PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lu Sicheng (ranked 24671 p4p, 5920 weight class) and Raymond Holt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sicheng
vs
Holt

175 cm
18
172
0 - 3 - 0

192 cm
21
185
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lu Sicheng!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Raymond Holt!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sicheng moves into range and clinches up with Holt.
Sicheng is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Holt to keep the fight standing.
Holt with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Sicheng pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Holt slaps away a takedown attempt from Sicheng, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sicheng shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Holt sprawls well. Holt wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sicheng gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lu Sicheng. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holt has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holt wants to clinch.
Sicheng fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Holt shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sicheng as he avoids it easily.
Sicheng went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Sicheng definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sicheng avoids the head kick by Holt.

Sicheng forces Holt back against the cage and clinches.
Holt told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Holt tries to pull guard but Sicheng won't allow it.
Sicheng tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Holt avoids it.
Sicheng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Sicheng jumps guard and drags Holt to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Holt trying to control but Sicheng is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holt wants to stand but Sicheng is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sicheng is trying to keep Holt in close.
Holt throwing strikes but missing.
Sicheng is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Holt slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Sicheng displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Holt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sicheng tries for a takedown but Holt circles away easily
and Holt counters with a nice uppercut.
Holt avoids the body shot from Sicheng.
Sicheng is breathing heavily.
Holt swats away the attempt to clinch by Sicheng.
Holt shoots in for a takedown but Sicheng shows good takedown defense.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sicheng.
Holt lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Sicheng gets tackled into the cage by Holt. Holt maintains the clinch.
Holt drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Holt drags the fight down to the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holt looking for a sweep. Not yet Holt, not yet.
Sicheng wants to control from the top but Holt keeps moving.
Sicheng is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Holt is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Holt holds on and takes a little breather.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Raymond Holt will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Holt misses with a series of wild punches.

Holt clinches.
Sicheng prevents the takedown attempt.
Holt tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sicheng just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sicheng fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Holt breaks from the clinch.
Sicheng shoots for a double leg takedown but Holt sprawls well. He's pushed Sicheng's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sicheng takes a jab right on the kisser.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holt has a takedown stuffed.
It looked like Sicheng was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lu Sicheng has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raymond Holt.
Holt slips a straight right by Sicheng.

Holt lands a big head kick that sends Sicheng tumbling to the mat! Holt takes a step backwards and waves Sicheng back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Lu Sicheng has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sicheng fails with the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Holt will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sicheng feinted with a counter takedown.

Holt fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sicheng, pushing him back against the cage.

Holt's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Holt fails with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Holt's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sicheng stuffs the takedown attempt from Holt. Holt gets slowly back to his feet.
Holt shoots in for a takedown but Sicheng shows good takedown defense.
An inside leg kick from Sicheng misses.

Sicheng gets a clinch.

Holt pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sicheng shoots in and drives through. Holt sprawls well.
Holt has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Holt clobbers Sicheng with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Sicheng closes the distance and clinches.

Holt breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sicheng tries a head kick but it misses.

Holt tries to keep at a distance but Sicheng has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holt tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sicheng smiles and moves away.

Sicheng clinches up against the cage.

Holt pulls Sicheng into guard.
Holt working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sicheng.

Holt is working an open guard so Sicheng takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Holt throws a low kick but Sicheng moves out of range easily.
Holt misses with a takedown attempt - Sicheng sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Holt leaves Sicheng with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
As Sicheng backs off Holt throws a huge counter combo but Sicheng manages to avoid it all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sicheng slaps away a takedown attempt from Holt, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Holt slaps away a takedown attempt from Sicheng, before circling back to the center of the mat.
No luck for Holt with that takedown attempt.
Sicheng shoots in for a takedown but Holt shows good takedown defense.
Sicheng sets himself, and Holt steps forward looking for the clinch! Sicheng avoids it this time.
Holt paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Sicheng blocks a head kick by Holt.
Sicheng throws a quick counter head kick but Holt was just out of range.
Holt tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sicheng swivels and escapes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Holt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lu Sicheng's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sicheng is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Holt.
Holt misses with a takedown attempt - Sicheng sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sicheng shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sicheng shoots in but Holt avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sicheng leaves Holt with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sicheng appears to be looking for a big counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holt shoots in but Sicheng avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lu Sicheng has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raymond Holt.
Sicheng throws a series of punches but Holt moves out of range.
Holt lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sicheng's sensitive parts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sicheng fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sicheng dodges the punch combination from Holt.
Sicheng shoots in and drives through. Holt sprawls well.
Despite the aggression on Holt's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Nice shot lands for Holt.
Holt tries a head kick but it misses.
Raymond Holt seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Holt pushes Sicheng up against the cage in a clinch.
Holt tries to pull guard but Sicheng holds him up against the cage and eventually Holt drops back down to his feet.

Holt pulls Sicheng into guard.
Sicheng with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sicheng preventing the sweep.
Sicheng being controlled here momentarily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sicheng stopping the sweep attempt from Holt.

Holt is looking for a triangle but Sicheng pushes his legs off easily.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sicheng engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Holt misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Sicheng gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Holt breaks the clinch.
Sicheng looks for a takedown but Holt sprawls well.

Holt lands a big head kick that sends Sicheng tumbling to the mat! Holt takes a step backwards and waves Sicheng back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Sicheng is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Sicheng. No joy for Holt on that attempt.
Oh Sicheng is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sicheng fails with the takedown
and Holt counters with a right hand to the body.
Holt is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Holt throws a quick head kick that knocks Sicheng silly! This fight is all over! What a finish! Holt is up on the cage, taking in the applause from the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:13 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Raymond Holt!
Lu Sicheng spoke after the fight, saying 'Losing is part of learning. If you don't experience defeat you will not learn and comeback stronger next time.'.