PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bender Mein Armbach (ranked 2726 p4p, 2127 weight class) and Malachi Lawrence (ranked 402 p4p, 337 weight class). Mein Armbach comes to the cage accompanied by Enter Sandman, Metallica. Lawrence has chosen Many Men as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Mein Armbach
vs
Lawrence

181 cm
33
181
20 - 17 - 1

180 cm
36
174
25 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Fantasy Threads
Stoner's Killer Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bender Mein Armbach!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 22 - 0, fighting out of New York, Malachi Lawrence!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawrence cracks a nice hook into Mein Armbach's ribs.
Mein Armbach misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lawrence.
Mein Armbach scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Lawrence darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mein Armbach wants to control but Lawrence is keeping busy.
Lawrence lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ground and pound from Lawrence.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawrence is keen to just control but Mein Armbach is a slippery customer.
Lawrence not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lawrence is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Mein Armbach sees it coming and defends easily.
Lawrence is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mein Armbach works his way to full guard. Good work.
Lawrence chips away with some ground and pound.
Lawrence postures up in Mein Armbach's guard and throws a big left but Mein Armbach blocks it.
Lawrence postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Lawrence throws a big right hand that misses.
Lawrence postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Mein Armbach looking for a guillotine here but Lawrence defends easily.
Lawrence in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two 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.
Lawrence content to stall in guard here.

Lawrence got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mein Armbach has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lawrence has managed to get both his arms back between Mein Armbach's legs - danger averted.
Lawrence throws a big right hand that misses.
Lawrence with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lawrence missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Lawrence throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Lawrence feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Mein Armbach is trying to control the position but Lawrence postures up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mein Armbach preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mein Armbach is trying to control the position but Lawrence postures up.
Lawrence working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lawrence cracks Mein Armbach with a solid left hand.
Lawrence working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lawrence trying to control the position from guard on top but Mein Armbach is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mein Armbach is trying to keep Lawrence in close.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Lawrence has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lawrence content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lawrence wants to control from the top but Mein Armbach keeps moving.
Lawrence works over Mein Armbach with some ground and pound from guard.
Lawrence connects with a couple of short punches.
Mein Armbach working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Lawrence works over Mein Armbach with some ground and pound from guard.
Mein Armbach looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lawrence is one step ahead there.
Mein Armbach keeping moving, preventing Lawrence from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Lawrence shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Mein Armbach napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lawrence wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mein Armbach keeps working.
Lawrence cracks Mein Armbach with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mein Armbach prevents Lawrence from improving position.
Lawrence is chipping away with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Malachi Lawrence dominated that round.
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.

Lawrence fails to land with a series of punches.
An attempted straight right counter from Mein Armbach misses the target.

Mein Armbach has taken the fight to the clinch.

Mein Armbach breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lawrence's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Mein Armbach connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Lawrence scrambles back to his feet.

Lawrence shoots in and bounces Mein Armbach off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Lawrence throwing strikes from guard but Mein Armbach blocks nicely.
Lawrence is working Mein Armbach over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mein Armbach working a defensive guard here.
Malachi Lawrence has got the better of the ground game so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lawrence accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mein Armbach keeping moving, preventing Lawrence from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lawrence accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Lawrence avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lawrence tries to free his leg and advance position but Mein Armbach is retaining full guard.
Lawrence trying to control but Mein Armbach is working from the bottom.
Lawrence throwing strikes from guard but Mein Armbach blocks nicely.
Lawrence stopping the sweep attempt from Mein Armbach.
Lawrence trying to control the position from guard on top but Mein Armbach is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lawrence lands a head kick. Mein Armbach smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mein Armbach slips a jab and a cross from Lawrence.
Mein Armbach misses with a hook. Lawrence ducked under it nicely.
Lawrence changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A jab lands there for Mein Armbach.
Mein Armbach tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lawrence paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lawrence pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A slow jab from Mein Armbach misses its intended target.
Mein Armbach smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Mein Armbach uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lawrence.
Lawrence scoring well with a low kick there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mein Armbach throws a shot to the body.
Lawrence has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mein Armbach throws a hook but Lawrence blocks it.
Lawrence takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lawrence circles away from the clinch attempt.
Malachi Lawrence is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mein Armbach darts in and clinches Lawrence up against the cage.
Mein Armbach tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lawrence's elbow.
A nice right hand lands inside from Mein Armbach.
Mein Armbach lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mein Armbach has a couple of punches blocked by Lawrence.
Lawrence blocking some punches.
A shot in the inside from Mein Armbach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mein Armbach misses with some punches.
Mein Armbach working aggressively here.
Mein Armbach misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lawrence blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mein Armbach misses with some punches.
Mein Armbach tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lawrence's elbow.
Mein Armbach misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lawrence blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lawrence blocks a body shot from Mein Armbach.
Mein Armbach works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Lawrence escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Mein Armbach clinches up against the cage.
Mein Armbach swings wildly with an uppercut but Lawrence uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bender Mein Armbach dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mein Armbach misses with a body shot.
Lawrence appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Mein Armbach moves in looking to clinch but Lawrence pushes him off.
Lawrence unleashes a big counter combination but Mein Armbach bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Lawrence misses with a double jab.
Lawrence swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice uppercut lands for Mein Armbach. That snapped Lawrence's head back.

Lawrence shoots in and gets a takedown into Mein Armbach's guard.
Lawrence wants to control from the top but Mein Armbach keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawrence looking to sit in guard and control but Mein Armbach gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Lawrence trying to keep a closed guard but Mein Armbach is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence looking for a sweep. Not yet Lawrence, not yet.
Lawrence has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mein Armbach trying to control but Lawrence is working from the bottom.
Mein Armbach postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lawrence looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Mein Armbach drops back looking for a leg! Lawrence is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lawrence manages to kick Mein Armbach off! Mein Armbach jumps back into Lawrence's guard.
Lawrence seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Mein Armbach trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawrence is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mein Armbach swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Lawrence.
Lawrence throws a series of punches but Mein Armbach moves out of range.
Mein Armbach cracks Lawrence with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Mein Armbach connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mein Armbach misses the jab.
Lawrence wants to counter with a clinch but Mein Armbach pushes him away.
Lawrence throws a head kick that misses
and Mein Armbach counters with a nice uppercut.
Mein Armbach throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bender Mein Armbach is winning the standup battle so far.
Lawrence misses with a body shot.
Mein Armbach is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Mein Armbach tests Lawrence's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Lawrence keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mein Armbach.

Mein Armbach gets caught napping as Lawrence dives in and scores a takedown. Mein Armbach manages to retain guard.
Lawrence throws a big right hand that misses.

Mein Armbach escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lawrence gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lawrence throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mein Armbach escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lawrence gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mein Armbach utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lawrence is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lawrence is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Lawrence wants to control from the top but Mein Armbach keeps moving.
Lawrence scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mein Armbach keeping moving, preventing Lawrence from controlling successfully.
Lawrence is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

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 Bender Mein Armbach.
I think Mein Armbach has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bender Mein Armbach!
Bender Mein Armbach took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'I Hiav vays of making you taap!! You looze zen You Snooze... Muahhhaahaaa!! '.
The defeated Malachi Lawrence had this to say: 'The Hood Hit Harder Than You '.