PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pete Doherty (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Astley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Doherty comes to the cage accompanied by You can't stand me now. Astley is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Never Gonna Give You Up Hip-Hop Beat. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Doherty
vs
Astley

177 cm
21
160 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Non-Stop Nutrition

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Pete Doherty!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rick Astley!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, James Atkins and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Astley shoots in looking for a takedown. Doherty tries to sprawl out of it but Astley keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Doherty manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Doherty closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Doherty lands in his opponent's guard.
Astley looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Astley has control of Doherty's left arm, preventing Doherty from doing any damage.
Doherty content to stall in guard here.
Astley 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.
Doherty not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Doherty stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Astley swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doherty postures up and lands a big shot to Astley's brow.
Astley tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Astley is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Astley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Doherty's guard.
Astley trying to control but Doherty is working from the bottom.
Astley must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Astley trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Doherty is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Doherty manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Astley manages to get himself to full guard.
Doherty working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Astley keeping full guard, as Doherty tries to pass.

Doherty drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Astley manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Doherty has Astley in his guard.
Doherty can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Astley controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Doherty is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Doherty is breathing heavily.
Doherty avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Astley in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Doherty is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Astley slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Doherty escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Astley gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Astley looking to pass the guard.
Astley trying to stand up but can't free himself from Doherty's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Astley preventing the sweep.
Doherty working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Astley.
Astley 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.
Astley tries to free his leg and advance position but Doherty is retaining full guard.
Doherty trying to control the position.
Astley wanted to stand there but Doherty had control of the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A thudding body kick lands there by Astley!
Doherty fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Astley looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Doherty moves in looking to clinch but Astley pushes him off.
Astley scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Doherty shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Astley looking to hit a scissor sweep but Doherty is one step ahead there.
Doherty looking to pass the guard.
Astley looking to control.
Astley throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Astley scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Astley shoots and misses

and Doherty moves into the clinch.

Astley is fighting off a takedown attempt but Doherty is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Astley to the mat. Astley regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Doherty stopping the sweep attempt from Astley.
Doherty stands and throws Astley's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Doherty is chipping away with strikes.
Doherty working the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Astley regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pete Doherty dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Astley feints and as Doherty raises his hands in defense, Astley changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Astley is looking to stand up but Doherty won't let him.
Doherty keeping moving, preventing Astley from controlling successfully.
Doherty is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Doherty wants to sweep but no luck.
Astley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Doherty. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Astley wants to control from the top but Doherty keeps moving.
Astley wants to stand but Doherty has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Doherty is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Doherty 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Doherty throws a predictable looking body shot
and Astley counters with a straight right hand.
Astley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Doherty shoots in and bounces Astley off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Astley is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Doherty is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Astley is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Astley has escaped and now he's on top!
Astley slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Doherty misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Doherty takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Doherty manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Astley performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Doherty looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Doherty keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Doherty is not content to let Astley control the position.
Astley is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Doherty!
Doherty tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Doherty manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Doherty has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Astley is working away from the top position though.

Astley decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Astley wants to clinch up but Doherty keeps it at a distance.

Doherty gets a takedown into half guard.
Doherty is tying to control. Astley wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Astley gets full guard.
Astley trying to keep a closed guard but Doherty is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doherty trying to control but Astley is working from the bottom.
Doherty is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Astley is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Doherty looking to sit in guard and control but Astley gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Astley sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Doherty is trying to control the position but Astley postures up.
Doherty looking for a sweep. Not yet Doherty, not yet.

Doherty throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Astley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Astley would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Astley looking to pass the guard.
Doherty is looking to stand back up but Astley counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Doherty.
Astley is putting a hurting on Doherty here, landing some big shots from side control.
Astley wants to control but Doherty is keeping him busy.
Doherty tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Astley wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Doherty shoots in and drives through. Astley sprawls well.
Astley lands a jab-cross combination.
Astley shoots and misses

and Doherty counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Doherty.
Astley keeping full guard, as Doherty tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pete Doherty will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Doherty doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Astley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Doherty wants to improve his position but Astley is controlling well.
Doherty is staying active underneath Astley, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Doherty avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Astley.
Astley wants to get back to his feet.
Doherty wants to get back to full guard.
Astley lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Doherty is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Astley shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Doherty holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doherty fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Astley fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Astley wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Doherty has him pressed against the cage.

Astley breaks from the clinch.
Astley takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Doherty scores a takedown into full mount!
Doherty lands a big elbow.
Astley is looking to get to half guard.

Doherty working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Astley working to try and regain half guard.
Astley tries to hold on but Doherty pushes him away.
Doherty breaks from Astley's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Astley keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Doherty wants to control the pace but Astley is squirming around nicely.
Doherty raining down shots from the mount!

Astley is rocked!
Pete Doherty overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Doherty breaks from Astley's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Astley is still in real trouble! Can Doherty finish him?

Doherty working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Doherty lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Astley hang on?

Doherty working for a guillotine from mount but Astley is in no mood to give up.
Astley can't escape the position.
Astley seems to have recovered his senses.
Doherty is trying to take his opponent's back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Doherty looking to secure an arm triangle but Astley defends it well.
Astley is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The referee warns Astley that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Doherty is working to isolate an arm here. It's a choreographed submission attempt but he's gone for it anyway - and he's got it! Doherty extends the arm and Astley is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Pete Doherty!