PBP Commentary

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

Yates
vs
Arcus

197 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

190 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Lamar Yates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Didi Arcus!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, William Gold and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Arcus drives through and clinches with Yates against the cage.
Yates is trying to force a seperation but Arcus has the dominant position.

Arcus has clasped his hands together around Yates's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Arcus decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Arcus fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Yates to the ground. Arcus is now in Yates's guard.
Arcus is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Yates is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates looking to control.
Arcus looking to sit in guard and control but Yates gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Arcus wants to stand but Yates is controlling the position.
Yates lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Arcus has his foot on Yates's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yates works his way back into a safe position though.
Yates working some strikes from top position.
Arcus wants to stand and escape but Yates is having none of it.
Yates throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Yates's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arcus is looking to stand back up but Yates counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Arcus.
Ground and pound from Yates.
Yates scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Arcus looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yates prevents Arcus from improving his position.
Arcus is trying to control but Yates manages to pass to mount!
Arcus really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yates trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yates landing strikes from the mount.

Yates is working for a guillotine from mount but Arcus frees his head quite easily.
Arcus is looking to improve his position but Yates isn't that keen on the idea.
Yates with good strikes from the mount here!
Arcus tries to reverse the position but Yates maintains control.
Yates lands a big shot there that rocks Arcus but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arcus working to try and regain half guard.
Yates working Arcus over with strikes here.
Arcus is trying desperately to improve position.
Arcus wants to control but Yates is having none of it.
Yates has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Arcus is in all sorts of trouble here.
Arcus really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Yates. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A nice elbow there by Yates.
Yates working the ground and pound effectively.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yates working away from the top, dropping strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lamar Yates dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Yates scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Yates cracks Arcus with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Yates is working Arcus over with some ground and pound from side control.
Arcus tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

Yates looking for the choke from the back.
Arcus wants to control his opponent's hands but Yates gets his hands free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Arcus showing good submission defense here.
Yates scores with punches to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yates has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Arcus is trying to get back to his feet but Yates has full control of the position and if anything, Arcus has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Arcus breaks Yates's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Arcus stopping the sweep attempt from Yates.
Arcus must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Yates keeping moving, preventing Arcus from controlling successfully.
Yates is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Arcus can do to turn this around?

Yates had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Arcus defends it easily.
Yates manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Arcus manages to get himself to full guard.

Yates thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yates postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Arcus had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yates defends it easily.

Yates avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Arcus is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Arcus is breathing heavily.
Arcus wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arcus wants to stand up but Yates is controlling him.
Arcus working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yates.
Arcus tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yates scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Yates's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Arcus controls Yates momentarily but Yates frees himself.
Yates with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Yates working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Arcus's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Arcus looking for a guillotine here but Yates defends easily.
Yates is working Arcus over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Yates cracks Arcus with a solid left hand.

Arcus has his foot on Yates's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yates works his way back into a safe position though.
Yates postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yates lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Yates with a nice head shot there.

Arcus throws his legs up looking for a submission but Yates uses it to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lamar Yates dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Arcus fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Yates sprawls well initially but Arcus persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Yates has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Arcus is working away from the top position though.
Yates missing with punches from the bottom.
Arcus seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yates does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Yates trying to hold on to Arcus's head to control him but Arcus postures up.

Arcus is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yates is just riding it out for now. Arcus eventually gives up the hold.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arcus keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Arcus takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates wants to control but Arcus is keeping busy.
Arcus seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yates does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Yates trying to hold on to Arcus's head to control him but Arcus postures up.
Arcus trying to control the action but Yates is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Arcus defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Yates.
Yates slips a jab and a cross from Arcus.
Yates blocks a head kick by Arcus.
Arcus leaves Yates with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Arcus throws a lazy head kick

and Yates counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yates working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Yates trying to control the position from guard on top but Arcus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Arcus is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Yates defends well.
Lamar Yates overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Arcus is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Yates defends well.
Yates with a nice head shot there.
Yates stands up over Arcus, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yates postures up in Arcus's guard and throws a big left but Arcus blocks it.
Yates lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Arcus is on top in guard.

Yates tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yates looking to control.
Arcus slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Yates seems keen to control Arcus's posture.
Arcus trying to control the position from guard on top but Yates is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yates trying to control the position here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Arcus fails to land with a series of punches.

Arcus shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Yates's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Yates is on top in guard.

Yates chips away with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Arcus has an active guard here but Yates has managed to pass into half guard.
Didi Arcus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lamar Yates is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Yates is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Arcus doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Yates.

And that's the end of the fight!
Didi Arcus comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Yates has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lamar Yates!