PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jordan James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Ekkart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jordan James has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

James
vs
Ekkart

191 cm
25
288 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

193 cm
25
300 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jordan James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sam Ekkart!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Kavanagh and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ekkart counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in James's guard now.
Ekkart won't allow James to sweep him here.

Ekkart is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ekkart trying to control the position from guard on top but James is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
James is pulling down on Ekkart's head to control his posture.
James keeping moving, preventing Ekkart from controlling successfully.
Ekkart cracks James with a solid left hand.
James looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ekkart is one step ahead there.
Ekkart is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

James working for a triangle but Ekkart defends it easily.
Ekkart wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.

James had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ekkart defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James controlling the position.

Ekkart got a little sloppy there for a moment and James has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ekkart has managed to get both his arms back between James's legs - danger averted.
Ekkart throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ekkart throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James keeping full guard, as Ekkart tries to pass.
James avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
James trying to control the position.
Ekkart is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Ekkart thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ekkart wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ekkart drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ekkart jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ekkart preventing the sweep.
James has control of Ekkart's left arm, preventing Ekkart from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekkart trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
James wants to sweep but no luck.
Ekkart is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
James with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ekkart counters with a takedown into side control.
Ekkart working the head and body with strikes.
James is breathing heavily.

Ekkart tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
James is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ekkart off and has taken his back!
This has been an exciting period of action!
You can see the frustration on Ekkart's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Ekkart breaks James's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Ekkart postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James being controlled here, momentarily.
James is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ekkart looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
James could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ekkart wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.
James working a defensive guard here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
James fails with the takedown

and Ekkart counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ekkart.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jordan James. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ekkart is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Ekkart dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

James fails with the takedown

and Ekkart counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
James on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if James tries to get out of the position.
Ekkart thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed James's head.
Ekkart wants to control but James is keeping him busy.
James is looking for a sweep. Ekkart is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Ekkart seems to be working for a kimura but James defends the submission attempt.

Ekkart is working for a submission of some sort.
James is looking to improve his position.
Ekkart prevents James from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ekkart is working for a submission of some sort.
Ekkart prevents James from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ekkart content to control rather than advance.
Ekkart trying to control the action but James is working from the bottom.

Ekkart is working for a kimura but James is defending it quite comfortably.
Ekkart wants to take a breather but James is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekkart prevents James from improving his position.
James wants to get back to full guard but Ekkart has passed into side control.
James struggling a bit here.

Ekkart tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
James is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekkart controlling from side mount.
James tries to improve position but can't.
Ekkart lands some shots froms side control.
Ekkart trying to control the action but James is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ekkart looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
James is trying to control Ekkart's posture but Ekkart avoids it.
James tries to bench press Ekkart off him but Ekkart keeps the position.
Ekkart cracks James with a big elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
James is not content to let Ekkart control the position.
Sam Ekkart has got the better of the ground game so far.
James is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ekkart off and has taken his back!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ekkart tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Ekkart is looking to get to half guard.
Ekkart tries to hold on but James postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Ekkart showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ekkart shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has James pinned against the cage. James gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice sprawl there from James as Ekkart shoots in.

James feints and as Ekkart raises his hands in defense, James changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ekkart trying to control the position.
James missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
James working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ekkart working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from James.
Ekkart is trying to keep James in close.
Ekkart preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekkart is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ekkart working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from James.
James stopping the sweep attempt from Ekkart.
James scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
James working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ekkart has momentary wrist control but James slips an elbow through the middle.
James trying to control but Ekkart is working from the bottom.
James has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ekkart is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James works a leg free and moves into half guard.
James sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ekkart defending well though.
James throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
James is just content to waste time from the top position. Ekkart takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Ekkart not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ekkart looking to hit a scissor sweep but James is one step ahead there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
James scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekkart is trying to control the position but James postures up.
James postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
James throws an elbow that misses. Ekkart uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in James's guard. Nice move by Ekkart!
Ekkart looking to pass the guard.
James looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ekkart is one step ahead there.
James is working hard here to advance position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
James keeping full guard, as Ekkart tries to pass.
James pulls Ekkart in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekkart's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
James fails with the takedown

and Ekkart counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for James!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ekkart working for a guillotine from mount but James is in no mood to give up.
Ekkart tries to control but James wriggling away.

Ekkart looking for a guillotine from mount but James is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ekkart takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jordan James.
I think Ekkart has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight for Sam Ekkart!
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight for Sam Ekkart!
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight for Sam Ekkart!

Sam Ekkart wins by unanimous decision!