PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Duke Toney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Venable (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Duke Toney has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Toney
vs
Venable

189 cm
22
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
275 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Duke Toney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Venable!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Toney will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Toney throws a head kick that misses.
Toney shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Toney drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Venable is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Toney drops back looking for a leg! Venable is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Venable manages to kick Toney off! Toney jumps back into Venable's guard.
Venable is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Toney is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney slips nicely into half guard.
Toney prevents Venable from standing back up.

Toney is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Venable pushes Toney off looking to stand but Toney dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Toney seems to be looking for submissions.
Venable is looking to get back to is feet but Toney passes into side control.
Venable is trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toney advances to mount.
Toney unloading with bombs!
Venable really wants to buck Toney off and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Toney has hold of Venable's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Venable manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Toney is breathing heavily.

Toney looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Venable is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Toney looking for a guillotine from mount but Venable is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Duke Toney dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Toney misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Venable.

Venable closes the distance and clinches.
Venable stalling in the clinch.
Toney tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Toney is looking to break free of the clinch but Venable has double underhooks.
Venable stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Toney drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Venable gets the underhooks and prevents it.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Toney here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Venable stalling in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toney lands a shot to the body.
Venable landing knees to the body.
Toney wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A knee to the head by Venable.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Toney is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Venable prevents Toney from breaking the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Venable takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Toney is looking to break free of the clinch but Venable has double underhooks.
Venable lands a knee to the body.
Venable landing knees to the body.
Venable lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Toney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Venable is stalling here.
Venable unloads a knee to the mid-section. Toney lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Venable unloads a knee to the mid-section. Toney lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Venable stalls.
Toney wants to get back to striking at distance but Venable won't allow it.
Toney avoiding damage as Venable throws knees to the body.
Venable lands an elbow just above Toney 's eye.
Toney is trying to break the clinch but Venable has him pressed against the cage.
Venable landing knees to the head.
Nice elbow from Venable.
Toney blocks an elbow strike.
Venable lands an elbow that stopped Toney in his tracks for a moment.
Venable using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Toney has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toney is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Toney goes for a takedown attempt but Venable pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Duke Toney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toney looks to throw the jab but Venable is out of range.
Toney tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Venable holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Toney could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Venable landing knees to the head.
Toney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Venable stalling against the cage.
Venable gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Venable keeps control of Toney as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Toney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Toney wants to get back to striking at distance but Venable won't allow it.
Venable keeps control of Toney as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Venable stalling the fight.
Toney lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Toney can't break the clinch.
Venable tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toney tries to pull guard but Venable holds him up against the cage and eventually Toney drops back down to his feet.
Toney looking for a takedown.
Toney wants to get back to striking at distance but Venable won't allow it.
Venable stalls.
Toney is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Venable pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Toney managing to block the knees to the body from Venable.
Venable landing knees to the body.
Venable using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Toney has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Venable stalling against the cage.
Toney lands a hook to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Toney.
Venable lands a damaging elbow.
Toney misses with a short punch on the inside.
Toney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Venable stalling in the clinch but Toney improves position.
Toney wants to break free but Venable has control.
Venable lands a knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venable landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Venable unloads a knee to the mid-section. Toney lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Toney is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Venable.
Knees in the clinch landing for Venable.
Knees in the clinch landing for Venable.
Venable comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Venable gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Venable's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Venable is trying to maintain a safe position but Toney gets an underhook and turns Venable into the cage.
Venable unloads a knee to the mid-section. Toney lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Venable prevents Toney from breaking the clinch.
Toney has had enough of the clinch but Venable keeps him there for the moment.
Toney wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Venable trying to land knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Venable throws an elbow but misses.
Venable is trying to maintain a safe position but Toney gets an underhook and turns Venable into the cage.
Venable crunches a lovely knee into Toney's ribcage.
Toney tries to pull guard but Venable holds him up against the cage and eventually Toney drops back down to his feet.
Toney tries to break the clinch but Venable is controlling the position.
Venable is looking to control Toney's arms but Toney gets an underhook and turns him. Now Venable has his back to the cage.
Toney has had enough of the clinch but Venable keeps him there for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Venable showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Venable darts in and clinches Toney up against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Venable.
Venable prevents Toney from breaking the clinch.
Toney can't break the clinch.
Toney is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Venable pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Venable using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Venable landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Toney is trying to break free.
Stalling in the clinch from Venable.
Venable tries to land a knee to the head but Toney blocks with his arms.
Venable just leaning against Toney, taking a breather.
Toney stalling in the clinch but Venable improves position.
Toney can't break the clinch.
Venable manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Toney wants a takedown.
Toney can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Duke Toney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Toney tries for a takedown but Venable manages to get underhooks.
Venable connects with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Venable.
Venable stalls.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney wants to get back to striking at distance but Venable won't allow it.
Knees in the clinch landing for Venable.
Toney is looking to break free of the clinch but Venable has double underhooks.
Venable with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Venable using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Venable has Toney pushed against the cage.
Knees to the body from Venable.
Venable lands an elbow just above Toney 's eye.
Venable lands a nice knee to the body.
Toney takes an elbow to the forehead.
Toney wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Venable has him pressed against the cage.
Toney tries to pull guard but Venable holds him up against the cage and eventually Toney drops back down to his feet.
Toney tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Toney is trying to break free.
Toney wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Venable has him pressed against the cage.
Venable with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Venable is trying to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toney lands with a right to the head.
Venable stalling in the clinch but Toney improves position.
Venable is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Toney has denied him.
Toney can't break the clinch.
Toney on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Toney avoiding damage as Venable throws knees to the body.
Toney wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Venable keeps control of Toney as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Toney is trying to break the clinch but Venable has him pressed against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Toney works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Venable wants to stand up but Toney is controlling him.
Venable is wriggling around but Toney manages to pass to half guard.

Toney seems to be working for a kimura but Venable defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Toney is working for a kimura but Venable is defending it quite comfortably.
Toney looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venable wants to get back to his feet.
Duke Toney overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Duke Toney.
I think Toney has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 29:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Duke Toney!