PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between AJ March (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Regal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

March
vs
Regal

185 cm
22
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Experienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, AJ March!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jack Regal!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Hugh Johnson and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Regal closes the distance and clinches.
Regal connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like AJ March has been cut.
Regal tries to land a knee to the head but March blocks with his arms.

March has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Regal uses from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Regal throws a big elbow that misses.

March is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Regal looking to sit in guard and control but March gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Regal preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
March working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Regal's head.
Regal is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
March throws a big right hand that misses.
March prevents Regal from getting back to his feet.
March postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
March throwing strikes but missing.
March cracks Regal with a solid left hand.

Regal is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Regal really doesn't want to stay on the ground with March. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

March is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Regal utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
March is in close to Regal's body, working some short punches and elbows.
March connects with a couple of short punches.

Regal looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
March is looking to work some ground and pound but Regal has wrist control.
Regal looking for a sweep. Not yet Regal, not yet.
March has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Regal looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but March puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Regal wants to sweep but March has passed to side control!
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!
Regal wants to control but March postures up.
March looks up at the clock and then as Regal takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, March smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
March working the strikes but Regal uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from March there.
Regal is trying to stand back up but March is controlling him
Regal looks gassed!
March is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Regal blocking the ground and pound attempt from March.
March lands strikes from half guard.
March sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Regal defending well though.
March looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Regal with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Regal can do anything to dispel that myth.
March working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

March is looking for a kimura but Regal is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for March to get the leverage.
March is nestled in close to Regal, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Regal is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute March jumps into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
March looks up at the clock and then as Regal takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, March smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from March are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Regal can't do much from the bottom here.
March advances to mount.
March breaks from Regal's wrist control and lands an elbow.
March raining down shots from the mount!
Regal taking shots to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
March landing strikes, looking to finish!
Regal wants to control but March is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
March breaks from Regal's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

AJ March dominated that round.
The cut man is working on AJ March's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

March closes the distance and clinches.
Regal pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Regal throws an elbow but misses.
Regal putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has March in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Regal prevents March from breaking the clinch.
Regal using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
March on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
March on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Regal is pressed up against the cage. March has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Regal down to the mat. Regal avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
AJ March is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
March fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Regal moves in looking to clinch but March pushes him off.

March closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Regal missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Regal tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Regal blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
March avoiding damage as Regal throws knees to the body.
Regal trying to land knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Regal.
March blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Regal obliges.
Regal misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from March.
Knees to the body from Regal.
Regal unloads a knee to the mid-section. March lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Regal lands a damaging elbow.
Jack Regal seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Knees to the body from Regal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Regal is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. March is defending well for now.
March misses with a knee strike.
Regal misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from March.
Regal misses with a knee strike.
Regal scores with a knee to the head.
Regal connects with a knee to the head.
Regal lands a good knee to the midsection. March won't want to take too many of those.
Regal tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Regal lands a good knee to the midsection. March won't want to take too many of those.
Regal lands a knee to the body.
Regal lands an elbow inside that March shrugs off.
Regal crunches a lovely knee into March's ribcage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Regal lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Regal landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
March blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Regal misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from March.
March tries to pull guard but Regal forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ March. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Regal using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Regal trying to land knees to the body.
Regal lands an elbow inside.
March tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Regal just stands there and leans against the cage.
Regal lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Regal is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. March is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
March has Regal pushed against the cage.
March avoiding damage as Regal throws knees to the body.
Regal creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through March's defenses.
Regal lands a nice knee to the body.
March managing to block the knees to the body from Regal.
Regal misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from March.
Nice elbow from Regal.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Regal putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has March in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Regal tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Regal with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Regal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on AJ March's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Regal tries to clinch up but March circles away and keeps his distance.
Regal tries to clinch up but March circles away and keeps his distance.
March misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Regal leaves March with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Regal moves into range and clinches up with March.
March is trying to pull guard but Regal turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Regal using the Thai plumb to throw knees but March has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Regal putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has March in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Regal utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Regal unloads a knee to the mid-section. March lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Regal lands a good knee to the midsection. March won't want to take too many of those.
Regal lands an elbow that stopped March in his tracks for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
March avoiding damage as Regal throws knees to the body.
Regal utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Regal lands a good knee to the midsection. March won't want to take too many of those.
Regal with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

AJ March's cut is getting worse.
Regal landing knees to the body.
Regal landing knees to the body.
March takes a knee right on the jaw!
Regal lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Regal creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through March's defenses.
Regal landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Regal scores with a knee to the head.
Regal lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
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!
March throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Regal blocks it with crossed arms.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Regal obliges.
Regal trying to land knees to the body.
Regal lands an elbow that stopped March in his tracks for a moment.
Regal gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Regal lands an elbow just above March 's eye.
March has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Regal with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Regal with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Regal is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. March is defending well for now.
Regal throws a knee to the head but misses.
Regal trying to land knees to the body.
March is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Regal to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ March. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Regal lands a nice elbow.
Regal lands a damaging elbow.
Regal tries a knee to the head but March blocks it.
Regal gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
March wants to get back to striking at distance but Regal won't allow it.
Regal tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and March avoids it.
Regal tries a knee to the head but March blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

March pulls guard successfully.
March preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Regal trying to control but March is working from the bottom.

March manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Regal wants to clinch up but March keeps it at a distance.

Regal moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
March pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Regal lands an elbow that stopped March in his tracks for a moment.
Regal lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Regal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Regal has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Regal!