PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Vass (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julius Africanus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nick Vass has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Vass
vs
Africanus

185 cm
22
215 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

175 cm
20
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nick Vass!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Julius Africanus!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Summer Carpenter and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vass instigates a clinch.
Vass tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Vass avoiding damage as Africanus throws knees to the body.
Vass tries to land knees in the clinch but Africanus avoids the damage to the body.
Africanus throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vass blocks it with crossed arms.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Vass tries for a takedown. No joy.
Vass jumps guard but Africanus stands there with Vass around his waist. Vass gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Vass. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Africanus is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vass is defending well for now.
Vass fails to pull guard.
Vass wants to get back to striking at distance but Africanus won't allow it.
Africanus tries to land knees in the clinch but Vass avoids the damage to the body.
Africanus tries to land knees in the clinch but Vass avoids the damage to the body.

Africanus ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Africanus no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Vass trying to control but Africanus is working from the bottom.
Vass wants to stand but Africanus has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vass trying to control the position from guard on top but Africanus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Africanus looking to hit a scissor sweep but Vass is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Africanus bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vass's guard.
Vass trying to control the position.
Africanus won't allow Vass to get back to his feet.
Vass is trying to control the position but Africanus postures up.

Nick Vass has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Africanus tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Africanus fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Vass sprawls well initially but Africanus persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Africanus sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Vass defending well though.
Africanus is keen to just control but Vass is a slippery customer.
Africanus is nestled in close to Vass, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vass trying to hold on to Africanus's head to control him but Africanus postures up.
Vass wants to get back to full guard but Africanus has passed into side control.
Vass wants to control but Africanus postures up.
Africanus controls the position from side control.
Africanus lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Vass down.
Vass is holding Africanus down, trying to stall.
Vass is trying to get back to half guard.
Africanus trying to control the position but Vass is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vass is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Vass is working hard here to advance position.
Africanus tries to score with some ground and pound. Vass controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Africanus has control of an arm but Vass manages to advance to Africanus's back!
Africanus breaks Vass's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Africanus forces his way into half guard.
Vass wants to control but Africanus is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Africanus lands with a punch from half guard.
Africanus sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Vass defending well though.
Vass blocking the ground and pound attempt from Africanus.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Africanus wants to control but Vass is keeping him busy.
Vass moves into full guard.
Africanus postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Africanus postures up in Vass's guard and throws a big left but Vass blocks it.
Africanus working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Vass working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Africanus.
Vass is looking to stand back up but Africanus counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Vass.
Vass trying to get back to full guard but Africanus takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Vass is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Africanus unloading with bombs!
Africanus dominating with strikes here.
Africanus fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Vass is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julius Africanus dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Africanus is pressed up against the cage. Vass has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Africanus down to the mat. Africanus avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Africanus has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Vass.
Vass throws a lazy head kick
and Africanus counters with a head kick.
Africanus fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Vass.

Vass closes the distance and clinches.
Africanus lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Africanus landing knees to the head.
Africanus leaning against his opponent.
Vass swings wildly with an uppercut but Africanus uses good head movement to avoid it.
Africanus scores with a knee to the head.

Africanus manages to pull guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Vass is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Africanus is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Africanus has escaped and now he's on top!
Africanus trying to control the position from guard on top but Vass is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Africanus trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Vass is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Africanus using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Africanus working Vass over with knees to the body.
Africanus lands a good knee to the midsection. Vass won't want to take too many of those.
Africanus working Vass over with knees to the body.
Vass is trying to break the clinch but Africanus has him pressed against the cage.
Africanus manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Vass wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Africanus has him pressed against the cage.
Africanus trying to land knees to the body.
Vass misses with some punches.
Africanus is working for takedown but Vass is calmly controlling the position for now.
Africanus landing knees to the body.
Come on Africanus - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Africanus putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Vass in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Africanus throws a knee to the head but misses.
Africanus scores with a knee to the head.
Africanus using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vass has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vass tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Africanus pulls guard.
Vass wants to control from the top but Africanus keeps moving.
Africanus trying to control the position.
Africanus wants to sweep here but Vass controlling him for the moment.
Africanus keeping moving, preventing Vass from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nick Vass wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Vass has his takedown stuffed
and Africanus counters with an outside leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Vass. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Vass shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Vass showed some decent athleticism there.
Africanus has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Africanus gets full guard.
Africanus is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Vass trying to control the position from guard on top but Africanus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Africanus pulls Vass in close to prevent any damage.
Vass wants to control from the top but Africanus keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Nick Vass.
Vass avoids the head kick by Africanus.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Africanus throws a lazy head kick

and Vass counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Vass wants to stand and escape but instead Africanus has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julius Africanus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Africanus pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Vass misses with a takedown attempt - Africanus sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Vass closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Julius Africanus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vass tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Africanus is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Vass decides to stand back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A head kick by Africanus misses
and Vass counters with a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Africanus with that takedown attempt.
Africanus lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vass circles away quickly and effectively.
Vass scores with a sloppy right hand. Africanus should have avoided that one.
Vass swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vass tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Africanus fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Vass manages to avoid it.

Vass gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vass tries to pull guard but Africanus won't allow it.
Africanus stalling.
Africanus prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Vass. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A frustrated look appears on Vass's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Africanus tries a knee to the head but Vass blocks it.
Africanus is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vass is defending well for now.
Vass throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Africanus trying to land knees to the body.

Africanus pulls guard successfully.
Vass wants to control from the top but Africanus keeps moving.
Vass slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Vass has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Vass trying to control but Africanus is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Nick Vass wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Vass gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Africanus with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Africanus is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vass is defending well for now.
Vass fails to pull guard.
Vass trying to land knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Africanus.
Vass blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Vass jumps into guard, dragging Africanus to the mat.
Africanus postures up in Vass's guard and throws a big left but Vass blocks it.
Africanus preventing the sweep.
Vass preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Vass trying to control the position.
Africanus throwing strikes from guard but Vass blocks nicely.
Africanus scoring with some ground and pound.
Vass looking for a sweep. Not yet Vass, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vass is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Vass wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nick Vass wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Africanus scores a takedown into full mount!
Africanus lands a nice shot to the head.
Africanus lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Africanus is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Vass can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Vass is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Vass is desperately trying to improve his position but Africanus has a good base and remains in mount.
Africanus with shots to the head and body - Vass looks very uncomfortable down there.
Nick Vass has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Julius Africanus is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Africanus blocks Vass's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Julius Africanus.
Well Africanus has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Julius Africanus!