PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Franco Ayers (ranked 5154 p4p, 4189 weight class) and Yao Ming (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ayers has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ayers
vs
Ming

197 cm
18
265
0 - 1 - 0

197 cm
18
265
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Franco Ayers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yao Ming!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Ben Hemmingworth and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ming darts in looking for a takedown but Ayers gets double underhooks and turns Ming into the cage.
Ayers rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ming moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A punch combination from Ayers misses.
Ayers is breathing heavily.
Ming tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ayers sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ming somewhat.
Ming works Ayers's body with a nice hook.
Ming fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Ming escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ming throws a shot to the body.
Ayers stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ayers wants it to stay on the feet.
Franco Ayers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yao Ming.

Ming gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ming changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ayers fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ming darts in looking for a takedown but Ayers gets double underhooks and turns Ming into the cage.

Ming shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ayers manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ayers is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ming is controlling him.

Ming drops back looking for a leg! Ayers is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ayers manages to kick Ming off! Ming jumps back into Ayers's guard.
Ming wants to pass the guard but Ayers is keeping the position.

Ming stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ayers misses with a looping left.
Ming shoots in for a takedown but Ayers shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ming lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Ming closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Ayers's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ming working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ming is stalling in the full guard.
Ming missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ming pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ayers is keeping the position for now.
Ming controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ming trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ayers throws a series of punches but Ming avoids them all with ease.

Ming closes the distance and clinches.
Ming is working for takedown but Ayers is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ming drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ayers wants to break free but Ming has control.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ming throws an elbow but misses.

Ming pulls guard successfully.
Ming is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Ayers gets to his feet - Ming follows without any prompting.
Ming goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ming looks for the body kick but Ayers saw that one coming.
Franco Ayers is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

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

Ming's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ming shoots for a double leg takedown but Ayers sprawls well. He's pushed Ming's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ming closes the distance and clinches.

Ayers breaks from the clinch.
Ming fails with the takedown.
Ayers was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Ayers misses with a wild body shot.
Ming has a takedown stuffed.
Ming shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ayers as he avoids it easily.
Franco Ayers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yao Ming.
Ming tries to move into range but Ayers moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Ming is looking to land body kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ming closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ayers circles away.
Ming closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ayers circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ayers misses with a head kick.
Ming looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ayers is fending him off so far but Ming persists. Nope, Ayers circles away and we're back to standing.
Ayers throws out a loose jab but Ming uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ming doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ming clinches with his opponent.

Ayers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ming pushes Ayers up against the cage in a clinch.
Ming throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ayers wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ming has him pressed against the cage.
Ming content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Ming.

Ming pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ming fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ayers avoids it really well and circles away.
Franco Ayers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ming shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ayers looks to score with a jab to the body but Ming is just out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ming ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ming changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Ming tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ayers defends well and Ming ends up having to push Ayers into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Ayers avoids the head kick by Ming.
An attempted straight right counter from Ayers misses the target.
Ayers lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Ming is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ming shoots in and drives through. Ayers sprawls well.
Ayers lands a nice shot that snaps Ming's head back.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ming ducks under a wild hook from Ayers.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ming.
Ayers dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ayers throws a head kick but Ming moves out of range.
Ming fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ayers throws a hook but Ming avoids it easily.
Ayers throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Ming has managed to clinch.
Ming keeps control of Ayers as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ayers has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ayers is trying to break the clinch but Ming has him pressed against the cage.

Ming jumps into guard, dragging Ayers to the mat.
Ming 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ming throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ming working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ming has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Ayers doesn't defend quickly enough and Ming has managed to lock this one up! Can Ayers escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Ming on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Yao Ming!