PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Menashae Fleatrap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and LJ Whitaker (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.

Fleatrap
vs
Whitaker

190 cm
19
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Menashae Fleatrap!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, LJ Whitaker!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body kick there by Whitaker.
Fleatrap is looking to clinch but Whitaker is avoiding it.
Whitaker looks to score with a jab to the body but Fleatrap is just out of range.
Whitaker throws a sloppy head kick and Fleatrap moves out of range easily.
Fleatrap misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Whitaker works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Fleatrap tries to close the distance and clinch but Whitaker swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Whitaker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fleatrap changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Whitaker fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Whitaker tries a head kick but it misses.
Whitaker throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Whitaker fails to land with a series of punches.
Whitaker lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Whitaker.
Whitaker scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A chopping leg kick lands by Whitaker.
Both fighters circling a little - Whitaker finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Whitaker tries to bum rush Fleatrap with a series of wild strikes but Fleatrap uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fleatrap shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Whitaker but Whitaker pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Menashae Fleatrap. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fleatrap looks to clinch
and Whitaker makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Whitaker scores with a nice body kick.
Fleatrap could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Whitaker throws a quick inside leg kick.
Fleatrap tries to clinch but Whitaker moves away
and Whitaker counters with a big head kick but Fleatrap shrugs it off.
Whitaker scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Whitaker looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Whitaker throws a nice looking combination but Fleatrap bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Fleatrap feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Fleatrap is breathing heavily.
Fleatrap prevents Whitaker from getting back to his feet.
Fleatrap missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Whitaker keeping moving, preventing Fleatrap from controlling successfully.
Fleatrap prevents Whitaker from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Fleatrap dives into side control.
Whitaker is trying to get back to his feet.

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

Whitaker takes the fight into the clinch.
Whitaker tries to land knees in the clinch but Fleatrap avoids the damage to the body.
Whitaker lands a nice knee to the body.
Fleatrap tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Whitaker gets underhooks to prevent Fleatrap's takedown attempt.
Whitaker stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.
Whitaker throws a nice looking combination but Fleatrap bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Horrible takedown by Fleatrap or perhaps it was just good defense by Whitaker which made him look bad.
Fleatrap tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
An inside leg kick lands from Whitaker.
Whitaker throws a head kick that Fleatrap semi-blocks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fleatrap fails to land the takedown.
Whitaker lands with a kick to the temple. Fleatrap shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
No joy there for Whitaker, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Whitaker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fleatrap fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Fleatrap with a poor takedown

and Whitaker counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Whitaker.
Whitaker gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Fleatrap.
Whitaker tries to land knees in the clinch but Fleatrap avoids the damage to the body.
Whitaker misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Fleatrap.
Fleatrap avoiding damage as Whitaker throws knees to the body.
Fleatrap tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Whitaker smiles and moves away.
Fleatrap scores with a shot to the body.
Fleatrap shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Whitaker counters with a straight right hand.
Whitaker misses with a double jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fleatrap closes the distance and clinches up with Whitaker, looking for a takedown. Fleatrap pushes Whitaker against the cage but Whitaker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fleatrap has a takedown stuffed.
Whitaker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Whitaker misses with a kick to the body.
Whitaker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Fleatrap fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
LJ Whitaker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fleatrap throws a sloppy head kick and Whitaker moves out of range easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Fleatrap.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fleatrap is looking to control Whitaker's arms but Whitaker gets an underhook and turns him. Now Fleatrap has his back to the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Whitaker throws an elbow but misses.
Fleatrap tries for a takedown but Whitaker manages to get underhooks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Whitaker prevents the takedown attempt.
Whitaker is pressed up against the cage. Fleatrap has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Whitaker down to the mat. Whitaker avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Fleatrap scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Whitaker is staying active underneath Fleatrap, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

LJ Whitaker dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Fleatrap closes this distance looking for a takedown but Whitaker circles away.
Whitaker stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Whitaker instigates a clinch.
Fleatrap blocks an elbow strike.
Fleatrap is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Whitaker pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Whitaker prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Menashae Fleatrap. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Whitaker tries a knee to the head but Fleatrap blocks it.
Whitaker lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Fleatrap.
Fleatrap wants a takedown.
Whitaker scores with a knee to the head.
Fleatrap jumps guard but Whitaker stands there with Fleatrap around his waist. Fleatrap gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Fleatrap is trying to trip Whitaker. He has hold of a leg but Whitaker is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Fleatrap persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Fleatrap trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fleatrap stops Whitaker from standing up.
Whitaker really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Fleatrap. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Whitaker is breathing heavily.
Fleatrap stays in close to Whitaker's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fleatrap trying to control but Whitaker is working from the bottom.
Fleatrap pushing down on Whitaker's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fleatrap is tying to control. Whitaker wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Fleatrap prevents Whitaker from standing back up.
Whitaker is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Fleatrap tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Whitaker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Whitaker throws a series of strikes that have Fleatrap backpedaling.
Whitaker scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Whitaker moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Whitaker has closed the distance and engaged Fleatrap in a clinch.
Whitaker landing knees to the body.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.

Whitaker moves into range and clinches up with Fleatrap.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker crunches a lovely knee into Fleatrap's ribcage.
A knee to the head by Whitaker.
Whitaker with a knee to the head.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.
Whitaker tries to bum rush Fleatrap with a series of wild strikes but Fleatrap uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Whitaker, right into the meat.

Whitaker forces Fleatrap back against the cage and clinches.
Whitaker pushes Fleatrap back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Whitaker lands a damaging elbow.
Fleatrap blocks an elbow strike.
Fleatrap tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Whitaker lands an elbow that stopped Fleatrap in his tracks for a moment.

