PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gerome Iggy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Samuel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Samuel is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Stuck in the Moment. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Iggy
vs
Samuel

180 cm
18
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Charlie Wang's Tattered Rags-$10 or less & Laundry

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gerome Iggy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Eli Samuel!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Iggy bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Samuel's head backwards.

Samuel looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Samuel is keen to just control but Iggy is a slippery customer.
Iggy landing strikes from the bottom.

Samuel is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Iggy is looking to control Samuel's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Iggy avoid being mounted?
Samuel trying to mount his opponent but Iggy defends it.
Iggy keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Samuel is looking for a kimura but Iggy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Samuel to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Iggy is looking to control Samuel's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Iggy avoid being mounted?

Samuel is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Iggy sees it coming and defends easily.

Samuel is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Iggy is concentrating on defense, preventing Samuel from advancing position.

Samuel is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Samuel is working for a kimura but Iggy is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Iggy wants to control but Samuel is keeping busy.
Samuel throws a strike but Iggy avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Iggy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Samuel is one step ahead there.
Samuel with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Samuel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Iggy is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iggy is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Iggy has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Iggy looking for a sweep. Not yet Iggy, not yet.
Iggy keeping full guard, as Samuel tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Gerome Iggy.

Samuel looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Iggy!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Iggy is looking to get to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Samuel goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Iggy turns into him and now he's in Samuel's guard.
Iggy wants to control from the top but Samuel keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Samuel wants to stand but Iggy is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eli Samuel dominated that round.
That's time! Iggy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Samuel manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Iggy on his heels. He'll look to pass Iggy's guard now, I'm sure.
Iggy working a defensive guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gerome Iggy just wasn't active enough.

Samuel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Samuel tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Samuel is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Iggy is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samuel swings around for an armbar but Iggy sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Samuel's guard.
Iggy trying to control but Samuel is working from the bottom.
Samuel wants to get back to his feet but Iggy is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samuel keeping moving, preventing Iggy from controlling successfully.
Iggy lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Iggy trying to control the position from guard on top but Samuel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Iggy wants to pass the guard but Samuel is keeping the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gerome Iggy wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Iggy gets caught napping as Samuel dives in and scores a takedown. Iggy manages to retain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Iggy working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Samuel doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Samuel manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Iggy is pulling down on Samuel's head. It's preventing any offense from Samuel, at least for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Iggy manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Samuel manages to get himself to full guard.
Iggy sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samuel is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Iggy is looking to work some ground and pound but Samuel has wrist control.
Iggy trying to control but Samuel is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Gerome Iggy.
Iggy misses with a takedown attempt - Samuel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Iggy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eli Samuel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Samuel closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Iggy gets back to half guard.

Samuel is looking for a kimura here.

Samuel 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.

Samuel is looking for a kimura but Iggy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Samuel to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samuel is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Iggy defends it well.
Iggy trying to control from the bottom.
Samuel looks to land a strike but Iggy avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Samuel is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Iggy is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Iggy has escaped and now he's on top!
Iggy slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Iggy trying to control the position from guard on top but Samuel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Iggy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Samuel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Iggy trying to control but Samuel is working from the bottom.

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

A momentary lapse in concentration from Iggy enables Samuel to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Iggy manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Iggy is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Samuel trying to control the position from guard on top but Iggy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Iggy controls Samuel momentarily but Samuel frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Samuel postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Iggy is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Samuel, into his guard.
Iggy wants to control from the top but Samuel keeps moving.
Gerome Iggy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gerome Iggy has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Samuel closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Iggy quickly recovers to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eli Samuel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Samuel 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eli Samuel!