PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jose Ignacio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Whitaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Mike Whitaker was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Ignacio
vs
Whitaker

199 cm
23
260 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

192 cm
18
270 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jose Ignacio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Whitaker!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitaker misses with a looping right.
Ignacio shoots in but Whitaker avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Whitaker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Ignacio scores with a takedown into Whitaker's guard.
Whitaker should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Ignacio controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Whitaker trying to keep a closed guard but Ignacio is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Whitaker isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Ignacio stacks Whitaker on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Ignacio!
Whitaker trying his best to control but Ignacio has mounted him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ignacio thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Ignacio cracks Whitaker with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Whitaker tries to hold on but Ignacio pushes him away.
Whitaker really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Whitaker tries to lock up and control but Ignacio gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Whitaker trying desperately to get to his feet.
Whitaker holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Ignacio tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Whitaker is looking to improve his position but Ignacio isn't that keen on the idea.
Ignacio thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Whitaker is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Whitaker is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Whitaker sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ignacio not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Whitaker kicks off Ignacio and gets to his feet.
Jose Ignacio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No joy there for Ignacio, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Ignacio closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Whitaker is trying to control Ignacio's posture but Ignacio avoids it.
Whitaker tries to control but Ignacio manages to take his back.
Ignacio trying to control momentarily.
Whitaker trying to control the hands but Ignacio won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Ignacio dominated that round.
That's time! Ignacio's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ignacio shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Whitaker defends it nicely.
Ignacio shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Whitaker but Whitaker pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ignacio throws a shot from downtown. Whitaker moves away and avoids it.

Whitaker shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ignacio manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Whitaker throwing strikes from guard but Ignacio blocks nicely.

Ignacio is working an open guard so Whitaker takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ignacio gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Whitaker counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Ignacio. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ignacio wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ignacio tries to break the clinch but Whitaker is controlling the position.

Whitaker gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Ignacio trying to control here.
Whitaker controlling the pace.
Ignacio is not content to let Whitaker control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Whitaker seems to be looking for submissions.
Ignacio trying to control here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ignacio with a lazy takedown attempt

and Whitaker counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ignacio's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker wants to control from the top but Ignacio keeps moving.
Whitaker working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Whitaker trying to control but Ignacio is working from the bottom.
Whitaker trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mike Whitaker has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ignacio has control of Whitaker's left arm, preventing Whitaker from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Whitaker trying to control but Ignacio is working from the bottom.
Whitaker wants to pass the guard but Ignacio is keeping the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Whitaker changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ignacio looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Whitaker working the strikes but Ignacio uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Whitaker trying to control from half guard but Ignacio is working away.
Ignacio is controlling Whitaker's position as best he can from this difficult position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Whitaker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Whitaker rushes Ignacio and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Whitaker is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Ignacio breaks from the clinch.

Whitaker looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Whitaker throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ignacio works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Whitaker with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ignacio pulls Whitaker in close to his closed guard and prevents Whitaker from doing any damage or advancing position.
Ignacio keeping moving, preventing Whitaker from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ignacio preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ignacio pulls Whitaker in close to prevent any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Whitaker fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ignacio, pushing him back against the cage.
Nice body punch from Ignacio - that landed with a thud.

Ignacio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Whitaker scores a takedown into full mount!

Whitaker goes for an armbar but Ignacio turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Ignacio.
Whitaker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ignacio wants to control from the top but Whitaker keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker trying to keep a closed guard but Ignacio is proving a slippery customer.
Whitaker wants to improve his position but instead Ignacio has moved into half guard.
Whitaker is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Whitaker is trying to control but can't.
Whitaker is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Ignacio is staying active.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ignacio doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Whitaker counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Whitaker.
Whitaker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Whitaker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Whitaker 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Whitaker!