PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lana Spangler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Whittaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Spangler
vs
Whittaker

183 cm
23
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
23
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lana Spangler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Michael Whittaker!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Summer Carpenter and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Spangler closes the distance and clinches.
Spangler throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Whittaker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Whittaker misses with a knee to the head.
Whittaker wants to get back to striking at distance but Spangler won't allow it.
Spangler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Spangler misses with an elbow over the top.
Spangler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Whittaker trying to stall but Spangler improves his position.
Spangler lands a knee to the body.
Spangler misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Whittaker.
Whittaker has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Whittaker misses with a body punch.
Spangler makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Spangler throws a head punch that misses.
Whittaker is looking to break free of the clinch but Spangler has double underhooks.
Spangler lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Spangler swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whittaker has had enough of the clinch but Spangler keeps him there for the moment.
Whittaker is trying to maintain a safe position but Spangler gets an underhook and turns Whittaker into the cage.
Spangler throws a punch but it's blocked by Whittaker.
Whittaker working hard to break the clinch.
Spangler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Spangler displaying some good clinch control by pressing Whittaker up against the cage.
Whittaker wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Spangler prevents Whittaker from breaking the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Spangler.
Spangler misses with the head strike.
Whittaker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Spangler scores with a nice hook to the head.
Spangler struggles to land a body shot inside as Whittaker controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spangler lands an elbow that stopped Whittaker in his tracks for a moment.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Spangler struggles to land a body shot inside as Whittaker controls his hands.
Spangler unloads a knee to the mid-section. Whittaker lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Whittaker stalling in the clinch but Spangler improves position.
Spangler looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Spangler misses with a punch to the body.
Whittaker blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Spangler lands a body shot in the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Spangler misses with a punch on the inside.
Spangler tries to work over Whittaker's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Spangler lands a left hand.
Spangler gets through Whittaker's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker blocks an elbow strike from Spangler.
Knees in the clinch landing for Spangler.
Whittaker looks winded!
Spangler misses with a hook from the clinch.
Spangler tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Spangler lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Whittaker is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Spangler tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Whittaker's elbow.
Spangler connects with a knee to the head.
Spangler dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Whittaker blocks a body shot from Spangler.
A short uppercut from Spangler.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker avoids a wild elbow strike from Spangler.
Whittaker blocking some punches.
Spangler unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Spangler misses with some punches.
Spangler digs a right hand into Whittaker's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Whittaker's gas tank.
Whittaker takes a shot to the head.
Spangler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Whittaker takes an elbow to the temple.
Whittaker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Whittaker wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Spangler has him pressed against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spangler tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nice body punch from Spangler - that landed with a thud.
Whittaker being controlled against the cage.
Spangler struggles to land a body shot inside as Whittaker controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lana Spangler 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.

Whittaker looks to score with a jab to the body but Spangler is just out of range.

Spangler forces Whittaker back against the cage and clinches.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Whittaker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Spangler working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Spangler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Spangler lands a left hand that snaps the head of Whittaker backwards.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Spangler misses with a hook from the clinch.
Come on Spangler - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Spangler fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Spangler misses with a punch to the body.
Spangler throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Whittaker blocks it with crossed arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whittaker trying to land knees to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Spangler.
Whittaker blocks a body shot from Spangler.
Spangler throws a punch but it's blocked by Whittaker.
Spangler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Whittaker wants to break the clinch but can't.
Spangler lands a hook to the side of the head.
Whittaker blocks the elbow strike.
Spangler slowing the pace effectively.
Spangler has Whittaker pressed against the cage, preventing Whittaker from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Spangler has Whittaker pressed against the cage.
Whittaker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Spangler is working Whittaker over against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spangler lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Whittaker backwards.
Spangler lands a body shot.
Spangler gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Whittaker tries to break free but Spangler pushes him back against the cage.
Spangler dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Whittaker's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Spangler tries a body shot but Whittaker blocks it.
Spangler works on Whittaker's body with a couple of short punches.
Whittaker is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Spangler misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Spangler stalling the fight.
A nice left hand lands by Spangler.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spangler throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Spangler lands a body shot.
Spangler working aggressively here.
Whittaker wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Spangler is struggling to control the position.
Spangler misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Whittaker.
Spangler tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Whittaker's elbow.
Spangler misses with a knee strike.
Spangler throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Whittakers head.
Spangler stalling.
Whittaker is trying to force a seperation but Spangler has the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Spangler.
Spangler working aggressively here.
Spangler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Whittaker obliges.
Whittaker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Whittaker can't break the clinch.
Whittaker is trying to break the clinch but Spangler has him pressed against the cage.
Spangler lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Whittaker tries to break free but Spangler pushes him back against the cage.
Whittaker wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spangler holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Whittaker blocking some punches.
Spangler misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Whittaker.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lana Spangler dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Whittaker moves out of range as Spangler strikes.

Spangler drives through and clinches with Whittaker against the cage.
Whittaker is trying to break free.
Whittaker is trying to push Spangler away but Spangler has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Whittaker can't break the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Spangler.
Whittaker is trying to maintain a safe position but Spangler gets an underhook and turns Whittaker into the cage.
Spangler working aggressively here.
Whittaker swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Whittaker's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Spangler has Whittaker pressed against the cage.
Whittaker on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whittaker prevents a body shot from Spangler.
Spangler doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Whittaker is trying to stall.
Spangler stalls.
Whittaker is working for takedown but Spangler is calmly controlling the position for now.
Lana Spangler has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Spangler.
Whittaker has had enough of the clinch but Spangler keeps him there for the moment.
Spangler avoiding damage.
Spangler keeps control of Whittaker as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Whittaker prevents a body shot from Spangler.
Michael Whittaker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lana Spangler is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spangler working aggressively here.
A frustrated look appears on Whittaker's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Whittaker wants to break the clinch but can't.
Spangler looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Spangler is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Whittaker can do to turn this around?
Whittaker throws an elbow but it misses.
Whittaker has had enough of the clinch but Spangler keeps him there for the moment.
Whittaker has had enough of the clinch but Spangler keeps him there for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spangler fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Whittaker misses with a knee strike.
Whittaker wants to break the clinch but can't.
Whittaker wants to break the clinch but can't.
Whittaker misses with a short punch on the inside.
Whittaker blocks a body shot from Spangler.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Whittaker is looking to break free of the clinch but Spangler has double underhooks.
Spangler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Whittaker working aggressively here.
Whittaker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Spangler tries a body shot but Whittaker blocks it.
Spangler's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Whittaker throws a knee to the head but misses.

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 Lana Spangler.
Well Spangler 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 Skip Squint scores the fight for Lana Spangler!
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight for Lana Spangler!
Judge John Mangel scores the fight for Lana Spangler!

Lana Spangler wins by unanimous decision!