PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Linch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon Fontaine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fontaine has chosen War ensemble as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Linch
vs
Fontaine

190 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
221 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 Montreal, Johnny Linch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Simon Fontaine!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Trevor Gratis and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Linch closes the distance and clinches.
Linch leaning against his opponent.

Linch decides to pull guard.
Fontaine scoring with some ground and pound.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Linch is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fontaine distracts Linch with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Fontaine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fontaine is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Linch looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Linch working for a triangle but Fontaine defends it easily.
Linch avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Linch keeping moving, preventing Fontaine from controlling successfully.
Fontaine really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Linch. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Fontaine in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fontaine wants to pass the guard but Linch is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fontaine tries to stand but Linch is controlling from the bottom.
Fontaine must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Linch 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.

Fontaine shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Linch's guard.
Fontaine looks gassed!

Linch working for a triangle but Fontaine defends it easily.

Linch escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fontaine gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Linch bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Fontaine's guard.
Fontaine looking to hit a scissor sweep but Linch is one step ahead there.
Linch trying to control the position from guard on top but Fontaine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Linch won't allow Fontaine to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Linch trying to control the position from guard on top but Fontaine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fontaine looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Linch wants to control from the top but Fontaine keeps moving.
Linch lands a couple of elbows.
Fontaine wants to sweep but no luck.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Linch will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Fontaine tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Linch swivels and escapes.
A slapping leg kick lands for Linch.

Fontaine shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Linch is looking to control Fontaine's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Linch avoid being mounted?

Linch is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Fontaine pulls his head out easily.
Linch wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Fontaine lands a nice short elbow.
Ground and pound from Fontaine.
Fontaine scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Linch is looking to control Fontaine's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Linch avoid being mounted?
Linch is pressing down on Fontaine's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Fontaine wants to control from the top but Linch keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Linch is trying to control the position but Fontaine postures up.
Fontaine pushes down on Linch's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Linch moves into full guard.
Fontaine content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Fontaine landing with the ground and pound.
Fontaine scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Linch looking for a guillotine here but Fontaine defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fontaine stops Linch from standing up.
Linch looking for a sweep. Not yet Linch, not yet.

Linch is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Linch lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Fontaine!
Fontaine keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Linch trying to control but Fontaine is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fontaine in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Linch connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Fontaine moves into the clinch successfully.
Fontaine leaning his opponent against the cage.
Fontaine tries to pull guard but Linch won't allow it.
Fontaine is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Linch tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Linch is looking to break free of the clinch but Fontaine has double underhooks.

Fontaine turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Fontaine manages to end up in side control.
Linch gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Simon Fontaine has got the better of the ground game so far.
Linch is looking to improve his position.
Linch is staying active underneath Fontaine, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Linch has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Fontaine is working away from the top position though.
Fontaine not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Linch is looking to escape.
Linch keeping hold of Fontaine's head, controlling as best he can.
Fontaine takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linch moves into full guard.

Linch had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Fontaine is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Linch Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Fontaine's back instead.
Fontaine trying to control the action but Linch just sinks the hooks in.
Linch has Fontaine flattened out and is raining down punches.
Fontaine wants to get back to his feet.
Fontaine covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Fontaine has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Fontaine staying busy and making it hard for Linch to control.

Fontaine defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Linch's arms.
Fontaine tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fontaine staying busy and making it hard for Linch to control.
Fontaine tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Linch tries to control but Fontaine wriggling away.
Linch takes Fontaine's back, avoiding a couple of desperation strikes from the bottom.
Linch has the hooks in. Fontaine is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Linch is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Fontaine. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

Linch patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Will Linch go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Fontaine tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fontaine is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Will Linch go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Fontaine turns into Linch and is now in his guard.
Linch is trying to control the position but Fontaine postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Linch has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fontaine jumps guard but Linch stands there with Fontaine around his waist. Fontaine gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Fontaine turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
You can see the frustration on Linch's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Linch is looking to reverse the position.
Linch regains half guard.
Fontaine prevents Linch from improving his position.
Fontaine is pressing down on Linch's thigh, looking to free his foot. Linch is holding on for now.
Fontaine working over Linch with some ground and pound. Linch looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fontaine postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Linch to stand up.

Linch scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Linch looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Fontaine is trying to control but can't.
Fontaine tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Fontaine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Linch wants to control but Fontaine is keeping him busy.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fontaine can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fontaine is looking to improve his position.
Fontaine trying to control here.

Fontaine makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fontaine feints and as Linch raises his hands in defense, Fontaine changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Linch wants to get back to his feet but Fontaine is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Linch bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Fontaine's guard.
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 Johnny Linch will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Linch throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Fontaine closes the distance looking to clinch

and Linch counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Fontaine!
Fontaine is wriggling around trying to escape.
Fontaine wants to control but Linch is having none of it.
Fontaine is looking to get to half guard.
Linch breaks from Fontaine's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Linch cracks Fontaine with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Linch can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Fontaine is looking to escape.
Fontaine looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Fontaine tries to escape but Linch has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Linch cracks Fontaine with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Fontaine from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Linch connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Fontaine to escape the position.
Linch lands shots from the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linch struggling to keep hold of the position.

Linch is persistently looking for the submission but Fontaine is defending it well.
Fontaine looking to control the position.

Linch has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Linch scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Linch's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Fontaine tries to break free.
Fontaine tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Fontaine is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The referee warns Fontaine that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Linch blocks Fontaine's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Linch has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Fontaine really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Linch is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Fontaine is surviving well by controlling Linch's body position as best he can.
Fontaine is wriggling around trying to escape.

Linch looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Fontaine really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
BOOM! Linch connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Fontaine is rocked!

Linch working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Linch scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Fontaine is still in real trouble! Can Linch finish him?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linch trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Fontaine tries to hold on but Linch postures up.
Linch wants to control the pace but Fontaine is squirming around nicely.
Fontaine seems to have recovered his senses.
Linch lands a nice shot to the head.
Fontaine tries to improve his position but instead Linch has taken his back!

Linch has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Fontaine wants to escape the position.
Fontaine manages to reverse the position and now he's in Linch's guard. Nice work there by Fontaine.
Linch is trying to control the position from the bottom.

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.
Linch has his hands on Fontaine's head, controlling the position.
Fontaine postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Linch tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Fontaine swivels and escapes.

Fontaine 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.
Linch avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fontaine lands a couple of elbows.
Fontaine trying to control but Linch is working from the bottom.
Fontaine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fontaine in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fontaine trying to control the position from guard on top but Linch is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Linch is trying to keep Fontaine in close.
Fontaine wants to control from the top but Linch keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Linch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Linch has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Johnny Linch!