PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Manny Skelton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brantley Cermak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Skelton comes to the cage accompanied by Example - Midnight Run. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Skelton
vs
Cermak

176 cm
25
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Manny Skelton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brantley Cermak!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Hugh Johnson and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Skelton checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Cermak wants to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Skelton. No joy for Cermak on that attempt.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Cermak enables Skelton to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Cermak manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Cermak has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Skelton can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Cermak keeping full guard, as Skelton tries to pass.
Cermak bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Skelton's guard.
Cermak stands up over Skelton, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cermak trying to control but Skelton is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cermak gets to his feet - Skelton follows without any prompting.
Cermak fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Skelton avoids it really well and circles away.
Cermak misses with a head kick.
Skelton scores with a three punch combo!
Skelton scores with a one two! Cermak had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cermak is defended easily by Skelton.
Manny Skelton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brantley Cermak.
Left hook, right uppercut from Skelton.
Cermak looks gassed!
Skelton stuffs the takedown.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Skelton instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Skelton has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Cermak is trying to keep an underhook but Skelton manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Skelton is looking to advance position but Cermak won't allow it.
Skelton missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Cermak blocking the ground and pound attempt from Skelton.
Skelton throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Cermak to regain full guard.
Skelton wants to control from the top but Cermak keeps moving.
Skelton is looking to stand up but Cermak won't let him.
Skelton's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Skelton trying to control but Cermak is working from the bottom.
Cermak trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Manny Skelton wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Cermak takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Skelton closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Skelton lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Skelton works over Cermak with some ground and pound from guard.
Skelton throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Skelton won't allow Cermak to get back to his feet.
Skelton is stalling in the full guard.

Skelton stands up from guard. Let's bang!
A combination from Skelton does no damage.
Cermak tries to clinch there but Skelton circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Skelton darts in and clinches Cermak up against the cage.
Cermak is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Skelton gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Skelton turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Skelton works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Skelton connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cermak some visible discomfort.
Cermak on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Skelton working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Skelton looks up at the clock and then as Cermak takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Skelton smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Skelton is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Cermak will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Skelton working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Skelton landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Skelton dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Skelton shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Skelton showed some decent athleticism there.
Cermak keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Skelton is thwarting Cermak's attempts to control the position.
Skelton trying to advance position but Cermak counters by regaining guard.
Cermak keeping full guard, as Skelton tries to pass.

Cermak working for a triangle but Skelton defends it easily.
Skelton looking to sit in guard and control but Cermak gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cermak loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Skelton on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Skelton tries to get out of the position.
Cermak prevents Skelton from getting back to his feet.
Manny Skelton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Skelton wants to sweep here but Cermak controlling him for the moment.
Cermak trying to control but Skelton is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skelton wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Cermak is now in half guard.
Cermak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skelton keeps working.
Skelton desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Skelton trying to control from the bottom.
Skelton is not content to let Cermak control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Brantley Cermak hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
The fight stays on the outside here - Skelton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cermak misses the shot to the body.
Skelton fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cermak checks it well.
No luck for Cermak with that takedown attempt.
Cermak is breathing heavily.
Cermak changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Skelton tries to avoid it but Cermak manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Skelton to the ground. Skelton escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Skelton takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Skelton darts in and clinches Cermak up against the cage.

Skelton has hold of one of Cermak's legs. Cermak is fighting the takedown attempt but Skelton gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Skelton stays in close to Cermak's body and controls the position.
Skelton lands a couple of elbows.
Skelton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cermak on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skelton stopping the sweep attempt from Cermak.
Cermak keeping full guard, as Skelton tries to pass.
Cermak has momentary wrist control but Skelton slips an elbow through the middle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Skelton looking to pass the guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Skelton with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Skelton is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cermak looking to hit a scissor sweep but Skelton is one step ahead there.
Skelton looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Skelton dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Cermak tries to keep at a distance but Skelton has taken the fight into the clinch.
Skelton has had enough of the clinch but Cermak keeps him there for the moment.
Cermak tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Skelton's elbow.

Cermak jumps guard.
Skelton wants to control from the top but Cermak keeps moving.
Cermak manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Skelton is desperately trying to improve his position but Cermak has a good base and remains in mount.
Skelton wants to hold on but Cermak pushes him away.
Skelton is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cermak is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Skelton can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Skelton has given up his back here.
Skelton is in bad spot here.
Skelton controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Skelton just trying to survive but Cermak is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Cermak is riding his opponent, not letting Skelton buck him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skelton looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Cermak controlling the position well here. Skelton rolled but Cermak kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

Cermak working for a choke but Skelton is defending well.

Skelton defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cermak wants to control but Skelton is keeping busy.
Cermak lands with a hammerfist to the side of Skelton's head.
Cermak somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Manny Skelton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Skelton fending off the submission attempt from Cermak.
Cermak is looking to control Skelton but Skelton is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skelton trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
I really don't envy Skelton right now.
A lull in the action here.
Skelton controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Brantley Cermak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Skelton covering up well under a barage of strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brantley Cermak comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Skelton has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Skelton!
A relieved looking Manny Skelton thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.