PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hipolito Spence (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ejay Justin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Spence
vs
Justin

152 cm
24
194 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

189 cm
24
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

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 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hipolito Spence!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ejay Justin !
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Anthony Taglia and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Justin moves into the clinch successfully.
Spence fails to pull guard.

Justin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Justin manages to end up in side control.
Justin tries to advance to mount but Spence denies him.
Spence is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Justin working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Spence is trying to get back to his feet.
Spence manages to work his way to half guard, despite Justin 's best efforts.
Spence tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Justin in particular looking to stall.

Justin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spence is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Justin wants to stand up but Spence is controlling the position.

Justin is trying to work for a kimura but Spence is defending well.
Spence pushes Justin off looking to stand but Justin dives back in and keeps control.
Justin wants to free his trapped foot but Spence is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Spence is doing well to control the position and prevent Justin from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spence is trying to control but can't.
Spence looks like he's trying to stand up.
Justin is trying to control the action in half guard but Spence is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Spence takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Justin scores with a body shot.

Justin closes the distance and clinches.
Justin lands a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Spence pulls guard effortlessly.
Spence is looking to stand up but Justin isn't so interested in that idea.
Justin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Justin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Spence is keeping the position for now.

Justin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Justin throws a head kick that misses.

Justin is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Spence's half guard.
Spence really is a fat lump.
Justin looks winded!

Spence is defending against the submission attempts here by Justin .
Spence is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Justin wants to get back to his feet.

Spence kicks Justin off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Justin clinches up against the cage.

Justin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Justin swats away the attempt to clinch by Spence.

Spence gets caught flat footed, as Justin shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ejay Justin dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Justin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Justin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Spence defending well though.
Spence looks like he's trying to stand up.
Justin looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Spence avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Justin .
Spence looks like he's trying to stand up.
Justin is trying to control. Spence wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Justin stalling away here and it's allowed Spence to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Justin wants to control from the top but Spence keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spence has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Justin off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Justin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Justin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Justin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Spence defending well though.
Spence is trying to stand back up but Justin is controlling him
Justin wants to take a breather but Spence is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Justin stands up out of the half guard.
Justin is breathing heavily.
Justin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Justin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Spence tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Justin trying to control the action but Spence is working from the bottom.
Spence is trying to maintain the position but Justin is very close to passing his half guard.
Spence looks like he's trying to stand up.
Spence is looking to control Justin 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Spence avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Spence pushes Justin off and gets back to his feet.
Spence tries to clinch up.
Spence wants to clinch.
A head kick misses from Justin .

A momentary lapse in concentration from Spence enables Justin to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Spence manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Spence uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Spence avoids the head kick by Justin .

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Justin gets a clinch.
Spence jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Justin walks away with a smile on his face. Spence gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ejay Justin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Justin dives in and scores a takedown into Spence's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Justin won't allow Spence to sweep him here.
Spence manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Justin manages to get himself to full guard.
Justin looking for a sweep. Not yet Justin , not yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Justin keeping moving, preventing Spence from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ejay Justin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Spence's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Spence closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Justin did well to prevent Spence getting side control.
Justin is looking to control Spence's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Justin avoid being mounted?

Spence is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Justin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Spence's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Spence's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spence is trying to get back to his feet but Justin has full control of the position and if anything, Spence has just worked his way into a worse spot.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Spence trying to control the position but Justin manages to sink in the hooks.
Spence is trying to get back to his feet but Justin has full control of the position and if anything, Spence has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Spence's corner are yelling at him, telling him to just focus on controlling Justin 's hands.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Spence is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Justin tries to keep control of the position but Spence is staying busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Justin might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Spence haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Spence is trying to stand back up.
Justin throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Will Justin go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Spence is trying to get back to his feet but Justin has full control of the position and if anything, Spence has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spence wants to escape the position.
Spence wants to get back to his feet.

Justin is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Spence is defending well though. Justin let's go of the attempt for now.
Justin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Justin just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Spence looking very determined here, making life difficult for Justin .
Spence has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Spence is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Justin off. It looks like it's working - Justin slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Spence displaying calm under pressure there.
Justin shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Spence eats them both and turns towards Justin to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Justin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Justin is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Spence's half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Justin prevents Spence from standing back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Justin wants to stand up but Spence is controlling the position.
Hipolito Spence has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ejay Justin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Spence tries to kick Justin off but Justin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ejay Justin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Justin has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ejay Justin !