PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Micki Angelo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Lawrence (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lawrence has chosen Gonna Fly Now as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Micki Angelo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Angelo
vs
Lawrence

180 cm
18
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

193 cm
26
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Micki Angelo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Liam Lawrence!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Daniel Blasius and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawrence scores with a nice right hand.
Angelo tries to close the distance and clinch but Lawrence swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lawrence throws a series of punches but Angelo avoids them all with ease.
Lawrence throws a series of punches but Angelo avoids them all with ease.
Angelo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lawrence tries to avoid it but Angelo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lawrence to the ground. Lawrence escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Angelo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lawrence tries to avoid it but Angelo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lawrence to the ground. Lawrence escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Angelo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Micki Angelo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lawrence stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Lawrence tries to bum rush Angelo with a series of wild strikes but Angelo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lawrence throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lawrence looks to land a combination but Angelo avoids it well.
Angelo takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lawrence looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Angelo is defended easily by Lawrence.
Lawrence scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Liam Lawrence is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Lawrence!

Lawrence tries to keep at a distance but Angelo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Angelo has Lawrence pushed against the cage.
Lawrence wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Angelo has him pressed against the cage.
Come on Angelo - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A hook to the body from Lawrence.
Lawrence gets underhooks to prevent Angelo's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Angelo tries to pull guard but Lawrence forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Lawrence manages to break the clinch.

Angelo gets the takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Angelo misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Lawrence manages to work his way to half guard, despite Angelo's best efforts.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lawrence keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Angelo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Angelo is looking for a kimura but Lawrence is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Angelo to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Angelo tries to pass to full mount but Lawrence defends it.
Lawrence gets full guard.
Angelo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Angelo trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawrence is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lawrence trying to keep a closed guard but Angelo is proving a slippery customer.
Angelo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Angelo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Angelo trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawrence is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Micki Angelo just wasn't active enough.
Angelo has a takedown stuffed.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Angelo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lawrence lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Angelo at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Liam Lawrence 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.

Angelo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Angelo is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Lawrence's half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lawrence blocking the ground and pound attempt from Angelo.
Angelo trying to control from half guard but Lawrence is working away.

Angelo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Lawrence sees it coming and defends easily.
Angelo trying to mount his opponent but Lawrence defends it.
Lawrence trying to hold on to Angelo's head to control him but Angelo postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Lawrence.
Angelo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Lawrence keeping moving, preventing Angelo from controlling successfully.
Lawrence keeping full guard, as Angelo tries to pass.
Angelo sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Micki Angelo.
Lawrence misses with a series of wild punches.
Angelo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lawrence sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Angelo somewhat.

Angelo feints and as Lawrence raises his hands in defense, Angelo changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lawrence controls Angelo momentarily but Angelo frees himself.
Angelo preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence working a defensive guard here.
Angelo looking to pass the guard.
Angelo stays in close to Lawrence's body and controls the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Angelo wants to control from the top but Lawrence keeps moving.

Liam Lawrence has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Angelo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lawrence fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Angelo slips a jab and a cross from Lawrence.
Angelo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lawrence pinned against the cage. Lawrence gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Micki Angelo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Angelo takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Angelo forces Lawrence back against the cage and clinches.
Lawrence wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Angelo has him pressed against the cage.
Angelo tries to land knees in the clinch but Lawrence avoids the damage to the body.
Angelo jumps guard but Lawrence turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Angelo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lawrence avoids it.
Angelo tries to throw a body punch but Lawrence avoids it by throwing Angelo back against the cage.
Lawrence blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Micki Angelo dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Angelo takes one on the button.

Angelo moves into range and clinches up with Lawrence.
Lawrence lands a hook to the side of the head.
Angelo tries to pull guard but Lawrence holds him up against the cage and eventually Angelo drops back down to his feet.
Angelo slows down the pace here.
Angelo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lawrence is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Angelo looking to slow down the pace here.
Lawrence wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Angelo has him pressed against the cage.
Angelo wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Micki Angelo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence prevents a takedown attempt there.
Angelo can't find room to land a body shot as Lawrence controls the action.

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

Angelo moves into the clinch.
Angelo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Lawrence blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Angelo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lawrence's efforts to push away.

Angelo has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Lawrence is trying to keep an underhook but Angelo manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Lawrence tries to get to full guard but Angelo has control of the leg.
Angelo with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Angelo trying to control the action but Lawrence is working from the bottom.
Angelo is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Micki Angelo just wasn't active enough.
Angelo looks for a takedown but Lawrence sprawls well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Angelo dives in and grabs Lawrence's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lawrence pushes down on Angelo's head and hops out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Lawrence. Those never looked like landing.
No joy there for Lawrence, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lawrence is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Nice body punch from Lawrence.
Lawrence misses with a few strikes there.
Lawrence feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Angelos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Angelo shoots in but Lawrence avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lawrence lands with an uppercut that bounces Angelo off the cage and back into range.
Sloppy strikes from Lawrence. Those never looked like landing.

Angelo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Angelo showed some decent athleticism there.
Angelo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Angelo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Lawrence is refusing to be controlled, as Angelo sits in half guard.
Angelo is taking a breather. Lawrence says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Micki Angelo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Angelo 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:28
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:28
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Micki Angelo!