PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jerry Armstrong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ward has chosen "Backwoods" By Red Hot Chili Peppers as his entrance music. Jerry Armstrong has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Armstrong
vs
Ward

187 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jerry Armstrong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Billy Ward!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Micheangelo Fripello and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Armstrong shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ward but Ward pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Armstrong closes the distance and clinches up with Ward, looking for a takedown. Armstrong pushes Ward against the cage but Ward circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Armstrong is breathing heavily.
Nice takedown defense from Ward. No joy for Armstrong on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerry Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Armstrong shoots for a takedown but Ward saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Armstrong looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ward is fending him off so far but Armstrong persists. Nope, Ward circles away and we're back to standing.
Armstrong shoots in and drives through. Ward sprawls well.
Armstrong goes for a double leg but Ward avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ward continues to drive forward.
Armstrong prevents Ward from breaking the clinch.
Ward has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ward wants to break the clinch but can't.
Armstrong has been working on his balance at Brick Brawlers MMA (13 Coaches), so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Ward.
Ward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ward told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Ward looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ward is trying to force a seperation but Armstrong has the dominant position.
Ward creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Armstrong dodges an elbow strike from Ward.
Ward throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Armstrong blocks it with crossed arms.
Ward looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ward tries to circle away but Armstrong has him pinned against the cage.
Ward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ward is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ward is trying to force a seperation but Armstrong has the dominant position.
Armstrong takes an elbow to the temple.
Ward is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Armstrong avoids the elbow strike from Ward, against the cage.
Armstrong avoids a wild elbow strike from Ward.
Ward wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Armstrong keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ward's efforts to push away.
Ward looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Armstrong wants the takedown. Ward is fighting it off but Armstrong persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Ward's guard against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward is looking to stand up but Armstrong isn't so interested in that idea.
Armstrong stays in close to Ward's body and controls the position.
Ward wants to stand and escape but Armstrong is having none of it.
Armstrong controlling from the top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jerry Armstrong wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Armstrong fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Armstrong tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ward defends well and Armstrong ends up having to push Ward into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Ward is trying to push Armstrong away but Armstrong has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Ward lands a nice elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ward's efforts to push away.
Ward lands an elbow inside that Armstrong shrugs off.
Ward pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Armstrong drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ward gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A frustrated look appears on Ward's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ward throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ward has had enough of the clinch but Armstrong keeps him there for the moment.
Ward is trying to break the clinch but Armstrong has him pressed against the cage.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ward stuffs the takedown.
Ward slaps away a takedown attempt from Armstrong, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong looks for a takedown but Ward sprawls well.
Armstrong darts in looking for a takedown but Ward gets double underhooks and turns Armstrong into the cage.
Armstrong dodges an elbow strike from Ward.
Ward scores with a knee to the head.
Ward creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ward has had enough of the clinch but Armstrong keeps him there for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ward with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ward pushes off an throws an elbow but Armstrong leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ward wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Armstrong gets a trip takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Ward dominated that 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.

Armstrong closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ward circles away.
Ward slaps away a takedown attempt from Armstrong, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Armstrong is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ward sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerry Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Armstrong looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ward is fending him off so far but Armstrong persists. Nope, Ward circles away and we're back to standing.
Ward stuffs the takedown attempt from Armstrong. Armstrong gets slowly back to his feet.
Jerry Armstrong is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Armstrong looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Armstrong will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Armstrong fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ward avoids it really well and circles away.
Armstrong shoots in for a double leg but Ward sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Armstrong shoots in and drives through. Ward sprawls well.
Armstrong has a takedown stuffed.
No luck for Armstrong with that takedown attempt.
Ward displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Armstrong.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong shoots in for a takedown but Ward shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Armstrong fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ward circles away from the clinch attempt.
Armstrong shoots in but Ward avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Armstrong darts in looking for a takedown but Ward gets double underhooks and turns Armstrong into the cage.
Ward working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Ward's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ward is trying to break the clinch but Armstrong is controlling him.
Ward misses with an elbow strike.
Ward tries a knee to the head but Armstrong blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ward wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Armstrong drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ward pulls his leg out and moves away.
Armstrong shoots for a double leg takedown but Ward sprawls well. He's pushed Armstrong's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ward slaps away a takedown attempt from Armstrong, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Armstrong shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ward as he avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Armstrong.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ward sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Jerry Armstrong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Armstrong shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ward as he jumps to the side.
Ward stuffs the takedown attempt from Armstrong. Armstrong gets slowly back to his feet.
Armstrong fails with a takedown attempt.
Armstrong fails with a takedown attempt.
No luck for Armstrong with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Billy Ward will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. And we move into the final round!

Armstrong shoots in looking for a takedown. Ward tries to sprawl out of it but Armstrong keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ward manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Armstrong fails to land the takedown.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt - Ward sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerry Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Armstrong fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ward avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Armstrong shoots in looking for a takedown but Ward manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Armstrong's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Armstrong shoots in but Ward avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Armstrong tries for a takedown but Ward sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Armstrong fails with the takedown.
Armstrong has a takedown stuffed.
Armstrong looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong dives in for a single leg takedown but Ward sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ward is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ward tries to land a knee to the head but Armstrong blocks with his arms.
Ward can't break the clinch.
Armstrong blocks the elbow strike.
Ward tries a knee to the head but Armstrong blocks it.
Ward looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ward wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ward pushes off an throws an elbow but Armstrong leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ward wants to break free but Armstrong has control.
Ward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward wants to break free but Armstrong has control.
Ward throws a knee to the head but misses.
Armstrong keeps control of Ward as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ward tries to break the clinch but Armstrong is controlling the position.
Ward wants to get back to striking at distance but Armstrong won't allow it.
Ward has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ward wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ward looks to throw an elbow but misses.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ward throws an elbow but misses.
Armstrong prevents Ward from breaking the clinch.
Ward is trying to force a seperation but Armstrong has the dominant position.
Ward tries to land a knee to the head but Armstrong blocks with his arms.
Ward misses with a knee to the head.
Ward with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward tries to circle away but Armstrong has him pinned against the cage.

Armstrong turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Ward prevents Armstrong from moving into mount.

Armstrong is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ward has escaped the position, nice work there.

Armstrong thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ward is trying to buck Armstrong off.

Armstrong stands up and we're back to a striking position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Armstrong is looking to clinch but Ward is avoiding it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Billy Ward.
I've got Ward winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Billy Ward!
After winning the bout, Billy Ward thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.