PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Junior Pike (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Velasquez has chosen California Waiting as his entrance music. 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.

Pike
vs
Velasquez

172 cm
22
149 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

168 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Junior Pike!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Junior Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velasquez shoots in for a takedown but Pike shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Velasquez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pike tries to avoid it but Velasquez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pike to the ground. Pike escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Velasquez shoots in for a double leg but Pike sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Junior Pike has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Velasquez.
Pike shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Velasquez sprawls well. Velasquez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Pike gets slowly back to his feet.
Velasquez tries for a takedown but Pike circles away easily

and Pike counters with a takedown into side control.
Pike lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Velasquez down.
Velasquez is trying to improve his position.
Velasquez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Pike scoring with punches and elbows.

Pike swings around for an armbar but Velasquez sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Pike's guard.

Pike looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Pike wants to hit a switch here but Velasquez passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Pike there!

Velasquez working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez looking to ground and pound but Pike is blocking nicely.
Pike is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Velasquez looking to control but Pike is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Velasquez breaks from Pike's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Velasquez is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Pike has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Pike has given up his back here.

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

Velasquez looking for the choke from the back.
Velasquez looks gassed!

Pike fending off the submission attempt from Velasquez.
Velasquez tries to get the hooks in deep but Pike pushed the leg off.
Even with his hooks in, Velasquez manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Velasquez keeps control of the position as Pike tries to break free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pike showing good submission defense here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez has the hooks in. Pike is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Pike looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Pike manages to reverse the position and now he's in Velasquez's guard. Nice work there by Pike.
Pike throws a strike but Velasquez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Velasquez stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Velasquez tries for a takedown but Pike circles away easily

and Pike counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pike.

Pike gets to his feet - Velasquez follows without any prompting.

Pike scores with a takedown into Velasquez's guard.
Velasquez wants to stand but Pike is controlling the position.

Velasquez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pike can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pike thows a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Pike dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nice takedown defense from Velasquez. No joy for Pike on that attempt.
No luck for Pike with that takedown attempt.
Pike shoots in but Velasquez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Junior Pike. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pike stuffs the takedown attempt from Velasquez. Velasquez gets slowly back to his feet.

Velasquez gets a takedown into half guard.
Velasquez uses his free foot to push down on Pike's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Pike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Velasquez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Velasquez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pike knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Velasquez on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pike is in all sorts of trouble here.
Pike is squirming around, avoiding Velasquez's attempts to control the action.
Velasquez controlling from mount.

Velasquez looking to secure an arm triangle but Pike defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pike is desperately trying to improve his position but Velasquez has a good base and remains in mount.
Velasquez working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Velasquez is landing with some decent strikes but Pike is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Velasquez postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Pike looks a forlorn figure.
Pike in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Velasquez trying to control but Pike is having none of it.

Velasquez is standing up, even though he is in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pike moves out of range of the body kick from Velasquez.
Nice cross by Velasquez.
Junior Pike is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Velasquez throws a sloppy head kick

and Pike counters with a shoot takedown. Velasquez fights it but they end up in guard.
Pike throwing strikes but missing.
Velasquez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pike.

Velasquez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Velasquez is looking to stand up but Pike isn't so interested in that idea.
Pike throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez wants to sweep but no luck.
Pike postures up.
Pike has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Velasquez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Velasquez has momentary wrist control but Pike slips an elbow through the middle.
Velasquez wants to sweep here but Pike controlling him for the moment.

Velasquez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pike gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Velasquez trying to keep a closed guard but Pike is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Velasquez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Pike's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Velasquez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Pike is trying to defend but Velasquez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Pike trying to control from the bottom.
Pike on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pike tries to get out of the position.
Velasquez is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Pike trying to control here.
Pike is trying to stand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pike wants to improve his position but Velasquez is controlling well.
Pike wants to get back to full guard but Velasquez has mounted him!
Pike is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Velasquez is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Pike has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Pike is looking to improve his position but Velasquez isn't that keen on the idea.
Velasquez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pike is looking to escape.
Junior Velasquez has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee warns Pike that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez tries to control but Pike wriggling away.
Pike tries to hold on but Velasquez pushes him away.

Velasquez looking to secure an arm triangle but Pike defends it well.
Velasquez cracks Pike with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Pike flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Pike tries to hold on but Velasquez postures up.
Velasquez postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Pike looks a forlorn figure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pike tries to improve his position but instead Velasquez has taken his back!
Velasquez trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Velasquez has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Pike.
Velasquez is punishing Pike with strikes - can he finish him?!
Velasquez trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Velasquez controlling well, preventing Pike from escaping the position.

Velasquez working for the choke.

Pike fending off the submission attempt from Velasquez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez struggling to keep hold of the position.

Velasquez has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Pike has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Pike defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Pike controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Junior Velasquez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Velasquez has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight for Junior Velasquez!
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight for Junior Velasquez!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Junior Velasquez!

Junior Velasquez wins by unanimous decision!