PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jean Protagonist (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gary Bubba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Protagonist
vs
Bubba

181 cm
18
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jean Protagonist!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gary Bubba!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Protagonist looks for a takedown but Bubba sprawls well.
Protagonist tries to clinch there but Bubba circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Protagonist.

Bubba looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Bubba chips away with some ground and pound.
Bubba has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bubba trying to control the position from guard on top but Protagonist is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Protagonist knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bubba on the ground.

Bubba is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Bubba wanted to stand there but Protagonist had control of the position.
Protagonist looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Bubba puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Protagonist trying to control from the bottom.
Bubba controlling the action here.
Protagonist blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bubba.
Protagonist avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bubba.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Bubba forces Protagonist back against the cage and clinches.
Bubba wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Protagonist has him pressed against the cage.
Protagonist tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jean Protagonist. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Protagonist tries for a takedown. No joy.

Bubba successfully pulls guard.
Bubba keeping moving, preventing Protagonist from controlling successfully.
Protagonist stopping the sweep attempt from Bubba.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bubba looking to control.
Protagonist trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Bubba looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Protagonist tries to free his leg and advance position but Bubba is retaining full guard.
Protagonist in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Protagonist is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Bubba isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Protagonist stacks Bubba on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Protagonist!
Bubba looks gassed!
Protagonist wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bubba keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Protagonist is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bubba has escaped the position, nice work there.

Protagonist tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Protagonist has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bubba wants to get back to his feet but Protagonist drags him back down.
Protagonist trying to control the position but Bubba is working away.
Protagonist tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's four 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Protagonist tries to clinch up.
Bubba swats away the attempt to clinch by Protagonist.
Protagonist will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Bubba closes the distance and clinches.
Bubba tries to score a body lock takedown but Protagonist shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Bubba tries for a takedown but Protagonist manages to get underhooks.
Protagonist stalling against the cage.
Bubba keeps control of Protagonist as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Protagonist missing with knees to the body.

Bubba manages to pull guard.
Bubba is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Bubba moves into full mount! Protagonist won't be happy about that!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gary Bubba dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Protagonist shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bubba is on top in guard.
Protagonist controls Bubba momentarily but Bubba frees himself.
Protagonist keeping moving, preventing Bubba from controlling successfully.
Bubba trying to stand up but can't free himself from Protagonist's guard.
Protagonist trying to keep a closed guard but Bubba is proving a slippery customer.
Bubba is breathing heavily.
Bubba won't allow Protagonist to get back to his feet.
Protagonist working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bubba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Protagonist is keeping the position for now.

Protagonist is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Protagonist closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bubba circles away.
Protagonist shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bubba but Bubba pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Protagonist shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bubba but Bubba pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jean Protagonist. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bubba shoots and misses

and Protagonist counters with a takedown into side control.
Bubba tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Protagonist has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Protagonist goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Protagonist throws a head kick that misses.
Protagonist looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Protagonist darts in trying to clinch

and Bubba counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Protagonist's guard now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Protagonist had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bubba is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Protagonist Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bubba's back instead.
Protagonist is throwing shots to the body but Bubba manages to wriggle free. Protagonist pounces on him again and ends up in Bubba's guard.
Protagonist has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bubba throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Bubba controlling Protagonist's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Protagonist wants to control from the top but Bubba keeps moving.

Protagonist decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bubba, up you get!
Protagonist goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Protagonist closes the distance but Bubba moves to the side

and Bubba counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Protagonist managing to control the position.
Protagonist working a defensive guard here.
Protagonist is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bubba slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Protagonist is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bubba won't allow Protagonist to sweep him here.
Bubba throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Protagonist fails with the takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bubba misses with a takedown attempt
and Protagonist counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Protagonist looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Horrible takedown by Protagonist or perhaps it was just good defense by Bubba which made him look bad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gary Bubba will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Protagonist gets a clinch.
Protagonist tries to work over Bubba's body with a swooping hook but it's wide of the mark. Not good footwork there.
Bubba fails with the takedown
and Protagonist counters with a three punch combo that has Bubba backing up. Bubba nods at Protagonist to acknowledge the strikes.
Bubba keeps the fight on the outside.
Protagonist looks to clinch

and Bubba counters with a single leg into guard. Protagonist didn't expect that.
Bubba wants to stand but Protagonist is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bubba won't allow Protagonist to sweep him here.
Gary Bubba has got the better of the ground game so far.
Protagonist is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bubba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Protagonist preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Protagonist wants to sweep here but Bubba controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Protagonist pushes Bubba off and scrambles back to his feet.
Protagonist with a poor takedown

and Bubba counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bubba stalling away here and it's allowed Protagonist to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Protagonist has his feet on Bubba's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
A head kick misses from Protagonist.
Bubba throws the kick towards the body but Protagonist avoids it.
Protagonist closes the distance and clinches up with Bubba, looking for a takedown. Protagonist pushes Bubba against the cage but Bubba circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bubba misses with the combination.
Protagonist tries to clinch but Bubba is having none of it.
Protagonist throws a push kick but Bubba slaps the foot to one side.
Protagonist stuffs the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bubba fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Jean Protagonist has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gary Bubba.
A punch combination from Bubba misses.
Protagonist falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bubba counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bubba keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Protagonist's head.
Protagonist not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Bubba content to stall in guard here.
Bubba passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Protagonist wants to get back to his feet.
Bubba is trying to control the action in half guard but Protagonist is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Protagonist slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Protagonist is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bubba tries to stand but Protagonist is controlling from the bottom.
Protagonist keeping moving, preventing Bubba from controlling successfully.
Protagonist is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Protagonist is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Protagonist fails with the takedown

and Bubba counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Bubba connects with a nice short shot to Protagonist's temple.
Protagonist is trying to control but can't.

Protagonist has one foot on Bubba's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Protagonist closes the distance and clinches.
Bubba taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Protagonist fails to pull guard.
Bubba misses with an elbow over the top.

Bubba breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Protagonist swinging wilding here.
Jean Protagonist has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bubba closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bubba lands in his opponent's guard.
Protagonist keeping moving, preventing Bubba from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gary Bubba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bubba has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gary Bubba!