PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rene Lafayette (ranked 1120 p4p, 1702 weight class) and Lou Valentine (ranked 156 p4p, 233 weight class). Lafayette comes to the cage accompanied by Radar Love - Golden Earring. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Lafayette
vs
Valentine

179 cm
29
170
24 - 13 - 0

174 cm
29
172
11 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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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 24 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rene Lafayette!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lou Valentine!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Steve Montenegro and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valentine fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Valentine stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lafayette.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Valentine has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Valentine shoots in looking for a takedown. Lafayette tries to sprawl out of it but Valentine keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lafayette manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rene Lafayette seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lafayette blocks a low kick nicely.
Valentine throws a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lafayette misses with a looping left.
Lafayette dips to his left and cracks Valentine with an uppercut!
Valentine throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lafayette stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Valentine bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lafayette avoids the head kick by Valentine.
Lafayette scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Valentine throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Valentine throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lafayette sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lafayette fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Valentine has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Lafayette dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Valentine scores with a one two! Lafayette had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Lafayette ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Valentine takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Lafayette looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Valentine throws out a counter right but Lafayette avoids it with no problem.
Lafayette has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Quarry in the buildup to the fight.
Lafayette throws a hook but Valentine avoids it easily.
Lafayette sets himself, and Valentine steps forward looking for the clinch! Lafayette avoids it this time.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Valentine takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine throws a series of punches but Lafayette avoids them all with ease.
Lafayette drops his hands momentarily and Valentine takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Lafayette throws a hook but Valentine avoids it easily.
Lafayette misses with a leg kick
and Valentine counters with a stiff right hand.
Lafayette wants to land a leg kick but Valentine is out of range.
Valentine looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Valentine tries to clinch
and Lafayette connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A big right from Lafayette misses.
Lafayette scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Lafayette is looking to score with low kicks.
Lafayette waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Valentine.
Lafayette takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lafayette dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lafayette throws a series of punches but Valentine avoids them all with ease.
Valentine throws a push kick but Lafayette slaps the foot to one side.
Lafayette avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Valentine tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lafayette throws a big counter combination but Valentine scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Valentine thows a leg kick but Lafayette checks it
and Lafayette counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Valentine tries to move into range but Lafayette moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A jab from Valentine finds it's way through Lafayette's defenses.
Lafayette throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Valentine.
Lafayette throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rene Lafayette is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lafayette's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Lafayette duly obliges.
Valentine throws a combination that misses
and Lafayette counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Lafayette throws a right and a left that Valentine avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lafayette blocks a jab.
Valentine misses with a kick to the body.
Lafayette is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A jab from Lafayette finds it's way through Valentine's defenses.
Lafayette lands an overhand right.
Lafayette throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A good leg kick by Lafayette.
Lafayette throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Valentine.
Lafayette wants to slow Valentine down by chopping away at his legs.
Lafayette feints and then cracks Valentine's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Valentine down.
Lafayette throws a body punch but Valentine moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rene Lafayette dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lafayette misses with a wild combination.
Lafayette lands a nice looking body shot.
Lafayette just misses with a punch to the body.
Valentine misses with a body shot
and Lafayette cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lafayette swings for the body but Valentine moves out of range.
Good work by Valentine as he checks the leg kick.
Valentine tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lafayette was well out of range. Poor timing from Valentine.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valentine checks the leg kick.
Valentine misses with a leg kick.
Valentine lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Lafayette on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lafayette throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lafayette is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Valentine can do to turn this around?
Lafayette lands with a thumping leg kick.

Lafayette gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Valentine to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Valentine avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lafayette can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Valentine controls the pace.
Valentine slips nicely into half guard.
Valentine scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Lafayette slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine trying to control the position from guard on top but Lafayette is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valentine controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Lafayette wants to sweep here but Valentine controlling him for the moment.
Valentine pushes down on Lafayette's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Valentine seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lafayette does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Valentine lands a nice short elbow.
Lafayette is looking to improve his position.

Valentine 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Valentine is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Valentine is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Lafayette doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Valentine.
Lafayette is looking for a sweep. Valentine is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Valentine trying to control the action but Lafayette is working from the bottom.

Valentine is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Lafayette is just riding it out for now. Valentine eventually gives up the hold.

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

Valentine is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lafayette manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Valentine avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Valentine avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Valentine missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lou Valentine showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Lafayette takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Valentine attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A slow jab from Lafayette misses its intended target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Valentine! But no joy.
Valentine throws an off balance right hand
and Lafayette counters with a slapping leg kick.
Valentine misses with a head kick.
Lafayette throws a jab but it's blocked by Valentine.
Rene Lafayette is winning the standup battle so far.
Valentine chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Valentine doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lafayette throws a lazy right hand but Valentine sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lafayette slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lafayette connects with a leg kick.
Some wild striking there from Lafayette.
Valentine doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Valentine.
Lafayette lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Lafayette lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Valentine checks a leg kick nicely.
Lafayette throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Valentine lands a head kick. Lafayette smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Lafayette connects with a high kick.

Valentine gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Lafayette breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Valentine swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lafayette.
Valentine jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Valentine gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Lafayette counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lafayette lands a nice shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lafayette connects with a body shot that sends Valentine's belly button to the back.
Lafayette ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Valentine moves away.
Valentine throws a body punch but Lafayette moves out of range.
Lafayette uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Valentine.
Valentine takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Valentine's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Valentine misses with a right hand
and Lafayette connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Valentine rushes Lafayette and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine lands a shot to the body.
Lafayette wants to break free but Valentine has control.
Valentine is working for takedown but Lafayette is calmly controlling the position for now.
Valentine has Lafayette pressed against the cage, preventing Lafayette from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lafayette wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Valentine has him pressed against the cage.
Valentine swings wildly with an uppercut but Lafayette uses good head movement to avoid it.

Valentine has hold of one of Lafayette's legs. Lafayette is fighting the takedown attempt but Valentine gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Lafayette looking for a sweep. Not yet Lafayette, not yet.
Valentine stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lafayette swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lou Valentine has got the better of the ground game so far.
Valentine scoring with some ground and pound.

Valentine is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Lafayette keeping moving, preventing Valentine from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine stopping the sweep attempt from Lafayette.
Valentine is pushing down on Lafayette's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lafayette is fighting to maintain full guard but Valentine has managed to sneak the leg through.

Valentine is working for a submission of some sort.
Lafayette is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Valentine's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Valentine's back!
Valentine manages to reverse the position and now he's in Lafayette's guard. Nice work there by Valentine.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Valentine loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Lafayette looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Valentine throwing strikes from guard but Lafayette blocks nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lou Valentine.
I think Valentine 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!