PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Ashton (ranked 221 p4p, 31 weight class) and Dick Army (ranked 858 p4p, 106 weight class). Ashton's entrance music is Zombie Nation. A fine choice. Army has chosen Dick Army as his entrance music. Dick Army acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Ashton
vs
Army

182 cm
31
189 lbs
22 - 21 - 1

189 cm
34
200 lbs
36 - 20 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Sully's Bar & Grill

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

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 22 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Eric Ashton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Dick Army!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Stewart Dunkirk and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ashton bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nice body punch from Ashton.
Ashton moves in looking to clinch but Army pushes him off.
Ashton throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Ashton thuds his right hand into Army's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Army checks a leg kick.
Army raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Army scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Army looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ashton throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Army on the side of the head.
Army throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Ashton counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ashton is looking to take a break and control but Army is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Ashton is working for a submission of some sort.
Ashton is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Army is trying to control the position but Ashton postures up.
Ashton trying to control but Army is working from the bottom.
Ashton has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Ashton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Army is keeping the position for now.
Ashton wants to control from the top but Army keeps moving.
Ashton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Army swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ashton works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ashton is looking to take a break and control but Army is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Ashton is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Army sees it coming and defends easily.
Army is not content to let Ashton control the position.
Ashton is looking to advance position but Army won't allow it.

Ashton wants to work for an arm triangle but Army is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Army is defending against the submission attempts here by Ashton.

Ashton seems to be working for a kimura but Army defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ashton seems to be working for a kimura but Army defends the submission attempt.

Ashton is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Army defends it well.

Ashton wants to work for an arm triangle but Army is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Ashton is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Army is just riding it out for now. Ashton eventually gives up the hold.

Army is defending against the submission attempts here by Ashton.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ashton is controlling the pace.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Ashton is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ashton looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Ashton dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ashton is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Army throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ashton misses with a hook.
Army misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A big right from Ashton misses.
Army has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Ashton connects with a looping right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ashton throws a body punch but Army moves out of range.
Army scores with a decent looking hook.
Ashton cracks Army with an open hand slap.
Ashton looks to land a left hand but Army moved out of range nicely.
Ashton sets himself, and Army steps forward looking for the clinch! Ashton avoids it this time.
Army takes a swing at Ashton's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Army steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ashton.
Ashton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ashton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Army can do to turn this around?
Good shot there by Ashton.
Ashton missing with a left hand there. Army was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Army throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A lazy body kick from Army

and Ashton decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Army's guard.
Ashton wants to pass the guard but Army is keeping the position.
Ashton engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Army seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Ashton looking to sit in guard and control but Army gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Eric Ashton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ashton trying to keep a closed guard but Army is proving a slippery customer.
Ashton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ashton has Army pulled in close to control his posture.
Army won't allow Ashton to sweep him here.
Army trying to control but Ashton is working from the bottom.
Ashton is trying to keep Army in close.

Army gets to his feet - Ashton follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Army has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Ashton.
Ashton throws a poor cross that misses
and Army counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ashton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Army.
Army throws a big shot that misses.
Ashton connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Ashton clinches.

Army breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ashton misses with an uppercut.
A countering left hand to the body from Army misses.
Army throws a series of punches but Ashton avoids them all with ease.
The crowd cheers as Ashton lands an impressive looking overhand right. Army doesn't seem phased though.
Army connects with an inside leg kick.
Army throws a body shot but no joy.
Army moves away from the strike by Ashton.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ashton connects with a crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Army takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Army walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Ashton missing with a left hand there. Army was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Army ducks under a wild hook from Ashton.
Ashton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Army moves away.
Ashton scores with a nice head shot.
Army takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ashton on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Ashton avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ashton throws a good cross that connects.
Army tries to score with a low kick but Ashton moves his leg out of the way.
Dick Army is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ashton. Army does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ashton lands a nice hook to Army's body. Army takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Ashton throws a lazy uppercut
and Ashton takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Ashton dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A punch lands to the side of Ashton 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Army moves away from the strike by Ashton.
Ashton takes a swing at Army's ribcage but misses.
Ashton throws a jab when Army was well out of range.
Eric Ashton is winning the standup battle so far.
Ashton ducks under a wild hook from Army.

Ashton gets a clinch.
Army prevents a body shot from Ashton.
Army is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Army is looking to break free of the clinch but Ashton has double underhooks.

Army's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Army lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Army throws a series of strikes that have Ashton backpedaling.
Army scores with a hook to the body. Ashton takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Ashton looks to score with a jab to the body but Army is just out of range.
Army swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Ashton scores with a body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ashton has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton tries a body shot but Army blocks it.

Army's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Army misses with a leg kick.
Ashton half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Army. That snapped Ashton's head back.
Ashton throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Ashton checks a leg kick.
Army throws a right hand that Ashton ducks under and follows up with a left that Ashton also avoids with ease.
Ashton half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Army pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Army missing with a left hand there. Ashton was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ashton misses with a wild body shot.
Ashton looks to throw the jab but Army is out of range.
Ashton throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Army misses with a body shot.
Army tries to score with a low kick but Ashton moves his leg out of the way.
Dick Army has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Army misses the shot to the body.
Ashton throws a head kick but Army moves out of range.
Army throws out a counter right but Ashton avoids it with no problem.
Ashton misses with a straight left.
Army takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ashton is looking to clinch.
Eric Ashton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ashton manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Army on his heels. He'll look to pass Army's guard now, I'm sure.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ashton wants to control from the top but Army keeps moving.
Eric Ashton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Army is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ashton pushes down on Army's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Ashton takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton moves into full mount! Army won't be happy about that!
Ashton controlling his opponent.
Ashton wants to control the pace but Army is squirming around nicely.
Ashton is stalling here but it's allowed Army to get half guard.
Ashton not doing much here.
Army tries to roll over but Ashton keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ashton is taking a breather. Army says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ashton is pressing down on Army's thigh, looking to free his foot. Army is holding on for now.
Ashton is working hard here to advance position.
Army tries to kick Ashton off but Ashton keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ashton performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Eric Ashton.
Well Ashton has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

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