PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jacob Laws (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rich Van Winkle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jacob Laws had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 157.4lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Rich Van Winkle is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Laws
vs
Van Winkle

181 cm
25
167 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

174 cm
23
162 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jacob Laws!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rich Van Winkle!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left lands for Van Winkle.
Van Winkle defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Laws.

Laws closes the distance and clinches.
Van Winkle lands with a short punch from the clinch.

It looks like Jacob Laws has been cut.
Van Winkle is trying to break the clinch but Laws is controlling him.
A short left from Van Winkle.

Laws pulls guard successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Laws not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Van Winkle stays in close to Laws's body and controls the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Laws tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Van Winkle has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Winkle throws a nice looking combination but Laws bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Laws moves forwards but Van Winkle connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Van Winkle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Laws.
Laws ducks right into an uppercut from Van Winkle.
Laws fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Van Winkle throws a lazy right hand but Laws sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Laws changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Van Winkle tries to avoid it but Laws manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Van Winkle to the ground. Van Winkle escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jacob Laws. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Laws throws a looping overhand right but Van Winkle ducks down to avoid it.
Van Winkle waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Laws.
Van Winkle will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rich Van Winkle is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Laws swings for the body but Van Winkle moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laws wants to clinch.
Laws moves out of range of the strikes.
Van Winkle misses with a wild combination.
Laws ducks under a wild hook from Van Winkle.
Laws shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Van Winkle looks to land a right hand but Laws moved out of range.
Van Winkle lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laws will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Laws is breathing heavily.
Van Winkle throws a hook to the side of Laws's head but Laws sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Winkle fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Winkle scores with a hook.
Van Winkle throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Van Winkle misses the jab.
Laws gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Van Winkle scores with a jab.
Laws misses with a head kick.
Decent striking displayed by Van Winkle there.
Van Winkle throws a big shot that misses.
Van Winkle feints a jab promting Laws to slip. Van Winkle then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Laws slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Van Winkle throws a hook but Laws avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Laws misses with a takedown attempt - Van Winkle sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Van Winkle scores with a one two! Laws had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Laws is rocked!
Laws closes this distance looking for a takedown but Van Winkle circles away.
Van Winkle connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Van Winkle lunges at Laws with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Laws's hand.
Oh Laws is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
No joy there for Van Winkle, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Laws moves away from the strike by Van Winkle.
Laws seems to have got his legs back now.
Van Winkle scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Laws is trying hard to land a takedown here. Van Winkle sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Van Winkle throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rich Van Winkle dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jacob Laws's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Laws takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Van Winkle misses with an uppercut
letting Laws counter with a right hand.
Laws bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Van Winkle missing with a left hand there. Laws was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Van Winkle leaves Laws with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Laws throws a shot to the body.
Van Winkle bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Laws moves out of range of the strikes.
Van Winkle misses with a straight right.
Laws with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Van Winkle to score with a decent uppercut.
Laws lands a nice looking kick to the body. Van Winkle takes a step back to recover.
Nice uppercut there from Van Winkle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Winkle uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Laws.
Laws doesn't manage to clinch there - Van Winkle circles away.
The fighters circling - Van Winkle throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rich Van Winkle seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Laws fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laws moves out of range as Van Winkle strikes.
Laws looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Van Winkle throws a jab but it's blocked by Laws.
Van Winkle misses the jab.
Laws avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van Winkle misses with a hook
and Laws counters with an inside leg kick.
Van Winkle pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Laws back to the cage. Van Winkle follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Laws staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Winkle throws a lazy right hand but Laws sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Winkle throws a looping overhand right but Laws ducks down to avoid it.
Laws connects with a good right hand that stumbles Van Winkle. Van Winkle circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Laws tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Van Winkle manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Laws avoids a punch combination nicely.
Van Winkle catches Laws with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Van Winkle fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Laws on the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Van Winkle cracks Laws with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Laws looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Van Winkle finish him?
Van Winkle throws a hook but Laws blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laws ducks under a wild hook from Van Winkle.
The fighters circling - Van Winkle throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Van Winkle smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Laws wants to clinch up but Van Winkle keeps it at a distance.
Laws throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Laws.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jacob Laws. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Winkle throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Van Winkle lands a left and a right that send Laws crashing to the mat, dazed. Van Winkle thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Laws throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Van Winkle scores with a jab to the body.
Laws uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Van Winkle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Winkle looks to land a left hand but Laws moved out of range nicely.
Van Winkle might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Laws shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Van Winkle sprawls well. Van Winkle wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Laws gets slowly back to his feet.
Laws takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Van Winkle waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Laws.
Laws takes one to the side of the head.

Jacob Laws's cut is getting worse.
Van Winkle scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Van Winkle connects with a crisp jab.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Van Winkle drops Laws with a big left hand! Laws is injured, injured bad! Van Winkle jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rich Van Winkle!