PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Brian Covington (ranked 3835 p4p, 4997 weight class) and Paul Mills (ranked 442 p4p, 521 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Covington
vs
Mills

184 cm
22
169
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
155
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

SMESH Nutrition 160Q

Big Chief Nutrition & Laundry Services (35%)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Brian Covington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paul Mills!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Covington avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mills defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Covington.
Mills tries to counter with a clinch but Covington shakes him off and moves away.

Covington rushes Mills and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mills lands an elbow that stopped Covington in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Brian Covington has been cut.
Covington avoids a wild elbow strike from Mills.
With the fighters up against the cage, Mills throws an elbow but misses.
Covington avoiding damage.
Mills pushes off an throws an elbow but Covington leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Covington is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Mills can't fight it off and eventually Covington manages to take the fight to the floor. Mills looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Covington scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mills 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.
Mills wants to stand up but Covington is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Covington scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Covington working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mills's head.
Covington slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mills wants to get back to his feet but Covington is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Covington makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Covington seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mills has momentary wrist control but Covington slips an elbow through the middle.
Covington showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Covington prevents Mills from getting back to his feet.
Covington controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mills wants to stand and escape but Covington is having none of it.
Covington scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Covington works over Mills with some ground and pound from guard.
Covington has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Covington pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mills is keeping the position for now.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Mills manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Covington softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Covington tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A right handed body shot lands from Covington.
Mills throws an elbow but it misses.
Covington blocks the elbow strike.
Our sources have told us that Covington has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Mills misses with an elbow over the top.
Mills is trying to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Covington has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mills uses from the top position.
Covington has control of Mills's left arm, preventing Mills from doing any damage.
Covington looking for a sweep. Not yet Covington, not yet.
Covington pulls Mills in close to his closed guard and prevents Mills from doing any damage or advancing position.
Mills throws a big right hand that misses.

Mills postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Covington is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Mills, into his guard.

Covington keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mills's head.
Covington seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mills not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mills being controlled here, momentarily.
Covington'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.
Covington stops Mills from standing up.
Covington content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Covington is working Mills over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Covington stops Mills from standing up.
Mills has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Covington has passed into side control.
Mills takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Mills regains half guard.
Covington is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mills doesn't manage to clinch there - Covington circles away.
Brian Covington seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Covington looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mills on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Mills has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Covington is on him like a limpet, forcing Mills back against the cage.
Mills taking a breather.
Covington blocks an elbow strike from Mills.
Covington lands a left hand.
Mills throws an elbow but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mills.
With the fighters up against the cage, Mills throws an elbow but misses.
Covington scores with a nice hook to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mills takes a shot to the head.
Covington works on Mills's body with a couple of short punches.
Mills lands a damaging elbow.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Covington.
Mills throws an elbow but it's blocked.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Covington looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Well, if Covington 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.
Mills is trying to stand.
Covington sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Mills gets full guard.
Covington makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Covington is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mills can do to turn this around?
Covington keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mills's head.
Brian Covington overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Covington wants to pass the guard but Mills is keeping the position.

Mills looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Covington won't allow Mills to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Covington won't allow Mills to get back to his feet.
Covington makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Covington chips away with some ground and pound.
Covington is stalling in the full guard.
Covington scoring with punches to the head and body.
Covington is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mills wants to stand up but Covington is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Covington with a nice head shot there.

Covington thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Mills looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Covington looking to pass the guard.
Covington connects with a couple of short punches.
Covington stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mills swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Covington controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Covington stops Mills from standing up.

Mills manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Nice jab there from Covington.
Mills tries to close the distance and clinch up but Covington swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mills tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mills darts in trying to clinch

and Covington counters with a nice double leg into side control. Mills won't be happy with that.

Mills explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Mills is looking to clinch but Covington is avoiding it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Brian Covington will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Brian Covington's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Covington fails with a takedown attempt.
Covington connects with a jab.

Covington has closed the distance and engaged Mills in a clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Mills throws an elbow but misses.
Covington lands a body punch in the clinch.
Covington tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mills avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mills creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mills lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Covington blocks an elbow strike.
Mills pushes off an throws an elbow but Covington leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Covington lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mills backwards.
Covington blocks the elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Covington.
Brian Covington has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Mills misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Covington.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Mills.
A bit of stalling here from Covington.

Covington gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Covington working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Covington stops Mills from getting back to his feet.
Covington lands with a punch from half guard.
Covington is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Covington drops an elbow to the side of Mills's head.

Mills makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Covington misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mills moves in looking to clinch but Covington pushes him off.
A telegraphed right hand from Covington misses the target.
Covington shoots in and drives through. Mills sprawls well.
Mills tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Covington manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Covington darts in and clinches Mills up against the cage.
Mills is trying to stall.
Mills with a knee to the head.
Covington lands with a left to the head.
Covington is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mills pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Covington. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mills throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Mills creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Covington lands with a short shot to the head.
Covington leaning against his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mills looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Mills has had enough of the clinch but Covington keeps him there for the moment.
Mills looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Covington with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Covington lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Mills is trying to escape back to his feet but Covington uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Covington controls the position from side control.
Mills tries to bench press Covington off him but Covington keeps the position.
Covington controls the position.
Covington knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mills on the ground.
Mills tries to escape but Covington is in control.
Covington in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Covington landing a few strikes.
Mills is trying to control Covington's posture but Covington avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mills takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Mills throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Covington scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Mills to see if he's OK.
Covington controls the position.
Covington works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Mills sneaks out the side door and pushes Covington away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Covington shoots in but no luck this time.
Mills let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Covington moves into the clinch.
Mills letting Covington take a breather here.

Covington jumps guard and drags Mills to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Paul Mills has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brian Covington is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mills loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brian Covington showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Covington 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brian Covington!
A less than humble Brian Covington misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.