PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nicholas Linnear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lloyd Christmas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Christmas comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Mocking Bird kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Linnear
vs
Christmas

188 cm
20
193 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
189 lbs
21 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nicholas Linnear!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lloyd Christmas!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Christmas swings widly with a right hand
and Linnear counters with a good low kick that Christmas was not able to check.
Linnear tries to clinch up but Christmas circles away and keeps his distance.

Christmas drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The referee asks Christmas politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Christmas prefers to stall for the moment though.
Linnear is trying to control Christmas's posture but Christmas avoids it.
Christmas just content to control the position.
Linnear is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Christmas scores with a couple of short elbows.
Linnear manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Linnear is pressing down on Christmas's thigh, looking to free his foot. Christmas is holding on for now.
Linnear thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Christmas's head.
Christmas wants to get back to his feet.
Linnear controlling the pace.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Christmas can do anything to dispel that myth.
Linnear trying to control the action but Christmas is working from the bottom.
Christmas is trying to stand up here but Linnear is controlling him well.
Linnear content to control rather than advance.
Christmas is staying active underneath Linnear, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nicholas Linnear just wasn't active enough.
Christmas throws a lazy body kick

and Linnear counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Linnear wants to control from the top but Christmas keeps moving.

Linnear drops back looking for a leg! Christmas is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Christmas manages to kick Linnear off! Linnear jumps back into Christmas's guard.
Christmas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Linnear is controlling him.
Linnear wants to pass the guard but Christmas is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linnear is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Christmas is looking to stand up but Linnear isn't so interested in that idea.

Christmas is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Christmas lands a shot to the body.

Christmas has picked Linnear up - he's going for a ride! Christmas dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Linnear is looking to control Christmas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Linnear avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Christmas throws a strike but Linnear avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Christmas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Linnear is keeping the position for now.
Christmas trying to control but Linnear is working from the bottom.
Linnear looking to hit a scissor sweep but Christmas is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Christmas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Christmas preventing the sweep.
Christmas trying to control the position from guard on top but Linnear is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lloyd Christmas has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Linnear throws a looping overhand right but Christmas ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lloyd Christmas will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Christmas rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Linnear counters with a nice body shot.
Christmas tries to move into range but Linnear moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Christmas misses with an uppercut
and Linnear counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Christmas scores with a takedown into Linnear's guard.
Christmas trying to control but Linnear is working from the bottom.
Linnear throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Linnear is pulling down on Christmas's head to control his posture.
Christmas trying to control but Linnear is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Christmas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Lloyd Christmas has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Linnear wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Christmas walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Linnear's jab looks to have found its range, popping Christmas under the eye.
Linnear throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Christmas takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Christmas rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Linnear counters with a nice low kick that buckles Christmas's knee momentarily.
Linnear tries to close the distance and clinch up but Christmas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Linnear throws a low kick but it's checked well by Christmas.
Christmas lands with an overhand left.
Christmas throws a right hand that misses
letting Linnear counter with a right hand.
Linnear takes one to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Linnear gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Linnear scores with a shoulder strike.
Linnear tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Linnear is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Christmas tightens his grip and picks Linnear up, before dumping him to the ground. Linnear manages to land in guard.
Christmas is stalling in the full guard.
Christmas looking to pass the guard.
Christmas preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Linnear is on top in guard.
Linnear stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Christmas swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Linnear stays in close to Christmas's body and controls the position.
Christmas keeping moving, preventing Linnear from controlling successfully.
Linnear stops Christmas from standing up.
Lloyd Christmas has got the better of the ground game so far.

Linnear drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Linnear jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Christmas keeping moving, preventing Linnear from controlling successfully.
Linnear throwing strikes from guard but Christmas blocks nicely.
Linnear works over Christmas with some ground and pound from guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Christmas is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Linnear trying to control the position from guard on top but Christmas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nicholas Linnear will probably get the nod.
That's time! Linnear's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Christmas misses with a lunging right hand
and Linnear counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Christmas gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Linnear counters with a two punch combo.
Christmas misses with a right hand
and Linnear counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Lloyd Christmas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Linnear jabs Christmas right on the nose. Christmas blinks but takes it well.
Christmas throws a right hand that misses
and Linnear counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Christmas throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Linnear moves into the clinch.
Christmas blocks a body shot from Linnear.
Christmas can't break the clinch.
Linnear throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Linnear is fighting off a takedown attempt but Christmas is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Linnear to the mat. Linnear regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Linnear is adopting a defensive guard.
Linnear bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Christmas's guard.
Linnear won't allow Christmas to get back to his feet.
Christmas keeping moving, preventing Linnear from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nicholas Linnear wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Christmas misses with a right hand
and Linnear counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Christmas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Christmas shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Christmas was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Christmas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Linnear looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.
Linnear sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Linnear preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Linnear is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linnear is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Christmas's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Christmas's back!
Christmas is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Linnear is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

Linnear is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Christmas is defending well though. Linnear let's go of the attempt for now.

Linnear has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Linnear tries to keep control of the position but Christmas is staying busy.
Christmas is trying to get back to his feet but Linnear has full control of the position and if anything, Christmas has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Linnear has good solid back control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Linnear tries to keep control of the position but Christmas is staying busy.
Linnear throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Linnear struggling to keep hold of the position.
Christmas trying to get back to his feet but Linnear is in full control for now.
Linnear throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Christmas really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Linnear. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Christmas is trying to stand back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicholas Linnear showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Linnear has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicholas Linnear!