PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Josh Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chuck Norris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michaels comes to the cage accompanied by Alice In Chains - Man In The Box. Norris has chosen Harva meistä on rautaa as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Michaels
vs
Norris

178 cm
21
177 lbs
6 - 1 - 1

180 cm
23
169 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Dangerous GnP
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Michaels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chuck Norris!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Gwen Towbar and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Norris with that takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Norris or perhaps it was just good defense by Michaels which made him look bad.
Michaels ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Michaels misses with a double jab.
Norris on the wrong end of a nice jab.

It looks like Chuck Norris has been cut.
Norris tries to clinch there but Michaels circles away.
Michaels scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Norris shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Michaels pinned against the cage. Michaels gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Josh Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chuck Norris.

Michaels feints and as Norris raises his hands in defense, Michaels changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Norris looks gassed!
Michaels passes Norris's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Michaels throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Michaels seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Norris moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Michaels lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Norris is keeping the position for now.
Michaels is pushing down on Norris's leg trying to pass to half guard. Norris is fighting to maintain full guard but Michaels has managed to sneak the leg through.
Michaels content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Norris wants to get back to full guard but Michaels has passed into side control.
The referee warns Norris that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Norris is wriggling around trying to escape.
Michaels trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Michaels breaks from Norris's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Michaels looking to control but Norris is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Norris stops Michaels from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norris sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Michaels tries to stand but can't do so whilst Norris controls his leg.
Michaels passes to side control.
Michaels is looking to take a break and control but Norris is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Michaels working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Michaels looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Michaels moves into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels tries to control but Norris wriggling away.
Norris is in all sorts of trouble here.
Michaels can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Norris is looking to escape.
Norris regains half guard.
Norris regains full guard. Nicely done.
Norris looking for a sweep. Not yet Norris, not yet.
Michaels thows a big elbow that misses.
Michaels stopping the sweep attempt from Norris.
Michaels wants to stand but Norris has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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.

Norris throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Michaels looking to sit in guard and control but Norris gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Michaels trying to keep a closed guard but Norris is proving a slippery customer.
Michaels throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Norris distracts Michaels with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Norris postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Norris with a flurry of punches that miss.
Norris chips away with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Michaels dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Chuck Norris's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Michaels closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Michaels lands in his opponent's guard.
Michaels with a flurry of punches that miss.
Michaels lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Norris manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Norris looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Michaels holds on for dear life, controlling Norris's posture momentarily.
Michaels wants to hold on but Norris pushes him away.
Norris fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Michaels wants to hold on but Norris pushes him away.
Michaels keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norris avoids the attempt from Michaels to control.
Norris landing shots from mount.
Norris lands a nice shot to the head.
Michaels tries to hold on but Norris pushes him away.
Michaels gets back to half guard.

Norris is looking for a kimura here.

Michaels makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Michaels fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Norris manages to avoid it.
Michaels throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Norris.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norris fails with the takedown
and Michaels counters with a left to the body.
Michaels sizes up Norris with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Jab by Michaels.
Norris takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Norris is breathing heavily.
Michaels throws a nice looking combination but Norris bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Norris with a poor takedown
and Michaels counters with a right hand to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Michaels works over Norris's head and body with a nice combination.
Michaels punishes Norris's body with a nice straight punch.
Norris takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Michaels throws a combination. Norris tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Michaels paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Norris takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Michaels dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Michaels lands with a cross.

Michaels closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Norris to the mat! Norris manages to get full guard.
Norris has momentary wrist control but Michaels slips an elbow through the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels slips nicely into half guard.
Norris is trying to get back to full guard.
Michaels wants to lay and pray for a moment but Norris keeps working.
Michaels moves nicely into side control.
Norris is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Michaels's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Michaels trying to control from half guard but Norris is working away.
Norris is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Michaels slips a nice elbow through Norris's hands, connecting with Norris's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels trying to control the action but Norris is working from the bottom.
Michaels tries to stand and escape but Norris is controlling the position.
Michaels blocks the strikes from Norris.

Michaels wants to work for an arm triangle but Norris is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Norris makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Norris.

Norris escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Michaels gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Michaels trying to control but Norris is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Michaels wants to pass the guard but Norris is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Michaels dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chuck Norris'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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Michaels cracks Norris with a right hand to the side of the head.
Josh Michaels is winning the standup battle so far.
Michaels connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Norris's hands.

Michaels throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Norris was covering up waiting for the punch and Michaels finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Norris working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Michaels.
Norris is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Michaels tries to kick Norris off but Norris keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Norris works his way into side control.
Michaels is trying to improve his position.
Norris creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Norris throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norris cracks Michaels with a big elbow.
Michaels wants to control but Norris postures up.

Norris is trying to get an arm triangle but Michaels is defending well.
Norris misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Michaels can't do much from the bottom here.
Norris cracks Michaels with a big elbow.

Norris looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Michaels is looking for a sweep.

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.

Norris tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Norris has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Josh Michaels overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Michaels can't do much from the bottom here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Michaels fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Norris walks into a stiff left hand from Michaels.
Nice body punch from Michaels.
Norris tries for a takedown but Michaels circles away easily
and Michaels counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Norris takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Michaels lands a jab to Norris's midsection.

Michaels 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.
Michaels slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Michaels trying to control the position from guard on top but Norris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norris tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Chuck Norris has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Norris is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Michaels is aware though and is defending well.
Michaels trying to control but Norris is working from the bottom.

Norris is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Norris keeping moving, preventing Michaels from controlling successfully.

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

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.
Michaels lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Michaels.
Michaels wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Michaels moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Michaels lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Norris tries for a takedown but Michaels circles away easily
and Michaels counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Michaels with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Michaels dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Donk. Michaels catches Norris right on the button with a cross.
Josh Michaels is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Norris takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Michaels connects with a right hand. Norris shakes it off.
Michaels is looking to wear down Norris with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Michaels ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Michaels works Norris's body with a nice hook.
Michaels digs a good body shot into Norris's ribs.
A punch lands to the side of Norris 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Michaels lands a jab-cross combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Michaels showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Michaels 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Michaels!