PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Bisping (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Fletcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fletcher has chosen Gallows - London is the reason as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Michael Bisping could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Johnny Fletcher's chin.

Bisping
vs
Fletcher

188 cm
29
193 lbs
10 - 23 - 0

186 cm
22
201 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 10 - 23 - 0, fighting out of London, Michael Bisping!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Johnny Fletcher!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fletcher fails with the takedown.
Bisping misses with a few strikes there.
Fletcher takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Fletcher tries to clinch but Bisping is having none of it.
Bisping lunges at Fletcher with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Fletcher's hand.
Bisping connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Bisping scores with a sloppy right hand. Fletcher should have avoided that one.
Fletcher takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bisping scores with a jab to the body.
Fletcher fails with a takedown attempt.
Fletcher is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bisping thuds a left hand into Fletcher's body.
Fletcher looks gassed!
Bisping throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bisping swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bisping throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Fletcher.
Fletcher shoots for a takedown but Bisping saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Michael Bisping has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Fletcher.
Bisping misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bisping throws a series of punches but Fletcher avoids them all with ease.
Bisping throws a nice looking combination but Fletcher bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bisping connects with a nice looking jab.
Fletcher misses with a combination
and Bisping counters with a one-two to the body.
Bisping fails to land with a series of punches.
Bisping rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fletcher moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bisping digs a good body shot into Fletcher's ribs.
Bisping scores with a nice strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Bisping!
Bisping fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Fletcher is out of range.
Bisping moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Fletcher fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fletcher tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bisping paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Fletcher dodges the punch combination from Bisping.
No joy there for Bisping, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Bisping.
Michael Bisping is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bisping swats away the attempt to clinch by Fletcher.
Fletcher closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bisping circles away.

Bisping gets tackled into the cage by Fletcher. Fletcher maintains the clinch.
Bisping is looking to break free of the clinch but Fletcher has double underhooks.
Fletcher just leaning against Bisping, taking a breather.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Bisping's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Fletcher tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Fletcher fails to pull the fight into his guard.

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

Fletcher gets a double leg takedown into Bisping's guard.

That's three 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.
Bisping is adopting a defensive guard.
Bisping avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fletcher tries to stand but Bisping is controlling from the bottom.
Bisping looking for a sweep. Not yet Bisping, not yet.
Fletcher wants to control from the top but Bisping keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Bisping holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Fletcher has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fletcher drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bisping pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Fletcher or perhaps it was just good defense by Bisping which made him look bad.
Bisping circles away from the clinch attempt
and Bisping counters with a three punch combo that has Fletcher backing up. Fletcher nods at Bisping to acknowledge the strikes.
Bisping fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Fletcher fails with an attempt to clinch.

Fletcher feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Bisping preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fletcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Bisping is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Fletcher throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fletcher wants to control from the top but Bisping keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bisping scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Fletcher darts in trying to clinch
and Bisping counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Fletcher tries to clinch up but Bisping circles away and keeps his distance.
Bisping will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fletcher takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Fletcher shoots in and drives through. Bisping sprawls well.
Bisping keeps the fight on the outside.
Bisping fails to land with a series of punches.
Bisping throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fletcher shoots in looking for a takedown. Bisping tries to sprawl out of it but Fletcher keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bisping manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Fletcher showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bisping.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher darts in trying to clinch
and Bisping counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bisping misses with a jab, cross combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fletcher looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fletcher throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bisping's waist but Bisping gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fletcher off to one side.
Michael Bisping has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Fletcher.
Bisping fails to land with a series of punches.
Fletcher is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bisping sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bisping throws a hook but Fletcher blocks it.
Fletcher closes the distance and clinches up with Bisping, looking for a takedown. Fletcher pushes Bisping against the cage but Bisping circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fletcher ducks right into an uppercut from Bisping.
Fletcher wants to clinch.
Bisping tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher dives in and grabs Bisping's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bisping pushes down on Fletcher's head and hops out.
Bisping pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fletcher throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bisping's waist but Bisping gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fletcher off to one side.
Michael Bisping seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No joy there for Bisping, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fletcher shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bisping sprawls well. Bisping wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Fletcher gets slowly back to his feet.
No luck for Fletcher with that takedown attempt.
Bisping tries to score with a low kick but Fletcher moves his leg out of the way.
Bisping thuds a left hand into Fletcher's body.

Fletcher moves into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bisping wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fletcher pulls guard successfully.
Fletcher bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bisping's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fletcher wants to control from the top but Bisping keeps moving.
Bisping lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Fletcher!
Fletcher keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Bisping controlling from mount.
Fletcher really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bisping is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Michael Bisping is winning the standup battle so far.
Bisping misses with a series of wild punches.
Fletcher tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bisping paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A combination from Bisping does no damage.
Fletcher tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Bisping manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Fletcher has closed the distance and engaged Bisping in a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A frustrated look appears on Bisping's face as he tries to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Fletcher escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fletcher tries to clinch up but Bisping circles away and keeps his distance.
Fletcher is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
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 Michael Bisping will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bisping thows a body shot but no joy.
Fletcher tries to clinch up but Bisping circles away and keeps his distance.
Fletcher fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bisping smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A nice combination there by Bisping.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fletcher swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Fletcher tries to pull guard but Bisping won't allow it.
Fletcher looking to stall.
Bisping looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Bisping breaks the clinch.
Bisping throws a sloppy head kick

and Fletcher counters with a takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bisping wants to control but Fletcher postures up.
Fletcher controlling from side mount.
Bisping is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fletcher controlling the position from side mount.
Fletcher wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bisping keeps working.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher working away.
Fletcher wants to control but Bisping is keeping him busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Johnny Fletcher was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Bisping misses with a wild combination.
Fletcher fails with an attempt to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Fletcher.
Bisping tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fletcher is looking to clinch but Bisping is avoiding it.
Fletcher tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Fletcher has managed to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bisping is trying to break free.
Bisping wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Fletcher has him pressed against the cage.

Fletcher pulls guard.
Bisping stopping the sweep attempt from Fletcher.
Bisping controlling from the top position.
Fletcher tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fletcher is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bisping passes Fletcher's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher wants to control but Bisping is keeping busy.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Bisping is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Bisping is pressing down on Fletcher's thigh, looking to free his foot. Fletcher is holding on for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Fletcher looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bisping looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnny Fletcher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bisping working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Fletcher.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Johnny Fletcher.
I think Bisping 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Bisping!