PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Armenian Samoan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Newton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Samoan
vs
Newton

160 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
176 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Armenian Samoan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eric Newton!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Russell Pearce and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Newton lands a body shot.
Newton lands a two punch combo.
Samoan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Newton swivels and escapes.
Newton lands a nice shot to the body.
Newton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Samoan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Newton lands an overhand right.
Left hook, right uppercut from Newton.
Samoan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Samoan takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Some wild striking there from Newton.
Newton has his takedown stuffed

and Samoan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Samoan is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samoan pushing down on Newton's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Newton moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Newton bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Samoan's guard.
Newton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Samoan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Samoan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Samoan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Newton throws a big right hand that misses.
Samoan wants to sweep but no luck.
Newton wants to get up but he can't break Samoan's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Newton looks gassed!
Samoan tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Samoan closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Newton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Samoan circles away quickly and effectively.
Newton punishes Samoan's body with a nice straight punch.
Newton fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Newton scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Left hook, right uppercut from Newton.
Newton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Samoan was well out of range. Poor timing from Newton.
Newton throws a series of punches but Samoan avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Samoan feints and as Newton raises his hands in defense, Samoan changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Samoan would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Samoan thows a big elbow that misses.
Samoan postures up.

Newton escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Samoan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Samoan trying to control the position from guard on top but Newton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Samoan postures up.

Newton is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Samoan forces his way into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newton is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Samoan tries for a takedown but Newton circles away easily
and Newton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Armenian Samoan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Newton stuffs the takedown.
Newton scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Newton throws a hook to the side of Samoan's head but Samoan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Newton is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

Samoan bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Samoan is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Newton knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Armenian Samoan will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Newton scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Samoan changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Newton tries to avoid it but Samoan manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Newton to the ground. Newton escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Newton is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Samoan rather than just go for the knockout.
Samoan dodges the punch combination from Newton.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Samoan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Newton throws a nice head kick!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samoan on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Samoan slips a jab and a cross from Newton.

Samoan scores with a takedown into Newton's guard.
Samoan wants to pass the guard but Newton is keeping the position.
Samoan is pushing down on Newton's leg trying to pass to half guard. Newton is fighting to maintain full guard but Samoan has managed to sneak the leg through.
Samoan tries to pass the half guard into mount. Newton knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Newton manages to get to full guard.
Samoan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Newton is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samoan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Newton works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Newton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Samoan sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Samoan wants to control from the top but Newton keeps moving.
Samoan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newton will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Samoan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Samoan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Newton is fending him off so far but Samoan persists. Nope, Newton circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Armenian Samoan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Newton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Samoan trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Newton looking to pass the guard.
Samoan 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.
Samoan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Newton on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Newton decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Eric Newton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Newton wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Samoan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Samoan showed some decent athleticism there.
Samoan prevents Newton from improving his position.
Newton blocking the ground and pound attempt from Samoan.
Newton is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Armenian Samoan will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Newton scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Newton ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Samoan closes the distance and clinches up with Newton, looking for a takedown. Samoan pushes Newton against the cage but Newton circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Newton tries for a takedown but Samoan circles away easily

and Samoan counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Samoan wants to control from the top but Newton keeps moving.
Armenian Samoan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Newton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Samoan controlling from the top position.
Samoan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Newton is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samoan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Newton looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Newton wants to sweep here but Samoan controlling him for the moment.
Samoan pushing down on Newton's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Newton is pressing down on Samoan's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Samoan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Newton is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Newton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Samoan trying to control the position from guard on top but Newton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Newton throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Samoan slips nicely into half guard.
Samoan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Newton does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samoan tries to pass the half guard into mount. Newton knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Newton wants to improve his position but Samoan is controlling well.
Newton throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Armenian Samoan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Samoan not doing much here.
Samoan wants to control but Newton is keeping him busy.
Samoan is taking a breather. Newton says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Newton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Samoan.

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.
Left hook, right uppercut from Newton.

Samoan shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Eric Newton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Samoan slows the pace down in half guard.
Samoan trying to control the action but Newton is working from the bottom.
Newton makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Newton.

And that's the end of the fight!
Armenian Samoan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Samoan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Armenian Samoan!