PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lionel Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scottie Pippen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lionel Messi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Messi
vs
Pippen

195 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

225 cm
25
237 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Hell's Balls Recovery

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lionel Messi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Scottie Pippen!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pippen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pippen throws a hook but Messi avoids it easily.

Messi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pippen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Messi fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Messi landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Messi tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Messi throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Messi swings around for an armbar but Pippen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Messi's guard.
Pippen preventing the sweep.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pippen postures up.

That's two 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.
Pippen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Messi looking for a sweep. Not yet Messi, not yet.

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

Messi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pippen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Pippen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Messi pulls his head out easily.
Messi scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Pippen actively working from the bottom here.
Pippen looks gassed!
Messi trying to control the action but Pippen is working from the bottom.
Messi working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Pippen's thigh. Pippen counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Messi wants to pass the guard but Pippen is keeping the position.
Messi throws and elbow that misses. Pippen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Messi's guard. Nice move by Pippen!
Messi pulls Pippen in close to his closed guard and prevents Pippen from doing any damage or advancing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lionel Messi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Messi closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Pippen did well to prevent Messi getting side control.
Messi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Pippen on the ground.

Messi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pippen is just riding it out for now. Messi eventually gives up the hold.
Messi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pippen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Messi is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi thows a huge punch but Pippen dodges it nicely.
Pippen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Messi.
Pippen is not content to let Messi control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Messi misses with a head shot. Pippen uses the momentum to regain guard.
Pippen keeping moving, preventing Messi from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Messi.
Messi with the ground and pound but Pippen regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

Pippen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Pippen is breathing heavily.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Messi connects with a nice short shot to Pippen's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi thows a huge punch but Pippen dodges it nicely.
Messi seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Messi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pippen defending well though.
Messi working over Pippen with some ground and pound. Pippen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Messi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pippen defending well though.
Messi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Messi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Messi is nestled in close to Pippen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi with the ground and pound but Pippen uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Messi trying to control but Pippen is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Messi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Messi trying to control the position from guard on top but Pippen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pippen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pippen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Messi makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Messi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lionel Messi dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Messi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pippen sprawls well initially but Messi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Messi throwing shots but Pippen is blocking nicely.
Messi is stalling here. Pippen is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Messi seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Pippen has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Pippen gets to mount! Messi was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Pippen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Messi is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi wants to control but Pippen is having none of it.
Messi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Scottie Pippen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lionel Messi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Pippen is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Messi can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

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.
Messi is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lionel Messi.
Well Messi 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lionel Messi!