PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andre Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Forbes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ward
vs
Forbes

185 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andre Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Edward Forbes!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Jonathan Paton and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward shoots in and drives through. Forbes sprawls well.
Ward misses with a body shot.
Forbes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ward sprawls well. Ward wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Forbes gets slowly back to his feet.
Ward tries for a takedown but Forbes sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ward fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andre Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ward fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Forbes avoids it really well and circles away.
Ward fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ward tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Forbes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ward misses with a takedown attempt - Forbes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A head kick misses from Ward.
Ward fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Forbes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ward tries to avoid it but Forbes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ward to the ground. Ward escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ward tries to close the distance and clinch but Forbes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Forbes stuffs the takedown.
Forbes dives in and grabs Ward's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ward pushes down on Forbes's head and hops out.
Forbes tries to close the distance and clinch but Ward swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Forbes throws a low kick but it's checked well by Ward.
Ward lands a jab-cross combination.
Forbes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Ward instigates a clinch.

Ward breaks from the clinch.
Ward throws a right and a left that Forbes avoids nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ward looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward closes the distance and clinches up with Forbes, looking for a takedown. Ward pushes Forbes against the cage but Forbes circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ward is breathing heavily.
Ward shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Forbes as he avoids it easily.
Forbes's jab looks to have found its range, popping Ward under the eye.
Forbes wants to clinch.
Ward misses with a kick to the body.
Ward throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Forbes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ward manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ward shoots in and drives through. Forbes sprawls well.
Ward throws a sloppy head kick and Forbes moves out of range easily.
Forbes pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Nice takedown defense from Forbes. No joy for Ward on that attempt.
A combination from Forbes does no damage.
Ward shoots in but no luck this time.
Forbes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ward manages to avoid it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Forbes shoots in looking for a takedown but Ward manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Forbes's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Andre Ward will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Forbes tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Ward is able to avoid easily.
Ward is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ward pivots, looking for a leg kick but Forbes is out of range and Ward settles back down.

Forbes gets tackled into the cage by Ward. Ward maintains the clinch.
Ward leaning against his opponent.
Ward looking to stall.
Ward effectively controlling the action here.

Forbes has clasped his hands together around Ward's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Forbes decides to stand back up. Forbes steps back and let's Ward get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward loads up on a big right hand but Forbes slips the punch.
Forbes throws a wild body kick that Ward sees coming a mile off.

Ward drives through and clinches with Forbes against the cage.
Ward tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Forbes gets control of Ward's arms and successfully pulls guard. Forbes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Ward trying to control but Forbes is working from the bottom.
Ward lands a couple of digs.
Forbes wants to stand up but Ward is controlling him.
Ward wants to get up but he can't break Forbes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward trying to control the position from guard on top but Forbes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Forbes has a closed guard, preventing Ward from standing up.

Andre Ward has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Forbes misses with a takedown attempt - Ward sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Forbes clinches with his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Forbes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ward effectively controlling the action here.
Ward tries to pull guard but Forbes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ward is trying to pull guard but Forbes has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andre Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Forbes wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ward has him pressed against the cage.
Forbes is trying to break the clinch but Ward has him pressed against the cage.
Forbes is trying to push Ward away but Ward has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Forbes is working for takedown but Ward is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ward prevents Forbes from breaking the clinch.
Forbes working hard to break the clinch.
Ward keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Forbes's efforts to push away.

Ward ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ward no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Forbes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Forbes gets to his feet - Ward follows without any prompting.
Forbes is breathing heavily.
Forbes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ward sprawls well. Ward wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Forbes gets slowly back to his feet.
Ward avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ward doesn't manage to clinch there - Forbes circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Danga de danga de dang - Ward scores with a four punch combination!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ward fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Forbes checks it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Edward Forbes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Ward or perhaps it was just good defense by Forbes which made him look bad.
Ward displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Forbes.
Ward shoots in for a takedown but Forbes shows good takedown defense.
Andre Ward is winning the standup battle so far.

Ward has Forbes up against the cage in a clinch.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Forbes throws a series of punches but Ward moves out of range.
Horrible takedown by Ward or perhaps it was just good defense by Forbes which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andre Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Forbes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ward shoots in for a takedown but Forbes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Forbes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Forbes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Forbes darts in and clinches Ward up against the cage.
Forbes is trying to break the clinch but Ward has him pressed against the cage.
Ward tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ward tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward has Forbes pressed against the cage, preventing Forbes from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Forbes is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ward is keeping busy.
Ward keeps control of Forbes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ward trying to control the position but instead, Forbes has worked for underhooks and has pushed Ward into the cage.

Ward has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Forbes is trying to keep an underhook but Ward manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Forbes wants to control but Ward is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Forbes scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Ward manages to mount him!
Forbes regains half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ward with good strikes from the mount here!
Forbes is looking to improve his position but Ward isn't that keen on the idea.

Ward goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Forbes turns into him and now he's in Ward's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Forbes trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ward's guard.
Ward working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Forbes.
Forbes with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ward looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ward utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Edward Forbes.
I think Forbes 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edward Forbes!