PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Victor Du Bois (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Cole (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Travis Cole is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Du Bois
vs
Cole

180 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
22
187 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Victor Du Bois!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Travis Cole!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cole keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Du Bois tries to close the distance and clinch but Cole swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Du Bois avoids the head kick by Cole.
Du Bois doesn't manage to clinch there - Cole circles away.
Cole keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Du Bois scores with a hook.
Cole slips under a jab from Du Bois.
Du Bois lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Du Bois gets caught flat footed, as Cole shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cole won't allow Du Bois to get back to his feet.
Du Bois keeping moving, preventing Cole from controlling successfully.
Du Bois wants to get back to his feet but Cole is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cole trying to control the position from guard on top but Du Bois is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cole trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Du Bois with a hook.
Du Bois misses with a low kick as Cole jumps back.
Cole shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Du Bois as he avoids it easily.
Du Bois is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Du Bois fails to land with a series of punches.
Du Bois tries to clinch there but Cole circles away.

Cole looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cole prevents Du Bois from standing back up.
Cole looks gassed!
Cole throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cole missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cole prevents Du Bois from standing back up.
Cole wants to lay and pray for a moment but Du Bois keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cole blocks the body kick.
Du Bois is looking to clinch but Cole is avoiding it.
Du Bois tries to close the distance and clinch but Cole swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Du Bois moves in looking to clinch but Cole pushes him off.
Du Bois throws a one two combo.
Good standup being displayed there by Du Bois as he connects with a hook.
Cole fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Du Bois misses with a takedown attempt

and Cole moves into the clinch.
Du Bois is trying to force a seperation but Cole has the dominant position.
Du Bois is trying to force a seperation but Cole has the dominant position.
Du Bois is trying to maintain a safe position but Cole gets an underhook and turns Du Bois into the cage.

Cole breaks from the clinch.
Victor Du Bois seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Du Bois scores with a jab to the body.
Du Bois shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cole sprawls well. Cole wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Du Bois gets slowly back to his feet.
Du Bois lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cole at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Du Bois moves into range and connects with a jab.
Nice uppercut there from Du Bois.
Du Bois moves in looking to clinch but Cole pushes him off.
Du Bois shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cole but Cole pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Victor Du Bois. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cole avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cole circles away from the clinch attempt.
Du Bois dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Du Bois tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cole swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cole swats away the attempt to clinch by Du Bois.
Du Bois tries to clinch but Cole moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Du Bois dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Du Bois fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cole circles away from the clinch attempt

and Cole counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Du Bois creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Du Bois is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Cole manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Cole trying to control the position.
Cole has a closed guard, preventing Du Bois from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cole holds on and takes a little breather.

Cole throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cole is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Du Bois stands up from Cole's guard - Du Bois perhaps looking for a knockout.
Du Bois lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Du Bois misses with a leg kick

and Cole counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cole.
Cole has Du Bois pressed against the cage, preventing Du Bois from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Du Bois lands a right hand.
Du Bois tries to break the clinch but Cole is controlling the position.
Du Bois working hard to break the clinch.
Du Bois wants to break the clinch but can't.
Du Bois wants to break the clinch but can't.
Du Bois wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Du Bois wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Du Bois is trying to break the clinch but Cole has him pressed against the cage.
Du Bois wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cole has him pressed against the cage.
Du Bois is looking to break free of the clinch but Cole has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Du Bois looking to stall.
Du Bois is trying to force a seperation but Cole has the dominant position.
Du Bois is trying to maintain a safe position but Cole gets an underhook and turns Du Bois into the cage.
Du Bois tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cole's elbow.
Du Bois tries to break the clinch but Cole is controlling the position.
Du Bois wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Du Bois tries to break the clinch but Cole is controlling the position.
Du Bois is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Du Bois is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Du Bois is looking to break free of the clinch but Cole has double underhooks.
Du Bois misses with an elbow strike.
Du Bois can't break the clinch.
Du Bois wants to get back to striking at distance but Cole won't allow it.
Du Bois struggles to land a body shot inside as Cole controls his hands.
Du Bois wants to break the clinch but can't.
Du Bois tries to break the clinch but Cole is controlling the position.
Du Bois is trying to break the clinch but Cole has him pressed against the cage.
Du Bois wants to break free but Cole has control.
Du Bois wants to get back to striking at distance but Cole won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Du Bois drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cole pulls his leg out and moves away.
Victor Du Bois is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Du Bois tries to clinch up.
Cole shoots in looking for a takedown. Du Bois tries to sprawl out of it but Cole keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Du Bois manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Du Bois moves in looking to clinch but Cole pushes him off.
Du Bois bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cole's head backwards.
Du Bois tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Du Bois tries to clinch but Cole is having none of it.
Du Bois doesn't manage to clinch there - Cole circles away.
Cole closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Cole is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Du Bois.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Du Bois is looking to clinch.
Du Bois lands a lovely overhand right.
Du Bois tries to clinch there but Cole circles away.
Cole slaps away a takedown attempt from Du Bois, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Cole avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Du Bois fails to land with a series of punches.
Du Bois is looking to clinch.
Cole shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Du Bois pinned against the cage. Du Bois gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Du Bois wants to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Du Bois scores with a decent looking hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Du Bois dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Du Bois scores with a one two! Cole had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Cole shoots in for a takedown but Du Bois shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Du Bois misses with a leg kick.
Du Bois tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cole swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cole swats away the attempt to clinch by Du Bois.

Cole shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Du Bois is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cole is controlling him.
Cole trying to control but Du Bois is working from the bottom.
Du Bois wants to stand up but Cole is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole looking to pass the guard.
Cole wants to control from the top but Du Bois keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cole takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole takes one to the chin there.
Du Bois looks to land a combination. Cole sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Du Bois tries to clinch but Cole moves out of range.
Du Bois doesn't manage to clinch there - Cole circles away.
Du Bois is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Du Bois fails with the takedown

and Cole counters by moving into the clinch.
Du Bois is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cole prevents Du Bois from breaking the clinch.
Du Bois has had enough of the clinch but Cole keeps him there for the moment.
Du Bois looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cole keeps control of Du Bois as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cole drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cole tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Du Bois smiles and moves away.
Victor Du Bois has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Travis Cole.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Du Bois misses with a double jab.
Du Bois getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Cole takes a jab right on the kisser.
Du Bois scores with a decent looking hook.
Travis Cole has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Du Bois lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A shot to de liver by Du Bois. Beautiful body shot.
A lazy left from Du Bois finds it's target.
Du Bois lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Du Bois is looking to clinch.
Cole walks into a jab.
Du Bois cracks Cole with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Du Bois lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Cole fails with a takedown attempt.
Du Bois bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Du Bois uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cole has time to react.
A nice combination there by Du Bois.
Cole misses with a straight right.
Du Bois lands with an uppercut that bounces Cole off the cage and back into rage.
Cole takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Du Bois wants to clinch.
Du Bois tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cole paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Victor Du Bois is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Du Bois tries to close the distance and clinch but Cole swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Victor Du Bois showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Du Bois, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Du Bois!