PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between The Imperial (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damen Alexander (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.

Imperial
vs
Alexander

183 cm
25
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

220 cm
25
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, The Imperial!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Damen Alexander!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Bart Greer and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alexander shoots in for a takedown but Imperial shows good takedown defense.

Imperial clinches with his opponent.
Alexander tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Imperial smiles and moves away.
Imperial tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Alexander manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Alexander fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Imperial, pushing him back against the cage.
Alexander gets underhooks to prevent Imperial's takedown attempt.

Imperial gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Alexander trying to strike off his back.
Imperial in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Imperial looking to sit in guard and control but Alexander gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Alexander drops back looking for a leg! Imperial is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Imperial manages to kick Alexander off! Alexander jumps back into Imperial's guard.
Imperial is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alexander gets to his feet. Imperial looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Alexander misses with the combination.
Imperial tries to counter with a takedown but Alexander is quick to defend against it.
Alexander lands a right hook to the body.

Alexander forces Imperial back against the cage and clinches.
Alexander goes for a takedown in the clinch but Imperial prevents it.
The Imperial has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damen Alexander.

Imperial lands a takedown into guard.
Imperial throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imperial trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Imperial throwing strikes but missing.
Alexander looking to hit a scissor sweep but Imperial is one step ahead there.
Alexander is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Alexander is on top in guard.

Alexander slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Imperial is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imperial trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Imperial throws Alexander to one side and escapes!
Imperial leaves Alexander with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Imperial clinches up with Alexander and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Imperial has hold of one of Alexander's legs. Alexander is fighting the takedown attempt but Imperial gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Alexander manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alexander stops a takedown attempt from Imperial.

Imperial turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Imperial manages to end up in side control.
Alexander manages to work his way to half guard, despite Imperial's best efforts.
Imperial looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Alexander with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Imperial wants to take a breather but Alexander is having none of it.
Alexander is trying to maintain the position but Imperial is very close to passing his half guard.
Alexander is looking to escape.
Alexander controlling the position well.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Imperial connects with a nice short shot to Alexander's temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Damen Alexander will probably get the nod.
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.

Imperial drives through and clinches with Alexander against the cage.
Alexander has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Imperial avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Alexander pulls guard.
Imperial is in close to Alexander's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Imperial landing with the ground and pound.
Alexander keeping moving, preventing Imperial from controlling successfully.
Imperial is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Imperial seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Imperial looking to sit in guard and control but Alexander gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Alexander gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Imperial controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Imperial keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Alexander's head.
Imperial postures up and lands a big shot to Alexander's brow.
Alexander looking to control.
Imperial postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imperial is stalling in the full guard.
Imperial scoring with some ground and pound.
Imperial cracks Alexander with a solid left hand.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Imperial's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Imperial controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Imperial scoring with punches to the head and body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Imperial with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imperial cracks Alexander with a solid left hand.
Imperial postures up and lands a big shot to Alexander's brow.
Imperial sitting in guard here, content to control.
Imperial lands a couple of elbows.
Imperial is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alexander can do to turn this around?
Imperial postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Imperial lands a couple of elbows.
Imperial scoring with some ground and pound.
Imperial stopping the sweep attempt from Alexander.
Alexander bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Imperial's guard.

Alexander is breathing heavily.
Imperial is looking to stand up but Alexander isn't so interested in that idea.

Imperial has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Alexander has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imperial goes for a takedown in the clinch but Alexander prevents it.

Imperial works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Imperial trying to control the position from guard on top but Alexander is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Imperial postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Imperial is in close to Alexander's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The Imperial overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Imperial is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Imperial postures up.
Alexander has momentary wrist control but Imperial slips an elbow through the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

The Imperial dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Imperial moves into the clinch.
Alexander jumps guard but Imperial turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Alexander stalling in the clinch.

Imperial turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Imperial is looking to take a break and control but Alexander is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Alexander is trying to get back to his feet.
Alexander is looking to reverse the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alexander is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Imperial is controlling him well.
Imperial trying to control the action but Alexander is working from the bottom.
Alexander has one of Imperial's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imperial trying to control the position but Alexander is working away.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Imperial lands some shots froms side control.
Alexander is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Alexander manages to work his way to half guard, despite Imperial's best efforts.
Imperial working over Alexander with some ground and pound. Alexander looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Alexander takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Imperial prevents Alexander from improving his position.
Imperial working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexander missing with punches from the bottom.
Imperial working over Alexander with some ground and pound. Alexander looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Alexander is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Imperial scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ground and pound from Imperial.
Alexander has hold of Imperial's hands but Imperial slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Imperial lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Alexander is refusing to be controlled, as Imperial sits in half guard.
Imperial slips a nice elbow through Alexander's hands, connecting with Alexander's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imperial lands strikes from half guard.
Imperial looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Alexander with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Imperial winds up and cracks Alexander with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Imperial takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Imperial drops an elbow to the side of Alexander's head.

Alexander is rocked!
Alexander on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Alexander is still in real trouble! Can Imperial finish him?
Imperial lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Alexander quite badly. Alexander pulls Imperial in close trying to recover. Imperial postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Alexander on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Alexander doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). The Imperial!