PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Holmes (ranked 476 p4p, 375 weight class) and Francesco Monroe (ranked 73 p4p, 58 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Holmes
vs
Monroe

188 cm
23
205
8 - 2 - 0

195 cm
22
205
11 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)
Fantasy Threads

Uncle Rufus Clothing .Co
30th Century Beer Store

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Holmes!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Francesco Monroe!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Monroe.

Holmes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Monroe, pushing him back against the cage.
Monroe looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Monroe.
Holmes tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Monroe avoids it.
Monroe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Holmes has him pressed against the cage.
Monroe misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Holmes misses with a knee strike.

Monroe manages to break the clinch.
A low kick from Holmes misses

and Monroe counters with a crisp one two that drops Holmes! Monroe thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Holmes to his feet! Holmes is in big trouble!

Holmes is rocked!
Monroe misses with the combination.
Oh Holmes is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Holmes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holmes seems to have got his legs back now.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Monroe is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes blocks a body shot from Monroe.
Monroe lands a hook that snaps the head of Holmes backwards.
Monroe gets through Holmes's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Monroe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Monroe avoiding damage as Holmes throws knees to the body.
Holmes throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Monroes head.
Holmes misses with a punch on the inside.
Monroe is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Monroe manages to break the clinch.
Holmes slips a straight right by Monroe.
Holmes throws a quick counter head kick but Monroe was just out of range.
Monroe misses with a two punch combination.
Holmes is looking to counter the offense by Monroe and move into the clinch.
Monroe misses with a shot to the body
and Holmes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Francesco Monroe has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monroe checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Monroe misses the shot to the body.
Holmes will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Monroe swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Holmes looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Holmes throws a right hand that misses
and Monroe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holmes wants to clinch but Monroe slips to the side
and Monroe counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Holmes dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Monroe. That did some damage!
Monroe takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Francesco Monroe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Monroe misses with a hook. Holmes ducked under it nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Holmes on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Monroe misses its intended target.
Monroe tests Holmes's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Monroe lands a nice shot that snaps Holmes's head back.
Holmes slips a jab and a cross from Monroe.
Monroe scores with a hook to the body. Holmes takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Holmes throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Monroe on the side of the head.
Holmes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Monroe avoids the head kick by Holmes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe looks to land a left hand but Holmes moved out of range nicely.
Monroe throws an off balance right hand
and Holmes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Monroe misses with a right hand
and Holmes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monroe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Monroe jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Monroe throws out a loose jab but Holmes uses good head movement to avoid it.
A low kick from Holmes misses
and Monroe counters with a right, left combo that wobbles Holmes badly! Monroe follows up with a massive right hook, straight to the bridge of the nose that knocks Holmes out cold! Oh wow, what a finish! Very reminiscent of Koscheck vs Yoshida as Monroe finished him against the cage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Francesco Monroe!
Francesco Monroe is the new light heavyweight champion!
Francesco Monroe bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.