PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joysula Ashton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benji Lab (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benji Lab told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Ashton
vs
Lab

180 cm
24
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

169 cm
20
159 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joysula Ashton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Benji Lab!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Bruno Lombardi and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lab misses with a straight left.
Ashton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lab moves away.
Ashton slips under a jab from Lab.
Ashton catches Lab with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Lab has a takedown stuffed.
Ashton dives in and grabs Lab's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lab pushes down on Ashton's head and hops out.
Lab throws a looping overhand right but Ashton ducks down to avoid it.
Lab looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ashton lands a glancing blow to the side of Lab's head.
Lab takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Ashton gets a takedown into half guard.
Ashton throwing shots but Lab is blocking nicely.
Ashton wants to control but Lab is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lab is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ashton scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ashton not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lab controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Lab keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lab avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ashton.
Ashton trying to control from half guard but Lab is working away.

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.
Ashton missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ashton 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.
Lab has hold of Ashton's hands but Ashton slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ashton thows a huge punch but Lab dodges it nicely.
Lab avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ashton.

Ashton is looking for a kimura here.
Lab really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ashton. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton is keen to just control but Lab is a slippery customer.
Ashton throwing shots but Lab is blocking nicely.
Lab is refusing to be controlled, as Ashton sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ashton throwing shots but Lab is blocking nicely.
Ashton has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lab shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ashton counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ashton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lab.
Lab swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Ashton counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Lab looks gassed!
Ashton postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ashton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lab utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ashton sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ashton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joysula Ashton dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ashton digs a good hook to Lab's body.
Ashton is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Lab closes the distance but Ashton moves to the side
and Ashton counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ashton connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Lab momentarily.
Lab swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ashton shoots in for a takedown but Lab shows good takedown defense.

Ashton closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lab to the mat! Lab manages to get full guard.
Lab working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ashton.
Ashton will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Lab wants to hit a switch here but Ashton passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Lab there!
Ashton is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Ashton thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Ashton there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Ashton putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Ashton landing strikes from the mount and Lab is in trouble!
Ashton throws some wild stikes that Lab manages to avoid easily.
Ashton controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lab tries to hold on but Ashton postures up.
Lab is breathing heavily.
Lab blocking the ground and pound.
Ashton misses with a head shot.
Ashton thowing shots but they're missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton thowing shots but they're missing.
Ashton punching from mount but Lab doing a good job of avoiding damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lab can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ashton looking to ground and pound but Lab is blocking nicely.
Lab is squirming around, avoiding Ashton's attempts to control the action.
Ashton looking to ground and pound but Lab is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lab is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Ashton throws some wild stikes that Lab manages to avoid easily.
Ashton throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Ashton there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Lab blocking the ground and pound.
Ashton pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ashton trying to control but Lab is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joysula Ashton dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Lab throws a jab when Ashton was well out of range.
Lab is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Lab misses with a hook to the body
and Ashton counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ashton ducks under a wild hook from Lab.
Lab slips a jab from Ashton.

Lab gets caught flat footed, as Ashton shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Ashton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lab is keeping the position for now.
Ashton throwing strikes from guard but Lab blocks nicely.
Joysula Ashton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ashton working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lab seems keen to control Ashton's posture.
Lab takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ashton is looking to work some ground and pound but Lab has wrist control.
Ashton controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Lab is trying to keep Ashton in close.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lab shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ashton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lab is looking to clinch.

Ashton darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ashton thows a huge punch but Lab dodges it nicely.
Ashton controlling the action here.
Ashton'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 three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton wants to control but Lab is keeping him busy.
Joysula Ashton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Well, if Ashton 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.
Ashton seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lab for as long as he can get away with.
Ashton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lab can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Joysula Ashton just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Ashton scores with the left hand. Lab knows he should have avoided that one.
Lab throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Ashton sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lab throws an overhand right that lands on Ashton's shoulder, as Ashton tries to avoid the shot.
Lab blocks a low kick nicely.

Ashton shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ashton showed some decent athleticism there.
Ashton wants to control but Lab is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joysula Ashton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ashton 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joysula Ashton!