PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eric Praline (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Bishop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Praline
vs
Bishop

195 cm
19
289 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
274 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eric Praline!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Bishop!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Luis Engracia and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Praline throws a nice outside leg kick.
Praline with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Praline closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bishop circles away.
Bishop catches Praline with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Bishop lands with a good body shot.
Bishop fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bishop misses with a body shot.
Praline is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bishop sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A jab from Bishop finds it's way through Praline's defenses.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bishop checks a low kick from Praline.
Bishop dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bishop lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Praline circles away quickly and effectively.
Eric Praline seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Praline dives in and grabs Bishop's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bishop pushes down on Praline's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Praline. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Praline takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Praline scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Praline is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bishop regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Praline throws a strike but Bishop rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Praline escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bishop gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bishop would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Praline is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

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.
Bishop tries to stand but Praline is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Praline wants to sweep here but Bishop controlling him for the moment.
Praline is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Eric Praline will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A looping hook to the body misses from Bishop. Praline does a little dance to reset his feet.
Praline shoots in but no luck this time.
Praline throws a front kick aimed at Bishop's knee but Bishop avoids it well.
Bishop tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bishop throws a hook but Praline avoids it easily.
Praline shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bishop as he jumps to the side.
Bishop fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Praline takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Bishop lands a lovely overhand right.
Bishop keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Praline. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bishop misses the shot to the body.
John Bishop is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bishop tries to close the distance and clinch up but Praline swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Praline buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bishop misses with a wild body shot.
Bishop tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Praline paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Bishop. No joy for Praline on that attempt.
Praline shoots in looking for a takedown. Bishop tries to sprawl out of it but Praline keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bishop manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Bishop swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bishop connects with a right hand. Praline shakes it off.
Bishop is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bishop misses with a straight left.
Bishop rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Praline moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bishop tries to clinch up but Praline circles away and keeps his distance.
Praline circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bishop wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bishop stuffs the takedown.
Praline misses with a low kick as Bishop jumps back.
Bishop defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Praline.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bishop tries to clinch there but Praline circles away.
Bishop throws the left hand but Praline avoids the punch easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Bishop showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Bishop checks a leg kick nicely.
Praline takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Praline.
Bishop tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bishop swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Praline displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bishop throws out the jab.
Bishop tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Bishop, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Praline closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bishop circles away.
Bishop lands a jab to Praline's midsection.
No luck for Praline with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Praline. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Praline throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Praline on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Praline circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Praline tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bishop swivels and escapes.
Praline showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bishop.
No luck for Praline with that takedown attempt.
Praline slips a straight right by Bishop.
Praline avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bishop avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Bishop stuns Praline with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Praline fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bishop avoids it really well and circles away.
Praline shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Bishop wants to clinch.
Bishop keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Bishop darts in and clinches Praline up against the cage.

Bishop breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Praline.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bishop lands with a good body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Bishop comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bishop has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Bishop!