PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Colin Joyce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seany Scholes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Scholes is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Wonderwall - Oasis. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Joyce
vs
Scholes

190 cm
26
160 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

168 cm
19
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good gas tank

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Colin Joyce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Seany Scholes!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Joyce closes the distance and clinches.
Joyce is stalling here.

Scholes gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Joyce regains guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Scholes trying to control the position from guard on top but Joyce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Scholes wanted to stand there but Joyce had control of the position.
Joyce keeping moving, preventing Scholes from controlling successfully.

Scholes has gone for a leg lock! Joyce slips out almost immediately though and dives into Scholes's guard.

Joyce gets to his feet. Scholes looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joyce pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Scholes pushes Joyce up against the cage in a clinch.
Joyce holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Joyce is trying to stall.
Joyce's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Scholes is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Joyce can't fight it off and eventually Scholes manages to take the fight to the floor. Joyce looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Joyce keeping moving, preventing Scholes from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Scholes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Joyce, up you get!

Joyce takes the fight into the clinch.

Scholes has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Joyce regains guard immediately.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Joyce keeping moving, preventing Scholes from controlling successfully.
Scholes would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Joyce really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Joyce wriggles free and stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joyce is looking to clinch but Scholes is avoiding it.
Colin Joyce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Scholes dives in and scores a takedown into Joyce's guard.

Scholes drops back, looking for a kneebar! Joyce looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Joyce looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Joyce!
Scholes wants to control but Joyce postures up.
Scholes is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Joyce decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Joyce tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Scholes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Scholes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Joyce is trying to defend but Scholes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joyce is refusing to be controlled, as Scholes sits in half guard.

Scholes is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Scholes is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seany Scholes 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.

Scholes closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Joyce's guard.
Scholes trying to control but Joyce is working from the bottom.

Joyce decides to stand back up. Joyce steps back and let's Scholes get back to his feet.

Scholes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scholes wants to pass the guard but Joyce is defending well.

Scholes is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Scholes stalling.
Joyce is trying to stand up here but Scholes is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Scholes is stalling here. Joyce is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Scholes seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Joyce has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Joyce gets to mount! Scholes was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Scholes is trying to stand.
Scholes is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Scholes manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Scholes is looking to escape.
Scholes is looking to improve his position.

Joyce decides to stand and escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Scholes takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Colin Joyce is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Joyce gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Scholes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Scholes wants to control from the top but Joyce keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seany Scholes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Joyce's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Joyce throws a head kick but Scholes moves out of range.
Joyce has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Scholes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Scholes swings around for an armbar but Joyce sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Scholes's guard.
Scholes trying to keep a closed guard but Joyce is proving a slippery customer.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Seany Scholes was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Joyce throws a head kick that misses.

Joyce closes the distance and pushes Scholes back into the cage.

Scholes pulls guard effortlessly.

Joyce gets to his feet. Scholes looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Scholes is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Joyce's half guard.

Scholes is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Joyce has managed to free his arm - good work.
Scholes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Scholes is keen to just control but Joyce is a slippery customer.
Scholes stalling away here and it's allowed Joyce to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Scholes drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Joyce dives on top into guard.
Scholes is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Scholes is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Seany Scholes wasn't active enough on the ground.

Scholes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Joyce did well to prevent Scholes getting side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Scholes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Joyce does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Scholes is looking to advance position but Joyce won't allow it.
Scholes trying to control the action but Joyce is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Scholes is looking for a kimura here.

Joyce kicks off Scholes and gets to his feet.

Scholes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Scholes showed some decent athleticism there.
Joyce is not content to let Scholes control the position.
Seany Scholes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Joyce kicks off Scholes and gets to his feet.
Scholes circles away from the clinch attempt.

Joyce rushes Scholes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Joyce avoiding damage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Scholes breaks from the clinch.
Joyce fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Scholes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Scholes trying to control but Joyce is working from the bottom.
Colin Joyce has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Scholes sitting in guard here, content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Seany Scholes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Scholes winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Seany Scholes!
After winning the bout, Seany Scholes thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.