PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Eta Knox (ranked 1063 p4p, 67 weight class) and Tim Slater (ranked 1945 p4p, 114 weight class). Knox kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is David Dallas | Runnin'. Tim Slater has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Knox
vs
Slater

172 cm
26
146 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

170 cm
27
137 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Eta Knox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tim Slater!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slater jabs Knox to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Knox connects with a right hand. Slater shakes it off.
Knox missing with a left hand there. Slater was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Knox ducks right into an uppercut from Slater.

Slater closes the distance and clinches.
Slater is trying to pull guard but Knox has him pressed against the cage.
Slater tries to pull guard but Knox forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Slater jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Knox walks away with a smile on his face. Slater gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Eta Knox has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Slater.
Knox moves away from the strike by Slater.
Slater doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Knox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Knox throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Knox throws a jab when Slater was well out of range.
Knox ducks under a wild hook from Slater.
Slater uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Knox.
Slater tries to clinch up but Knox circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slater ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Slater drives through with a takedown into Knox's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Slater tries to free his leg and advance position but Knox is retaining full guard.
Knox pulls Slater in to control the position.
Slater trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Knox seems keen to control Slater's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Slater trying to control the position from guard on top but Knox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Slater tries to free his leg and advance position but Knox is retaining full guard.
Slater trying to control the position from guard on top but Knox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Knox working a defensive guard here.
Slater won't allow Knox to sweep him here.
Knox can't keep his opponent in guard - Slater advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slater tries to pass to full mount but Knox defends it.
Slater is trying to control. Knox wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Slater works his way into full mount!
Knox sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Slater is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Knox sees it coming and defends easily.
Knox is trying to get back to full guard.
Slater wants to control but Knox is keeping him busy.
Knox has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Knox wants to get back to full guard.
Slater trying to control from half guard but Knox is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Slater 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.
Slater trying to control from half guard but Knox is working away.
Knox controlling the position for now.
Knox tries to roll over but Slater keeps him under control.
Knox is pressing down on Slater's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Knox is trying to control the position but Slater postures up.
Knox has his hands on Slater's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Slater controlling from the top position.
Knox seems keen to control Slater's posture.
Slater trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Slater thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Slater wants to pass the guard but Knox is keeping the position.
Slater preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Slater dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Slater.
A swing and a miss from Slater.
Slater lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Knox moves into the clinch successfully.
Slater tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Knox just stands there and leans against the cage.
Knox tries to throw a body punch but Slater avoids it by throwing Knox back against the cage.
Slater is trying to pull guard but Knox turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Slater is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Knox to keep the fight standing.
Eta Knox has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Slater.
Slater is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Knox to keep the fight standing.
A left hand lands to the body for Knox.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Slater gets control of Knox's arms and successfully pulls guard. Slater will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Knox controls from within his opponent's guard.
Knox wants to pass the guard but Slater is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox controlling from the top position.

Slater looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Slater trying to control the position.
Slater wants to sweep here but Knox controlling him for the moment.
Slater is still trying to improve position.
Knox trying to control but Slater is working from the bottom.
Knox stays in close to Slater's body and controls the position.
Knox's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

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.
Slater is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Slater keeping moving, preventing Knox from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Slater fails with the takedown.
Knox moves out of range as Slater strikes.
Slater fails with an attempt to clinch.
Slater uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Knox has time to react.
Slater tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Knox defends well and Slater ends up having to push Knox into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Eta Knox is winning the standup battle so far.
Slater is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Knox.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Slater.
Slater lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Knox misses the shot to the body.
Slater tries to land a leg kick but Knox saw it coming and moves away.
Knox tries to counter by clinching up but Slater breaks away and moves out of range.
Knox digs a good hook to Slater's body.
Slater throws a shot from downtown. Knox moves away and avoids it.
Slater uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Knox.
Slater darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Knox swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Slater thuds a left hand into Knox's body.
Knox smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Slater tries to clinch but Knox is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox throws an overhand right that lands on Slater's shoulder, as Slater tries to avoid the shot.
Slater shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Knox pinned against the cage. Knox gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Knox displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Slater.
Knox misses the shot to the body.
Slater throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Knox's waist but Knox gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Slater off to one side.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Slater shoots in for a takedown but Knox shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Knox fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A telegraphed right hand from Knox misses the target.
Slater wants to clinch up but Knox keeps it at a distance.
As Slater tries to get set, Knox tries to push him back and clinch up but Slater manages to avoid the attempt.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Eta Knox will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Slater shoots in and drives through. Knox sprawls well.
Slater closes this distance looking for a takedown but Knox circles away.
Knox throws a lazy uppercut
and Slater cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Good standup being displayed there by Knox as he connects with a hook.
Slater connects with a body shot.
Slater tries to clinch but Knox moves out of range.
Knox connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Slater fails with a takedown attempt.
Eta Knox has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Slater.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Slater misses with a body shot.
Slater walks into a stiff left hand from Knox.
A slow jab from Slater misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slater fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Knox has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Slater throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.
Knox pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Slater connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Knox punishes Slater's body with a nice straight punch.
Slater takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Slater slips under a jab.
Slater swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A punch combination from Knox misses.
Nice uppercut there from Slater.
Knox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox throws a jab but it's blocked by Slater.
Knox moves out of range of the strikes.
Knox is looking to counter the offense by Slater and move into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox blocks a jab.
Knox throws out a powerful jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Slater throws a looping overhand right but Knox ducks down to avoid it.
Knox throws an overhand right that lands on Slater's shoulder, as Slater tries to avoid the shot.
Slater is looking to clinch.
Knox seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Knox throws a perfectly timed hook that sends Slater crashing down! Slater tries to stagger back to his feet but Knox just hammers him until the ref stops the fight! A confused Slater asks the ref what just happened. Poor fella.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Eta Knox!
Eta Knox seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.