PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gregory Bell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Latham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Latham has chosen Frontier Psychiatrist - The Avalanches as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bell
vs
Latham

182 cm
22
220 lbs
7 - 5 - 1

185 cm
24
215 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gregory Bell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Latham!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bell throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Bell shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bell with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Bell with a couple of short strikes.

It looks like Mark Latham has been cut.
Latham is trying desperately to improve position.
Latham avoids a series of strikes thrown by Bell.
Latham tries to reverse the position but Bell maintains control.
Bell unloads with some shots from mount but Latham bucks and avoids them well.
Bell unloading with bombs!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Latham bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Latham trying to control but Bell is working from the bottom.
Latham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bell swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Latham stays in close to Bell's body and controls the position.
Bell 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.
Latham pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bell is keeping the position for now.
Bell manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Latham really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Bell scoring with strikes but Latham is staying in there.

Bell working for a guillotine from mount but Latham is in no mood to give up.
Latham is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Latham slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Latham is pressing down on Bell's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Bell loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Latham has his hands on Bell's head, controlling the position.
Latham is trying to control the position but Bell postures up.
Bell pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Latham is keeping the position for now.
Latham working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Latham keeping full guard, as Bell tries to pass.
Latham trying to control the position.
Bell tries to free his leg and advance position but Latham is retaining full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bell looks to score with a jab to the body but Latham is just out of range.

Bell changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Latham looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Bell is breathing heavily.
Latham takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Latham is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Latham wants to control but Bell is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Latham is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Bell's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Bell's back!
Bell rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Bell throws a strike from the bottom but Latham passes into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Latham controlling from side mount.

Latham thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Bell gets back to half guard.
Bell wants to get back to full guard but Latham has passed into side control.
Latham tries to control but Bell wriggling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bell is trying to escape the mount but Latham keeps good control and instead manages to take Bell's back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gregory Bell dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mark Latham's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Latham lands a glancing blow to the side of Bell's head.

Latham shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Latham was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Bell has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Gregory Bell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bell looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Bell tries to escape the position.

Latham tightening his grip on Bell, looking for the choke.

Latham looking for the choke but no joy.
Bell tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Latham trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bell is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Latham takes Bell's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Bell is in trouble.

Bell preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Latham.
Latham is breathing heavily.
Bell breaks Latham's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell trying to control but Latham is working from the bottom.
Latham utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Latham keeping moving, preventing Bell from controlling successfully.
Latham working a defensive guard here.
Bell pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Latham is keeping the position for now.
Latham is trying to control the position but Bell postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Latham connects with a single shot there.

Latham has closed the distance and engaged Bell in a clinch.
Bell throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lathams head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Latham misses with a short punch on the inside.
Latham misses with a body punch.
Latham lands a nice shot to the body.
Latham tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bell just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bell tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Latham is working Bell over against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Latham.
Latham tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bell misses with a short punch on the inside.
Latham has a couple of punches blocked by Bell.
Latham scores with a shoulder strike.
Latham lands a body punch.
A short body shot lands from Latham as the two fighters clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Latham.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Latham jumps into guard, dragging Bell to the mat.
Latham has his hands on Bell's head, controlling the position.
Bell stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Latham swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Latham is trying to keep Bell in close.
Bell slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Latham struggling a bit here.
Latham is looking for a sweep.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Latham scores with a nice head shot.
Bell avoids a kick to the body.
Latham uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bell.
Bell tries to bum rush Latham with a series of wild strikes but Latham uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Latham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mark Latham's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Bell missing with a left hand there. Latham was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gregory Bell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bell takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Latham looks for a takedown but Bell sprawls well.
Latham lands with an overhand left.

Latham shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Latham was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Latham fails to advance to Bell's back.
Bell is looking to get to half guard.
Latham wants to control the pace but Bell is squirming around nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Latham controlling from mount.

Latham looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Latham wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Latham forces the positional change into back control.
Latham tries to keep control of the position but Bell is staying busy.
Latham keeps control of the position as Bell tries to break free.

Latham tightening his grip on Bell, looking for the choke.
Latham wants to control but Bell is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bell tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Bell gets back to half guard.
Well, if Latham is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Bell slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Bell lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Latham!
Bell prevents Latham from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell lands a big elbow.
Bell landing strikes, looking to finish!
Latham holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Bell tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Latham working to try and regain half guard.
Latham bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Latham is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Bell throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Bell 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.
Latham wants to pass the guard but Bell is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bell working for submissions but it's allowed Latham to get to half guard.
Latham takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Latham is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Bell is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Latham can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bell is looking to escape.
Latham takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Latham comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Latham has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Latham!