PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raymond Vanclief (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taton Mickael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Raymond Vanclief has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Vanclief
vs
Mickael

176 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
205 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Raymond Vanclief!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Taton Mickael!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Columbo Gatti and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vanclief shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Vanclief was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Vanclief with the ground and pound from mount.
Vanclief knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mickael on the ground.
Vanclief connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Mickael tries to hold on but Vanclief postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mickael is desperately trying to improve his position but Vanclief has a good base and remains in mount.
Vanclief has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Mickael's face.
Mickael tries to lock up and control but Vanclief gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Vanclief controlling the position easily from mount.
Vanclief landing punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mickael tries to hold on but Vanclief postures up.
Vanclief controlling his opponent.
Vanclief lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mickael is in a horrible position here. Vanclief smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Vanclief cracks Mickael with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Vanclief working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Mickael should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Vanclief controlling the pace for now.
Mickael gets back to half guard.
Vanclief is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Mickael wants to control but Vanclief is keeping busy.
Vanclief performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Mickael actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mickael misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Mickael looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mickael looks gassed!
Vanclief wants to control but Mickael is keeping him busy.
Vanclief blocks the strikes from Mickael.
Mickael gets full guard.
Vanclief has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mickael is proving hard to escape from.
Vanclief wants to control from the top but Mickael keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mickael gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Vanclief connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mickael takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vanclief misses with a takedown attempt

and Mickael counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Vanclief!
Mickael putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Mickael working Vanclief over with strikes here.

Mickael wants to finish this one by submission but Vanclief is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Mickael.
Vanclief is looking to get to half guard.

Mickael has hold of Vanclief's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Vanclief manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Vanclief is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mickael has control of Vanclief's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Vanclief regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Vanclief is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Vanclief wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vanclief throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Vanclief really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Vanclief dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mickael dives in and grabs Vanclief's left leg, looking for a takedown. Vanclief pushes down on Mickael's head and hops out.
Mickael clinches but Vanclief breaks the clinch
and Vanclief cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mickael misses with a takedown attempt - Vanclief sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Vanclief looks to clinch

and Mickael moves into the clinch.
Vanclief gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Mickael.
Raymond Vanclief has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Taton Mickael.
Mickael is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Vanclief breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vanclief lands with a nice combination. Mickael backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Taton Mickael has been cut.
Vanclief has his takedown stuffed

and Mickael counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vanclief's guard now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Mickael drops back looking for a leg! Vanclief is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Vanclief manages to kick Mickael off! Mickael jumps back into Vanclief's guard.
Mickael tries to stand but Vanclief is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanclief is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mickael lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mickael wants to control from the top but Vanclief keeps moving.
Raymond Vanclief overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Vanclief controls Mickael momentarily but Mickael frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mickael drops back looking for a leg! Vanclief is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Vanclief manages to kick Mickael off! Mickael jumps back into Vanclief's guard.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Vanclief uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Mickael has time to react.
Vanclief swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vanclief pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Vanclief tries to clinch up but Mickael circles away and keeps his distance.

Mickael scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Vanclief is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Mickael cracks Vanclief with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mickael looks up at the clock and then as Vanclief takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Mickael smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Mickael lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Vanclief tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mickael wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Mickael stands up and beckons Vanclief to his feet.
Mickael tries to clinch there but Vanclief circles away.
Mickael throws a sloppy body shot
and Vanclief counters with a three punch combo that has Mickael backing up. Mickael nods at Vanclief to acknowledge the strikes.
Vanclief closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Vanclief tries to clinch

and Mickael counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mickael lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Vanclief tries to get to full guard but Mickael has control of the leg.
Vanclief has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mickael is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanclief manages to get to full guard.
Vanclief is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mickael 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.
Mickael missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mickael cracks Vanclief with a solid left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taton Mickael showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Taton Mickael's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Mickael is trying hard to land a takedown here. Vanclief sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Vanclief darts in trying to clinch

and Mickael moves into the clinch.

Vanclief pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
An inside leg kick lands from Vanclief.
Raymond Vanclief seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice takedown defense from Vanclief. No joy for Mickael on that attempt.
Vanclief tries for a takedown but Mickael circles away easily

and Mickael counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Vanclief!

Mickael wants to finish this one by submission but Vanclief is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Mickael.
Vanclief tries to lock up and control but Mickael gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vanclief sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mickael is working for a kimura but Vanclief is defending it quite comfortably.
Vanclief moves into full guard.
Mickael postures up.
Mickael is stalling in the full guard.
Mickael trying to control but Vanclief is working from the bottom.

Mickael thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Vanclief is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mickael trying to control but Vanclief is working from the bottom.
Mickael postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Mickael has gone for a leg lock! Vanclief slips out almost immediately though and dives into Mickael's guard.
Mickael is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Vanclief has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Vanclief lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mickael is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Vanclief is aware though and is defending well.

Mickael has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Vanclief should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Mickael has tightened it up now! Vanclief should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Taton Mickael!