PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Son Phu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Malachi Mitchell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malachi Mitchell has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Phu
vs
Mitchell

167 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Son Phu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Malachi Mitchell!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phu knocks Mitchell to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?

Mitchell is rocked!

It looks like Malachi Mitchell has been cut.
Mitchell gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Mitchell is still in real trouble! Can Phu finish him?
It looks like Phu is going to stand back up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Phu in particular looking to stall.
Mitchell seems to have recovered his senses.

Mitchell actively working from the bottom here.
Phu takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Phu slips a nice elbow through Mitchell's hands, connecting with Mitchell's forehead.

Mitchell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mitchell looks gassed!
Phu throwing shots but Mitchell is blocking nicely.
Phu controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phu wants to stand up but Mitchell has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Phu is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Mitchell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Phu controlling the pace.
Phu seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Mitchell for as long as he can get away with.

Mitchell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Phu knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mitchell on the ground.

Mitchell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Phu controlling the action here.
Phu works his way into side control.

Phu decides to stand back up. Phu steps back and let's Mitchell get back to his feet.

Mitchell tries to keep at a distance but Phu has taken the fight into the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Mitchell tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Phu just stands there and leans against the cage.

Mitchell gets control of Phu's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mitchell will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Mitchell being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Phu gets to his feet - Mitchell follows without any prompting.

Phu shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Mitchell is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Phu is aware though and is defending well.

Mitchell looking for subs off his back but Phu has passed one foot through into half guard.

Phu postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Mitchell to stand up.

Phu feints and as Mitchell raises his hands in defense, Phu changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Phu wants to stand but Mitchell is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mitchell can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Phu controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell is looking for a triangle but Phu pushes his legs off easily.
Mitchell can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Phu controls the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Son Phu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Malachi Mitchell's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Phu closes the distance and pushes Mitchell back into the cage.
Mitchell tries to pull guard but Phu won't allow it.

Phu manages to break the clinch.
Phu fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Mitchell on the side of the head.

Phu clinches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Phu stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Phu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mitchell tries for a takedown but Phu circles away easily
and Phu counters with a body kick.

Phu drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The referee asks Phu politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Phu prefers to stall for the moment though.

Phu decides to stand back up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phu scores with a head kick.

Phu pushes Mitchell up against the cage in a clinch.
Phu is pressed up against the cage. Mitchell has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Phu down to the mat. Phu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Son Phu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malachi Mitchell.
Mitchell misses with a takedown

and Phu decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mitchell's guard.

Phu stands and steps away. Mitchell gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Phu drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Phu wants to stand but Mitchell has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Mitchell is looking for a triangle but Phu pushes his legs off easily.

Mitchell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Mitchell looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Phu passes into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell tries to improve position but can't.
Mitchell is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mitchell seems a little lost for a moment, as Phu dominates the positioning.
Mitchell is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A lull in the action here.
Mitchell is looking to regain half guard here but Phu keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Phu decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Phu.

Phu decides to stand back up. Phu steps back and let's Mitchell get back to his feet.
Phu scores with a shot to the body.
Phu lands a head kick!
Phu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Phu getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Son Phu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Phu takes the fight into the clinch.
Phu stalling in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phu lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Phu has hold of one of Mitchell's legs. Mitchell is fighting the takedown attempt but Phu gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Phu wants to pass the guard but Mitchell is keeping the position.

Mitchell looking for a guillotine here but Phu defends easily.

Mitchell looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Phu accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Phu stands up from Mitchell's guard - Phu perhaps looking for a knockout.
Mitchell shoots and misses
and Phu counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Phu connects with a high kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Son Phu dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Malachi Mitchell's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Phu gets a clinch.
Mitchell jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Phu walks away with a smile on his face. Mitchell gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Phu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Mitchell takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Mitchell shoots and misses
and Phu counters with a straight right hand.

Phu feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Mitchell is looking for a triangle but Phu pushes his legs off easily.

Mitchell has his foot on Phu's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Phu works his way back into a safe position though.

Mitchell looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Phu has picked Mitchell up and slammed him! Mitchell can't keep hold of the triangle and Phu manages to pass to side control!
Phu staying calm.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell manages to get back to half guard.
Phu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Phu lands with a punch from half guard.

Mitchell looking for a kimura from the bottom but Phu passes into side control!
Mitchell is looking to reverse the position.
Phu controls the position.
Mitchell is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Phu decides to stand up, so the ref orders Mitchell to his feet.

Phu gets a takedown into half guard.
Mitchell moves into full guard.
Phu is looking to stand up but Mitchell won't let him.

Mitchell looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Mitchell is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phu not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Mitchell working for a triangle but Phu defends it easily.

Phu stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Malachi Mitchell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phu lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Mitchell shoots and misses
and Phu counters with a head kick. That will keep Mitchell thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Son Phu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malachi Mitchell.
Phu lands a nice looking body kick.
Mitchell with a lazy takedown attempt
and Phu counters with a left to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Phu shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Mitchell is trying to defend but Phu finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Mitchell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Son Phu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Phu wants to get back to his feet.

Mitchell is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Phu pulls his head out easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Phu looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Malachi Mitchell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Phu has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Son Phu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Phu has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:26
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Son Phu!