PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alex Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harry Bela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mason kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is This is War. Mason has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mason
vs
Bela

185 cm
26
195 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alex Mason!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Harry Bela!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Dillan Fox and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bela tries to clinch there but Mason circles away.

Mason gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mason is breathing heavily.
Bela lands a couple of elbows.
Bela postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bela must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bela is working Mason over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Bela scoring with some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bela's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bela postures up and lands a big shot to Mason's brow.
Bela postures up in Mason's guard and throws a big left but Mason blocks it.
Bela works over Mason with some ground and pound from guard.
Bela postures up in Mason's guard and throws a big left but Mason blocks it.
Bela postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bela wants to control from the top but Mason keeps moving.
Bela is in close to Mason's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bela throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mason works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bela with a nice head shot there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bela's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Bela postures up in Mason's guard and throws a big left but Mason blocks it.
Bela keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mason's head.
Bela content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Bela drops back, looking for a kneebar! Mason looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Mason looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Mason!
Mason wants to stand but Bela is controlling his arm.
Bela tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mason wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bela wants to control but Mason postures up.
Bela is holding Mason down, trying to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mason working away.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Harry Bela hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Bela throws a leg kick which misses Mason's front leg but catches the back leg as Mason tries to avoid it.
Mason fails with the takedown

and Bela counters with a takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bela is working Mason over with some ground and pound from side control.
Mason can't do much from the bottom here.
Mason takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Bela lands an elbow.
Mason manages to get back to half guard.
Bela working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Mason regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Bela.
Bela makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mason 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.
Bela throws and elbow that misses. Mason uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bela's guard. Nice move by Mason!
Mason is fighting to break Bela's control of his arms but Bela is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Mason gets to his feet - Bela follows without any prompting.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bela drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bela changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mason tries to avoid it but Bela manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mason to the ground. Mason escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mason tries to clinch but Bela is having none of it.
Bela misses with a wild combination.
Mason ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bela moves away.
Mason keeps the fight on the outside.
Bela misses with a head kick.

Bela looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mason has hold of Bela's hands but Bela slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Bela wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mason keeps working.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mason manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bela working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mason's head.
Bela working some strikes from top position.
Bela postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bela scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mason holds on and takes a little breather.
Bela trying to control the position from guard on top but Mason is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bela scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bela preventing the sweep.
Mason seems keen to control Bela's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bela scoring with some ground and pound.
Mason utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bela trying to control but Mason is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bela throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mason works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bela throws a strike but Mason rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bela wants to sweep here but Mason controlling him for the moment.
Bela really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mason. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bela seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Bela has a closed guard, preventing Mason from standing up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bela can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bela looking for a sweep. Not yet Bela, not yet.

That's four 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.

Bela working for a triangle but Mason defends it easily.

Bela has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mason can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mason is looking to stand up but Bela won't let him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mason decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harry Bela showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A head kick misses from Bela.
Bela jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Bela closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Mason quickly recovers to half guard.
Bela winds up and cracks Mason with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Bela is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Bela drops an elbow to the side of Mason's head.
Mason on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mason tries to roll over but Bela keeps him under control.
Mason regains full guard. Nicely done.
Bela lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bela looking to sit in guard and control but Mason gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mason would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bela 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.
Mason trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bela's guard.

That's two 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.
Bela looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mason is one step ahead there.
Bela wants to hit a switch here but Mason passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Bela there!
Bela tries to hold on but Mason postures up.
Bela might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Mason kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bela is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bela is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Mason stands up from mount. Strange move.
Mason tries to land a leg kick but Bela saw it coming and moves away.
Mason lands with a nice combination. Bela backs away looking to recover.
Bela tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bela shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bela tries a head kick but it misses.
Alex Mason is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mason misses with a two punch combination.
Bela pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four 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.
Mason moves in looking to clinch but Bela pushes him off.
Mason stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Mason fails with the takedown

and Bela counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bela.
Bela is looking to work some ground and pound but Mason has wrist control.
Bela is looking to work some ground and pound but Mason has wrist control.
Mason is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bela working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Bela is posturing up here but Mason has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Bela tries to roll out but it's too tight and Bela has to tap! Slick submission there by Mason!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Alex Mason!