PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Grounded Stat (ranked 6422 p4p, 5114 weight class) and Shi Jiang (ranked 261 p4p, 224 weight class). Shi Jiang is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Stat
vs
Jiang

225 cm
25
130
0 - 1 - 0

163 cm
24
140
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Vegan Gains

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Grounded Stat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shi Jiang!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Daniel Blasius and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stat rushes Jiang and presses him up against the cage.
Stat can't get the takedown.
Jiang is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Stat is keeping busy.
Jiang tries to pull guard but Stat forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Stat is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Jiang pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Stat jumps into guard, dragging Jiang to the mat.
Stat preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Jiang wants to get up but he can't break Stat's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Stat isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Jiang stacks Stat on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Jiang!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stat prevents Jiang from moving into mount.
Stat really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Jiang taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jiang works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Jiang trying to control the position but Stat is working away.
Stat 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.
You can see the frustration on Stat's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Jiang decides to stand up, so the ref orders Stat to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Stat moves into the clinch.

Stat has picked Jiang up - he's going for a ride! Stat dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Jiang kicks off Stat and gets to his feet.
Stat is breathing heavily.

Jiang tries to keep at a distance but Stat has taken the fight into the clinch.
Jiang wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Jiang is trying to pull guard but Stat turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Jiang tries to break the clinch but Stat is controlling the position.
Jiang tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Stat smiles and moves away.
Grounded Stat has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shi Jiang.

Jiang moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stat avoiding damage as Jiang throws knees to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Stat as Jiang tries to tie him up.
Jiang tries a knee to the head but Stat blocks it.

Stat is trying to trip Jiang. He has hold of a leg but Jiang is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Stat persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Jiang keeping moving, preventing Stat from controlling successfully.
Jiang seems keen to control Stat's posture.
Stat trying to control the position from guard on top but Jiang is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jiang scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Stat looking to sit in guard and control but Jiang 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.
Stat working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jiang.

Jiang is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Stat is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Stat has escaped and now he's on top!

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jiang is looking to stand up but Stat isn't so interested in that idea.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shi Jiang will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stat tries to keep at a distance but Jiang has taken the fight into the clinch.
Jiang is trying to push Stat away but Stat has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Stat has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Jiang is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Jiang is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Stat is keeping busy.
Jiang stops a takedown attempt from Stat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stat is trying to drag Jiang to the mat but Jiang just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grounded Stat. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stat throws a punch but it's blocked by Jiang.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jiang goes for a takedown attempt but Stat pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Stat tries to sprawl but Jiang drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Stat keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stat moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Jiang decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Stat, up you get!
A low kick from Jiang is predictable there

and Stat counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stat.
Stat blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jiang is leaning against Stat and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Jiang is trying to pull guard but Stat has him pressed against the cage.
Jiang fails to pull guard.
Stat changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Jiang fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Jiang drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stat manages to work his way to half guard, despite Jiang's best efforts.
Stat tries to kick Jiang off in order to stand up. Jiang Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stat tries to bench press Jiang off him but Jiang keeps the position.
Jiang just content to control the position.
Stat is looking for a sweep.
Jiang throws a strike aimed at the side of Stat's head but Stat avoids it well.
Stat is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Stat looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stat is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Jiang passes into side control, despite Stat's attempt to control the position.
Jiang wants to control but Stat is keeping him busy.
Stat struggling a bit here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stat manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shi Jiang showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Stat closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Jiang's guard.
Jiang wants to sweep here but Stat controlling him for the moment.
Stat trying to control the position from guard on top but Jiang is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jiang can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Stat controls the pace.
Stat trying to control but Jiang is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stat is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Jiang is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Stat looking to sit in guard and control but Jiang gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jiang loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Stat throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Jiang escapes and throws Stat's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Stat is letting Jiang control him for a moment.
Jiang has control of an arm but Stat manages to advance to Jiang's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jiang rolls, trying to escape but Stat keeps control of the position.

Stat looking to break Jiang's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Jiang remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Stat will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Stat tries to get the hooks in deep but Jiang pushed the leg off.

Jiang is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Stat gets his way!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jiang manages to reverse the position and now he's in Stat's guard. Nice work there by Jiang.

Stat throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Jiang escapes and throws Stat's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jiang trying to control the position but Stat is working away.

Jiang decides to stand back up.

Stat gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The referee is keeping an eye on Stat - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Jiang is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Stat gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Stat manages to break the clinch.

Stat bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Jiang tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jiang struggling a bit here.

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 Grounded Stat.
I think Jiang 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight for Shi Jiang!
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight for Shi Jiang!
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight for Shi Jiang!

Shi Jiang wins by unanimous decision!