PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Fred Durst (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Graham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Durst comes into the arena with Hot Dog blaring out of the sound system. Fred Durst had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Durst
vs
Graham

175 cm
25
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Prefers standup

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Fred Durst!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paul Graham!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Elvis Blanc and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durst throws a series of strikes that have Graham backpedaling.
Graham on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nice shot by Durst.
Durst misses with a wild combination.
Graham gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Durst counters with a one-two to the body.
Paul Graham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Durst scores with a three punch combo!
Graham shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Durst counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Durst moves out of range as Graham throws a body kick.

Graham shoots in and bounces Durst off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Graham sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Durst's guard.
Durst is refusing to be controlled, as Graham sits in half guard.
Durst blocking the ground and pound attempt from Graham.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graham is trying to control the action in half guard but Durst is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Durst avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Graham.
Durst wants to get back to his feet.
Graham missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Graham takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Graham sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Durst defending well though.
Graham wants to control but Durst is keeping him busy.
Graham has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Durst is looking to escape.
Graham slows the pace down in half guard.
Graham wants to control but Durst is keeping him busy.
Graham performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Paul Graham.
Durst stuffs the takedown attempt from Graham. Graham gets slowly back to his feet.
Fred Durst has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Graham.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durst lands a nice shot that snaps Graham's head back.
Durst closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Graham misses with a right hand
letting Durst counter with a right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Graham.
Graham avoids a punch combination nicely.
Graham is looking to clinch but Durst is avoiding it.
Graham misses with a takedown
and Durst counters with a series of strikes. Graham will be more careful next time no doubt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Graham.
Durst lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham tries for a takedown but Durst circles away easily
and Durst cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Durst looks to land a combination. Graham sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Graham is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Durst tries to bum rush Graham with a series of wild strikes but Graham uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Graham fails with the takedown
and Durst counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
No joy there for Durst, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Durst swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Graham avoids a punch combination nicely.
Durst is breathing heavily.
Graham shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graham with a poor takedown
and Durst counters with a two punch combo.
Durst throws a series of punches but Graham avoids them all with ease.
Durst slaps away a takedown attempt from Graham, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Durst is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Graham fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Durst avoids it really well and circles away.
Graham shoots for a double leg takedown but Durst sprawls well. He's pushed Graham's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Durst tries to bum rush Graham with a series of wild strikes but Graham uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graham rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Durst counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Graham fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Durst avoids it really well and circles away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Durst swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fred Durst dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Graham clinches.

Durst breaks the clinch.
Durst throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Graham fails with a takedown attempt.
Graham with a poor takedown
and Durst counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Durst misses with a jab, cross combination.
Durst connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Graham shoots and misses
and Durst counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Fred Durst has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Graham.

Graham closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Graham 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.

Graham stands up out of the half guard.
Graham is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graham tries for a takedown but Durst circles away easily
and Durst counters with an outside leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Durst, right into the meat.
Fred Durst is winning the standup battle so far.
Durst lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Durst lands a jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Durst.
Durst fails to land with a series of punches.
Durst swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Durst misses with a jab, cross combination.
Durst misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graham on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Graham has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Graham shoots in for a takedown but Durst shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A jab from Graham misses.
A left and a right from Durst both land. Nice combination.
Durst swats away the attempt to clinch by Graham.
Graham shoots for a takedown but Durst saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Graham fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Durst throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Graham shoots in for a takedown but Durst shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Graham throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Durst.
Graham shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Durst pinned against the cage. Durst gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Graham misses with a takedown
and Durst counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Graham shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Durst counters with a thumping low kick.
Durst shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Graham eats them both and turns towards Durst to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Left hook, right uppercut from Durst.
Durst throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Graham shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Durst is trying to defend but Graham finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Durst avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Graham.
Durst is trying to stand up here but Graham is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graham lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Durst on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Durst tries to get out of the position.
Graham wants to take a breather but Durst is having none of it.
Still in half guard, Graham seems content to control.
Durst knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Graham on the ground.
Durst blocking the ground and pound attempt from Graham.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Graham thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Durst's head.
Graham wants to lay and pray for a moment but Durst keeps working.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paul Graham was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Durst fails to land with a series of punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graham throws a right and a left that both miss.
Graham shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Durst pinned against the cage. Durst gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Fred Durst is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Graham shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paul Graham will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Danga de danga de dang - Durst scores with a four punch combination!
A punch combination from Durst misses.
Graham throws a hook but Durst blocks it.
Durst leaves Graham with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Graham throws an overhand right that lands on Durst's shoulder, as Durst tries to avoid the shot.
Graham tries for a takedown but Durst circles away easily
and Durst counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Graham closes the distance and clinches up with Durst, looking for a takedown. Graham pushes Durst against the cage but Durst circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fred Durst has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Graham.
Graham throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Durst counters with a one-two to the body.
Durst scores with a one two! Graham had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Durst throws a right and a left that Graham avoids nicely.
Durst fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Graham with a poor takedown
and Durst counters with a series of strikes. Graham will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durst throws a right hand that Graham ducks under and follows up with a left that Graham also avoids with ease.
Fred Durst is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sloppy strikes from Durst. Those never looked like landing.

Graham closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Durst's guard.
Graham slips nicely into half guard.
Graham landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Graham sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Durst tries to kick Graham off but Graham keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Graham lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Durst is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Graham is trying to work for a kimura but Durst is defending well.
Graham is trying to control. Durst wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Graham is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paul Graham was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Graham doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Durst counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham misses with a left hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Graham with a lazy takedown attempt
and Durst counters with a series of strikes. Graham will be more careful next time no doubt.
Graham drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Graham with a poor takedown
and Durst counters with an inside leg kick.
Graham looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Durst throws out a powerful jab.
A nice leg kick lands there from Durst.
Durst swats away the attempt to clinch by Graham.
Durst throws a combination. Graham tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Danga de danga de dang - Durst scores with a four punch combination!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durst blocks the body kick.
Durst misses with the combination.
Graham shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Durst pinned against the cage. Durst gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Graham.
Durst wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Graham is trying to get an arm triangle but Durst is defending well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Graham is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Durst is trying to escape and Graham transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Durst is forced to tap! Nice work there by Graham! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Paul Graham!
Paul Graham was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.