PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zak Houk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gerard Scott (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Houk
vs
Scott

180 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

182 cm
24
164 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zak Houk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gerard Scott!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Scott closes the distance and clinches.
Houk has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Scott is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Houk wants to break the clinch but can't.
Scott stalling against the cage.
A short left from Scott.
Houk tries to score a body lock takedown but Scott shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Scott wants to break free but Houk has control.

Houk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Scott throws a solid leg kick but Houk takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Scott.
Scott looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Scott steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Houk.
Scott lands with a nice combination. Houk backs away looking to recover.

Scott clinches up with Houk and pushes him back against the cage.
Houk can't break the clinch.
Houk wants to break free but Scott has control.
Scott tries to break the clinch but Houk is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houk wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zak Houk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Houk can't break the clinch.
Houk has Scott pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Scott manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A bit of stalling here from Scott.
Houk wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Scott has him pressed against the cage.
Scott working hard to break the clinch.
Scott wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Scott lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Scott keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Houk's efforts to push away.
Scott is stalling here.
Houk is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Scott is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Scott is trying to break the clinch but Houk has him pressed against the cage.
Houk goes for a takedown attempt but Scott pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Gerard Scott is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Scott takes the fight into the clinch.
Houk keeps control of Scott as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A shot in the inside from Scott.
Houk is trying to pull guard but Scott turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Houk breaks from the clinch.
Scott tries to clinch but Houk moves out of range.

Houk gets tackled into the cage by Scott. Scott maintains the clinch.
Scott lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Scott on the inside.
Houk pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Houk swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Houk wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Scott leaning against his opponent.
Scott wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Scott lands a hook to the side of the head.
Houk has had enough of the clinch but Scott keeps him there for the moment.
Houk keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Scott's efforts to push away.

Houk breaks the clinch.

Scott drives through and clinches with Houk against the cage.
Scott lands a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houk is trying to break free.
Houk keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Scott's efforts to push away.
Scott prevents Houk from breaking the clinch.
Scott wants to get back to striking at distance but Houk won't allow it.
Scott can't break the clinch.
Scott can't break the clinch.
Houk wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Scott has him pressed against the cage.
Houk tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Scott smiles and moves away.
Scott avoids the head kick by Houk.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Houk moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Houk throws a right and a left that Scott avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerard Scott dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Scott tries to clinch up.
Houk goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Jab from Scott.

Houk tries to keep at a distance but Scott has taken the fight into the clinch.

Houk escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Houk gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Scott pushes Houk up against the cage in a clinch.
Houk wants to break free but Scott has control.
Scott wants to break the clinch but can't.
Houk tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Scott smiles and moves away.
Scott throws a right hand that Houk ducks under and follows up with a left that Houk also avoids with ease.
Houk closes this distance looking for a takedown but Scott circles away.
Houk will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zak Houk. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Scott rushes Houk and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Scott has Houk pressed against the cage, preventing Houk from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Scott wants to break the clinch but can't.
Houk is trying to break the clinch but Scott is controlling him.
Houk fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Scott is trying to drag Houk to the mat but Houk just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Houk wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Scott has Houk pressed against the cage, preventing Houk from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Scott is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Houk tries to break free but Scott pushes him back against the cage.
Houk wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Scott has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houk wants to break the clinch but can't.
Houk has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Scott avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Scott breaks the clinch.

Scott clinches with his opponent.

Scott pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Scott drives through and clinches with Houk against the cage.
Scott makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Scott misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Houk.
Houk keeps control of Scott as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Scott is trying to break the clinch but Houk is controlling him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Scott scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Scott pulls Houk into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Scott throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Scott pulls Houk in close to prevent any damage.

Scott looking for a guillotine here but Houk defends easily.
Scott keeping moving, preventing Houk from controlling successfully.

Scott kicks Houk off and gets to his feet.
Scott tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Scott throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Houk.
Houk shoots in for a double leg but Scott sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Scott throws a leg kick
enabling Houk to counter with a crisp jab.

Houk closes the distance and clinches.

Scott breaks the clinch.
Houk shoots in for a takedown but Scott shows good takedown defense.
Scott lands a jab-cross combination.

Scott closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Houk stops a takedown attempt from Scott.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Scott's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Scott cracks Houk with a right hand to the side of the head.
Houk looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Scott moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Scott lands a left hand.
Houk throws a head punch that misses.
Scott wants to break free but Houk has control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerard Scott showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Houk has managed to clinch.
Houk wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Scott has him pressed against the cage.
Houk working hard to break the clinch.
Scott is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Houk tries to break free but Scott pushes him back against the cage.
Scott tries to pull guard but Houk forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Houk tries to pull guard but Scott forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Scott softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Houk is trying to pull guard but Scott turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Scott softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Houk manages to break the clinch.

Scott has managed to clinch.
Houk jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Scott walks away with a smile on his face. Houk gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zak Houk. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Scott gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Houk tries to pull guard but Scott won't allow it.
Houk is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Scott to keep the fight standing.

Scott escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Scott clinches.
Scott prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Scott.
Gerard Scott seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Houk wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Scott tries to break free but Houk pushes him back against the cage.
Scott is pressed up against the cage. Houk has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Scott down to the mat. Scott avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Scott lands a jab-cross combination.

Houk is rocked!
Scott circles away before darting back in with a big straight right hand. It connects beautifully and sends Houk tumbling to the canvas! He's out cold! Scott wins by KO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Gerard Scott!