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bates is trying to control but Good Boy passes into side control!
Good Boy trying to control the position but Bates is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates tries to bench press Good Boy off him but Good Boy keeps the position.
Good Boy wants to control but Bates is keeping him busy.
Good Boy moves into full mount!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bates is desperately trying to improve his position but Good Boy has a good base and remains in mount.
Andre Good Boy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Good Boy wants to control the pace but Bates is squirming around nicely.

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 Andre Good Boy.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Good Boy, 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Good Boy!