Whitaker breaks from the clinch.
Whitaker lands with a slapping head kick.

Whitaker moves into the clinch successfully.
Whitaker throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.
LJ Whitaker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Whitaker scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A kick lands to the mid section there for Whitaker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fleatrap fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Whitaker thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Fleatrap if he has to take too many more of those.
Fleatrap blocks a low kick nicely.
Whitaker attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Fleatrap misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Whitaker.
Fleatrap shoots in and drives through. Whitaker sprawls well.
Fleatrap swats away the attempt to clinch by Whitaker.
Fleatrap fails to land the takedown.

Fleatrap takes the fight into the clinch.
Whitaker unloads a knee to the mid-section. Fleatrap lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fleatrap has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Whitaker avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Fleatrap avoiding damage as Whitaker throws knees to the body.
Whitaker missing with knees to the body.
Whitaker using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Fleatrap has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Fleatrap goes for a takedown attempt but Whitaker pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Whitaker fails to land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fleatrap shoots in for a takedown but Whitaker shows good takedown defense.
Fleatrap tries to close the distance and clinch up but Whitaker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
No luck for Fleatrap with that takedown attempt.
Fleatrap doesn't manage to clinch there - Whitaker circles away.

Whitaker moves into the clinch successfully.
Whitaker unloads a knee to the mid-section. Fleatrap lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Whitaker managing to block the knees to the body from Fleatrap.
Fleatrap tries to pull guard but Whitaker won't allow it.
Whitaker is looking to control Fleatrap's arms but Fleatrap gets an underhook and turns him. Now Whitaker has his back to the cage.
Fleatrap tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Whitaker's elbow.
Fleatrap tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Whitaker misses with a knee strike.
Fleatrap tries to pull guard but Whitaker won't allow it.
Whitaker tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Fleatrap tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Whitaker smiles and moves away.
Fleatrap misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

LJ Whitaker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Fleatrap's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Fleatrap misses with a takedown attempt - Whitaker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fleatrap blocks an elbow strike.
Fleatrap tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Fleatrap tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Whitaker smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Menashae Fleatrap. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Whitaker moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Menashae Fleatrap is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Whitaker fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fleatrap, pushing him back against the cage.
Fleatrap tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Whitaker smiles and moves away.
Whitaker just misses with a punch to the body.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Fleatrap crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Whitaker - the referee stops the clock and Fleatrap gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Whitaker. Fleatrap manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Whitaker throws a head kick but Fleatrap moves out of range.
Whitaker throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fleatrap shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Whitaker jabs at Fleatrap's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitaker scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Whitaker scores with a kick to the midsection.

Whitaker clinches up with Fleatrap and pushes him back against the cage.
Whitaker unloads a knee to the mid-section. Fleatrap lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Whitaker throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Fleatraps head.
Fleatrap tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Whitaker just stands there and leans against the cage.

Whitaker manages to break the clinch.
LJ Whitaker seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Whitaker has managed to clinch.
Fleatrap is trying to stall.
Fleatrap misses with an elbow over the top.
Whitaker lands a knee to the head.
Fleatrap will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Whitaker with a knee to the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Whitaker.
A knee to the head by Whitaker.
Whitaker gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Fleatrap.
Whitaker throws an elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fleatrap has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Whitaker is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Whitaker trying to land knees to the body.

Fleatrap ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Fleatrap no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Fleatrap has his foot on Whitaker's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Whitaker works his way back into a safe position though.
Fleatrap is trying to control the position but Whitaker postures up.
Fleatrap is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Whitaker is defending against the submission attempts here by Fleatrap.
Fleatrap stops Whitaker from getting back to his feet.
Fleatrap wants to take a breather but Whitaker is having none of it.
Whitaker is trying to stand.
Fleatrap wants to take a breather but Whitaker is having none of it.
Whitaker pushes Fleatrap off looking to stand but Fleatrap dives back in and keeps control.

Fleatrap is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Whitaker defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker is trying to stand up here but Fleatrap is controlling him well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Whitaker throws a nice looking combination but Fleatrap bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fleatrap shoots in but Whitaker avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Whitaker lands a nice shot to the body.
Whitaker scoring well with a low kick there.
Fleatrap shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Whitaker as he avoids it easily.
Fleatrap fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Fleatrap throws the kick towards the body but Whitaker avoids it.

Whitaker clinches.
Fleatrap takes a shot to the head.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.
Whitaker throws a series of punches but Fleatrap moves out of range.
Fleatrap fails with the takedown.
Whitaker throws a head kick but Fleatrap moves out of range.

Whitaker gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fleatrap tries for a takedown but Whitaker manages to get underhooks.
Whitaker misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Fleatrap.
Whitaker lands a nice knee to the body.
Whitaker is pressed up against the cage. Fleatrap has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Whitaker down to the mat. Whitaker avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Fleatrap shoots in for a double leg but Whitaker sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Fleatrap tries to clinch there but Whitaker circles away.
Whitaker throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A thudding body kick lands there by Whitaker!
Whitaker fails to land with a series of punches.
A slapping leg kick lands for Whitaker.
Whitaker swinging wilding here.
Whitaker throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Fleatrap.
Whitaker lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Whitaker.
Whitaker throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Fleatrap.
Whitaker is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Fleatrap rather than just go for the knockout.
No luck for Fleatrap with that takedown attempt.
Whitaker goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Menashae Fleatrap has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Whitaker throws a head kick but Fleatrap moves out of range.
Fleatrap tries to clinch up
and Whitaker counters with a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
LJ Whitaker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Whitaker 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 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... LJ Whitaker!