PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nick James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zach Fletcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

James
vs
Fletcher

176 cm
18
178 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nick James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Zach Fletcher!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Winston Howard and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fletcher misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fletcher shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has James pinned against the cage. James gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Fletcher tries a low kick but James avoids it.
Fletcher thuds his right hand into James's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Fletcher misses with the combination.
James swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fletcher throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fletcher dives in and grabs James's left leg, looking for a takedown. James pushes down on Fletcher's head and hops out.
James throws a predictable looking body shot
and Fletcher counters with a one-two to the body.
Zach Fletcher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fletcher shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with James but James pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nick James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zach Fletcher.
Fletcher throws a solid leg kick but James takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Fletcher.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.
Fletcher moves in looking to clinch but James pushes him off.
Fletcher tries to clinch up.
Fletcher misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Fletcher looks gassed!
James tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fletcher paws at him with a jab and circles away.
James looks to throw the jab but Fletcher is out of range.
Fletcher throws a series of punches but James avoids them all with ease.
Fletcher wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.
Fletcher gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and James counters with a left and a right that stings Fletcher.
Fletcher tries to close the distance and clinch up but James swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher misses with a series of wild punches.
James lands with a nice combination. Fletcher backs away looking to recover.

James has taken the fight to the clinch.

James breaks the clinch.
James dodges the punch combination from Fletcher.
Fletcher with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling James to score with a decent uppercut.
James tries to clinch but Fletcher is having none of it.
James tries to clinch there but Fletcher circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fletcher misses with a combination
and James counters with a nice low kick that buckles Fletcher's knee momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James shoots for a double leg takedown but Fletcher sprawls well. He's pushed James's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fletcher displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from James.
Horrible takedown by Fletcher or perhaps it was just good defense by James which made him look bad.

James shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than James was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Fletcher is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
James throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Fletcher because James loaded up on that one.
Fletcher wants to try and get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James looking to control but Fletcher is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Fletcher is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

James working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
James misses with a head shot.
James controlling from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
James throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

James stuffs the takedown attempt from Fletcher. Fletcher gets slowly back to his feet.
Fletcher misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fletcher tries for a takedown but James sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fletcher shoots for a takedown but James saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nick James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zach Fletcher.
Fletcher tries for a takedown but James circles away easily
and James counters with an inside leg kick.
James swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
James avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

James clinches up with Fletcher and pushes him back against the cage.
Nice elbow from James.
Fletcher is breathing heavily.
James manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

James breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fletcher is defended easily by James.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
James tries to close the distance and clinch but Fletcher swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
No joy there for James, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fletcher misses with a double jab.
Zach Fletcher seems to be getting the better of the standup.

James shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Fletcher manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

James thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
James passes into half guard.
James not doing much here.
James seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Fletcher for as long as he can get away with.
Fletcher tries to get to full guard but James has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
James wants to control but Fletcher is keeping him busy.
James with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
James is trying to control the action in half guard but Fletcher is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
James thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
James missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
James takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nick James just wasn't active enough.
Fletcher avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fletcher shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

James clinches up against the cage.
James lands a damaging elbow.

James manages to break the clinch.
James throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A nice leg kick lands there from James.
Fletcher walks forward, straight into a front kick from James.
Nick James is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sloppy strikes from James. Those never looked like landing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fletcher wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.
Fletcher throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick James dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

James throws a right and a left that both miss.
Fletcher misses with a jab, cross combination.
Fletcher shoots in for a takedown but James shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Fletcher throws a head kick that misses.
Fletcher tried to score with a low kick but James checks it.
James avoids the head kick by Fletcher.
Fletcher tries to clinch but James moves away

and James counters with a nice double leg into side control. Fletcher won't be happy with that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James in side control, just content to control the action for now.
James creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Fletcher sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The strikes coming from James are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Sloppy strikes there by James.
Sloppy strikes there by James.
James misses with the ground and pound.
Sloppy strikes there by James.
Fletcher tries to bench press James off him but James keeps the position.

James is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Fletcher is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
James working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James is chipping away with strikes.
Fletcher is looking for a sweep.
James fails to land a wild elbow strike.
James trying to control the position but Fletcher is working away.
James working the ground and pound but Fletcher is defending the strikes.
Fletcher is trying to buck James off.

James has hold of Fletcher's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Fletcher seems comfortable defending it but James has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Fletcher is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Fletcher is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but James couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nick James!