PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bob Bear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Aries (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Austin Aries is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Bear
vs
Aries

189 cm
23
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bob Bear!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Austin Aries!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bear moves into the clinch successfully.

Bear lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Aries wants to control but Bear is keeping busy.
Bear wants to stand up but Aries has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Aries trying to control but Bear postures up.

Bear wants to work for an arm triangle but Aries is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bear wants to pass to mount but Aries is defending the position.
It looks like Bear is going to stand back up.
Bear not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Aries shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bear defends it nicely.
Aries shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bear sprawls well. Bear wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Aries gets slowly back to his feet.
Aries looks gassed!
Aries tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Bear clinches up with Aries and pushes him back against the cage.
Bear drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Aries gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Bear creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Aries's defenses.

Bear turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Bear manages to end up in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bear advances nicely into full mount.
Aries is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Bear is trying to control here but Aries has managed to regain half guard.
Aries has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bear is working away from the top position though.
Aries missing with punches from the bottom.

Bear is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Aries doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bear.
Aries is refusing to be controlled, as Bear sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aries trying to control but Bear postures up.
Bear wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aries tries a head kick but it misses.

Bear decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Bear thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bear is looking to take a break and control but Aries is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bear tries to stand and escape but Aries is controlling the position.
Bear sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Aries defending well though.
Aries avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bear.

Bear is working for a submission of some sort.
Aries works his way to full guard. Good work.
Aries keeping moving, preventing Bear from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aries works over Bear's head and body with a nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Bear dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bear will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nice takedown defense from Aries. No joy for Bear on that attempt.
Aries shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Bear counters with a series of strikes. Aries will be more careful next time no doubt.
Bear closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A punch combination from Bear misses.
Aries keeps the fight on the outside.
Bear lands the left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bear moves into range and connects with a jab.
Bear lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bear cracks Aries with a right hand to the side of the head.

Bear gets a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aries wants to get back to his feet.
Aries blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bear.
Bear moves nicely into side control.
Bear scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Aries to see if he's OK.
Aries is looking to reverse the position.
Bear knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Aries on the ground.
Bear trying to control the action but Aries is working from the bottom.
Aries can't do much from the bottom 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.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Aries struggling a bit here.

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

Bear moves into the clinch successfully.

Bear pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bear tries to clinch there but Aries circles away.

Bear clinches up with Aries and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bear fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Bear. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Aries takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Bear jumps guard.
Aries wants to stand but Bear is controlling his posture from full guard.
Aries won't allow Bear to get back to his feet.
Bear tries to strike from the bottom.
Aries stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bear swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Aries throws and elbow that misses. Bear uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Aries's guard. Nice move by Bear!
Aries has a closed guard, preventing Bear from standing up.
Bear lands a couple of elbows.
Aries is trying to keep Bear in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Aries tries to land a front kick but Bear steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Aries wants to clinch

and Bear counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Bear dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Bear falls off balance throwing a combination

and Aries counters by moving into the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Aries.
Bear wants a takedown but no success here.
Bear can't get the takedown.
Bear fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Bear. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Aries breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bear lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Jab, jab by Bear - just one landing.

Aries closes the distance and clinches.

Bear manages to break the clinch.
Bear throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aries.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aries tries to close the distance and clinch but Bear swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bear fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aries tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Bear counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Bear got a little sloppy there for a moment and Aries has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bear has managed to get both his arms back between Aries's legs - danger averted.
Aries keeping moving, preventing Bear from controlling successfully.
Bear scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bear throwing strikes from guard but Aries blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aries is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Aries kicks Bear off and gets to his feet.
Bear tries to bum rush Aries with a series of wild strikes but Aries uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Bear closes the distance and clinches.

Bear breaks the clinch.
Aries misses with a low kick.
Aries is looking to chop away at Bear's legs.
Aries dives in and grabs Bear's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bear pushes down on Aries's head and hops out.
Bear fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Bear rushes Aries and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bear blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Bear breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aries looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Aries gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Bear to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Bear has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bear is looking to advance position but Aries has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Aries tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Aries won't let Bear get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bear tries to hold on but Aries pushes him away.
Aries controlling from the full mount.
Bob Bear overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Aries can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bear is looking to escape.
Aries prevents Bear from getting the reversal.

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 Bob Bear.
Well Bear 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Bear!