PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Edgar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Fire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Edgar
vs
Fire

170 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 New York, Frankie Edgar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tommy Fire!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Chad Campbell and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edgar shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Fire sprawls well. Fire wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Edgar gets slowly back to his feet.
Edgar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fire is fending him off so far but Edgar persists. Nope, Fire circles away and we're back to standing.
Fire lands a front kick.
Edgar tries to clinch but Fire is having none of it.
Edgar tries to clinch up.
Fire slaps away a takedown attempt from Edgar, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frankie Edgar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fire blocks a head kick by Edgar.

Edgar closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Fire's guard.
Edgar wanted to stand there but Fire had control of the position.
Fire manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Edgar manages to get himself to full guard.

Fire gets to his feet - Edgar follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Edgar. No joy for Fire on that attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Edgar.
Edgar shoots for a double leg takedown but Fire sprawls well. He's pushed Edgar's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Edgar is breathing heavily.
Fire tries to clinch but Edgar is having none of it.
Fire pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Edgar fails to land the takedown.
Fire misses with a takedown attempt - Edgar sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Fire thows a left - swing and a miss!
Good work by Fire as he checks the leg kick.
Edgar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Fire circles away quickly and effectively.
Fire is looking to clinch.
Fire scoring well with a low kick there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Edgar feints and as Fire raises his hands in defense, Edgar changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Edgar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fire on the ground.
Edgar has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Fire is proving hard to escape from.
Fire is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Edgar postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Edgar stops Fire from standing up.
Edgar missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Fire not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tommy Fire has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Edgar lands a jab-cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar shoots for a takedown but Fire saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Edgar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Edgar tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Fire swivels and escapes.
Fire throws a series of punches but Edgar avoids them all with ease.
Edgar swats away the attempt to clinch by Fire.
Fire throws a head kick that misses.
Fire fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fire swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Edgar counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Fire avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Edgar is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Fire working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Edgar throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fire keeping moving, preventing Edgar from controlling successfully.

Frankie Edgar has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Edgar misses with a jab, cross combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fire keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice body kick there by Fire.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Edgar dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fire is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Edgar shoots for a takedown but Fire saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tommy Fire seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fire cracks a nice hook into Edgar's ribs.
Edgar throws a right and a left that both miss.
Frankie Edgar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Edgar closes the distance and clinches up with Fire, looking for a takedown. Edgar pushes Fire against the cage but Fire circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Fire throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Edgar was covering up waiting for the punch and Fire finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Fire stands up and waves to Edgar to follow him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fire slaps away a takedown attempt from Edgar, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frankie Edgar. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fire shoots in looking for a takedown. Edgar tries to sprawl out of it but Fire keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Edgar manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A combination from Edgar does no damage.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Edgar drags the fight down to the ground.

Fire gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Fire throws a head kick that misses.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Edgar.

Edgar goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Fire rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Edgar's guard! Nice work there by Fire!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fire decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Edgar, up you get!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fire fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Edgar moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Edgar misses with a double jab.
Edgar doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Fire throws an off balance right hand

and Edgar counters with a nice double leg into side control. Fire won't be happy with that.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fire can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fire sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Fire works his way to full guard. Good work.
Edgar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fire swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Edgar is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Fire trying to control the position.
Edgar is looking to work some ground and pound but Fire has wrist control.
Fire seems keen to control Edgar's posture.
Fire working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Edgar would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Edgar is working Fire over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Edgar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Edgar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Fire trying to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tommy Fire will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Edgar has a takedown stuffed.
Edgar shoots in for a takedown but Fire shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Fire has taken the fight to the clinch.
Edgar is trying to break free.

Edgar gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Fire pulls Edgar in close to his closed guard and prevents Edgar from doing any damage or advancing position.
Edgar throws a strike but Fire rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Fire decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Edgar, up you get!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fire as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frankie Edgar. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Fire rushes Edgar and presses him up against the cage.
Edgar tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Fire just stands there and leans against the cage.
Edgar looking for a takedown.

Fire escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A looping hook to the body misses from Edgar. Fire does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fire throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Edgar's waist but Edgar gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fire off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Fire.
Edgar shoots in looking for a takedown but Fire manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Edgar's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Fire misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Edgar.
Fire misses with a double jab.
Fire takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Fire wants to clinch.
Fire throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Edgar.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Edgar.

Fire closes the distance and clinches.

Fire's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fire gets caught flat footed, as Edgar shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Fire scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Edgar throws a head kick but Fire moves out of range.

Edgar has Fire up against the cage in a clinch.
Fire throws a punch but it's blocked by Edgar.
Fire is pressed up against the cage. Edgar has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Fire down to the mat. Fire avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Fire looks to land a combination but Edgar avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edgar tries to close the distance and clinch but Fire swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fire tries to clinch there but Edgar circles away.
Edgar shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fire but Fire pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Edgar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Fire as he jumps to the side.
Fire tries to close the distance and clinch but Edgar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Edgar takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Edgar fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Fire to the ground. Edgar is now in Fire's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fire wants to stand up but Edgar is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Edgar throws and elbow that misses. Fire uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Edgar's guard. Nice move by Fire!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Frankie Edgar.
I think Edgar 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!