PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Norman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phi Cho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Norman might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Drop The World. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Norman
vs
Cho

175 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

164 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jimmy Norman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Phi Cho!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Skip Squint and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Norman tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cho sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Norman somewhat.
Cho 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.
Norman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Norman displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cho.
Cho looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Norman is fending him off so far but Cho persists. Nope, Norman circles away and we're back to standing.

Cho shoots in and bounces Norman off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cho wants to control from the top but Norman keeps moving.
Cho trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norman has a closed guard, preventing Cho from standing up.
Norman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cho is controlling him.

Norman uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Norman with a lazy takedown attempt
and Cho makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Cho shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Norman manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Cho landing some decent shots from guard.
Cho stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Norman swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norman wants to get back to his feet but Cho is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Norman keeping full guard, as Cho tries to pass.
Cho throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cho tries to free his leg and advance position but Norman is retaining full guard.
Norman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cho is controlling him.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cho slips a jab and a cross from Norman.
Norman is breathing heavily.
Cho tries to close the distance and clinch up but Norman swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Horrible takedown by Cho or perhaps it was just good defense by Norman which made him look bad.
Jimmy Norman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Phi Cho.
Cho has a takedown stuffed.
Norman tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Cho counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cho wants to stand but Norman has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Norman punching from the bottom.
Cho wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Norman uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Norman will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Norman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cho is controlling him.
Cho with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phi Cho dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cho drives through and clinches with Norman against the cage.
Norman is looking to break free of the clinch but Cho has double underhooks.
Cho throws a knee to the head but misses.
A head punch on the inside from Norman fails to land.

Cho has Norman pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Cho pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Norman tumbling to the mat - Cho dives into Norman's guard.
Norman wants to stand but Cho is controlling the position.
Cho tries to free his leg and advance position but Norman is retaining full guard.
Norman wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cho would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Cho avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cho trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cho trying to control but Norman is working from the bottom.
Cho tries to stand but Norman is controlling from the bottom.

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

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Norman gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cho missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cho really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Norman. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cho not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Cho tries to free his leg and advance position but Norman is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cho postures up.
Cho trying to control but Norman is working from the bottom.
Cho pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Norman is keeping the position for now.
Cho content to stall in guard here.
Norman wants to stand but Cho is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Cho closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cho lands in his opponent's guard.
Cho looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cho missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phi Cho showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cho shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Norman napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Norman is not content to let Cho control the position.
Norman avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cho.

Cho is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Norman is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cho happy to just control the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cho tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Norman manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cho's best efforts.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cho controlling the pace.
Norman flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cho slips a nice elbow through Norman's hands, connecting with Norman's forehead.
Cho controlling the pace.
Norman is trying to stand up here but Cho is controlling him well.
Cho prevents Norman from improving his position.
Cho passes the guard and advances to mount!
Poor strikes thrown by Cho there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norman is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Norman taking shots to the head.
Norman really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Cho thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

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.
Cho takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Norman is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cho working Norman over with strikes here.
Cho landing strikes, looking to finish!
Cho throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cho unloads with some shots from mount but Norman bucks and avoids them well.
Cho postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Norman looks a forlorn figure.

And that's the end of the fight!
Phi Cho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cho winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phi Cho!