PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between john paul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Ryan Conger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Conger has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

paul
vs
Ryan Conger

176 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, john paul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Ryan Conger!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Alan Glass and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Conger throws a series of punches but paul moves out of range.
Conger looks gassed!

paul gets a clinch.
paul lands a damaging elbow.
paul has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Conger avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
paul stalling.
paul lands a knee to the head.

paul has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Conger is trying to keep an underhook but paul manages to get the takedown into half guard.
paul passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Conger!
paul in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Conger is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Conger is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
paul raining down shots from the mount!
BOOM! paul connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Conger wants to try and get back to his feet.
paul is landing with some decent strikes but Conger is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Conger bucks up and throws paul to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conger will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
paul showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Conger.
paul shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Conger as he avoids it easily.
Conger looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
paul moves away from the strike by Conger.

paul closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
paul wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for john paul. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conger prevents a takedown attempt there.

paul successfully pulls guard.
paul wants to sweep here but Conger controlling him for the moment.
paul looking to control.
paul managing to control the position.
paul trying to keep a closed guard but Conger is proving a slippery customer.
Conger is looking to stand up but paul won't let him.

paul pushes Conger off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

paul shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. paul showed some decent athleticism there.
paul stops Conger from getting back to his feet.

paul looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Conger wants to get back to his feet.

paul decides to stand and escape the position.
paul throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Anthony Ryan Conger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

paul fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Conger, pushing him back against the cage.

paul breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

paul has closed the distance and engaged Conger in a clinch.
paul has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Conger is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
paul cracks Conger with a nice body shot.
Conger wants to break the clinch but can't.
Conger is trying to break free.
Conger is looking to break free of the clinch but paul has double underhooks.

paul tightens his grip and picks Conger up, before dumping him to the ground. Conger manages to land in guard.
Conger is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Conger kicks paul off and gets to his feet.

paul moves into the clinch successfully.

paul pulls Conger into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now paul is on top in guard.
paul postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
paul postures up and lands a big shot to Conger's brow.
paul slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Conger wants to get back to his feet but paul is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
paul forces his way into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
paul seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Conger wants to get back to his feet.
Conger on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Conger is trying to stand back up but paul is controlling him

Conger pushes paul off and gets back to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Conger.

Conger tries to keep at a distance but paul has taken the fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

paul is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Conger can't fight it off and eventually paul manages to take the fight to the floor. Conger looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
paul looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

john paul dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

paul clinches.
A bit of stalling here from paul.
Conger is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

paul lands a takedown into guard.
paul stops Conger from standing up.
paul trying to control but Conger is working from the bottom.
paul won't allow Conger to get back to his feet.
paul passes into half guard.
paul is trying to control the action in half guard but Conger is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Conger wants to get back to his feet.
paul has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
paul has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Conger's face.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
paul tries to control but Conger wriggling away.
paul postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Conger looks a forlorn figure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conger's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
paul controlling the pace for now.
paul trying to control but Conger is having none of it.
Conger tries to buck paul off but he can't manage it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
paul looking to finish Conger with some ground and pound. This is bad for Conger!
Conger tries to buck paul off but he can't manage it.
paul with the ground and pound from mount.
You get the feeling that Conger really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's two 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.
paul takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Conger is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
paul scoring with strikes but Conger is staying in there.
Conger is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
paul postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Conger looks a forlorn figure.

paul jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Conger manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Conger wants to get back to his feet.
paul working the head with strikes.
paul wants to control but Conger is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

paul tries for a kimura but Conger is defending well.
paul wants to control but Conger is keeping him busy.
Conger is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
paul wants to lay and pray for a moment but Conger keeps working.

Conger throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
paul is looking to slow Conger down with leg kicks.
A jab lands there for paul.

paul clinches with his opponent.

paul escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

paul gets the takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

paul stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Conger looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
paul looks for a takedown but Conger sprawls well.
Conger lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Conger throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Excellent takedown into side control there by paul.
paul scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Conger to see if he's OK.
Conger pushes paul away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, paul gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
john paul overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
paul working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
paul controlling the position.
Conger is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Conger being controlled for a moment.
Conger is trying to buck paul off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

paul scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Conger pushes paul away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, paul gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Conger taking a bit of punishment here - paul scoring with strikes.
paul prevents Conger from escaping the position.
paul lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Conger down.
paul cracks Conger with an elbow. That is naaassty.
paul advances to full mount.

paul has control of Conger's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Conger regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Conger squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by paul.
Conger is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Conger taking shots to the head.

Conger is rocked!
Conger is trying to stand up.
Conger is still in real trouble! Can paul finish him?
paul looking to control but Conger is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Conger seems to have recovered his senses.
Conger is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
paul punishing his opponent with strikes.
Conger's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
paul scores with a couple of good head shots there.
paul tries to control but Conger wriggling away.
Conger is trying to stand up.

paul jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Conger manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conger is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but paul has just dragged him back down to the mat.
paul is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Conger can do to turn this around?
paul is staying tight to Conger's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Conger is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

paul shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than paul was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Conger wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

paul is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Conger is surviving well by controlling paul's body position as best he can.
paul sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
paul looking to control but Conger is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Conger is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
paul lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
You get the feeling that Conger really doesn't like being in this position too much.
paul putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
paul landing strikes, looking to finish!
paul lands with some strikes.
paul can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Conger is looking to escape.
paul looking to finish Conger with some ground and pound. This is bad for Conger!
paul scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Conger is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
paul throws some wild stikes that Conger manages to avoid easily.
paul controlling from the full mount.
Conger takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, paul cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
paul in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
paul connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
You get the feeling that Conger really doesn't like being in this position too much.
paul working Conger over with strikes here.
Conger squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Conger is squirming around, avoiding paul's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Conger is trying to stand up.
paul sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Anthony Ryan Conger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
paul landing shots from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
john paul showed his dominance in that final round.
Well paul 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:26
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... john paul!