PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Locke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimbo Bernard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Bernard's choice of entrance music: million voices. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Locke
vs
Bernard

170 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
20
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Unique Wear and Custom Design
BeastMode

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Locke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimbo Bernard!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bernard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Locke tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Bernard is able to avoid easily.
Bernard throws a shot from downtown. Locke moves away and avoids it.
Locke misses with the combination.
Bernard lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Locke backs up against the cage.
Locke tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bernard swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Bernard closes the distance and pushes Locke back into the cage.

Bernard pulls guard.
Bernard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bernard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Locke pushing down on Bernard's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Bernard trying to control from the bottom.
Bernard preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Locke not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bernard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Bernard is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Locke pulls his head out easily.
Bernard is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bernard is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bernard manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bernard is on top in guard.
Bernard postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Locke 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.
Locke keeping full guard, as Bernard tries to pass.
Bernard looks winded!
Locke is trying to control the position from the bottom.

John Locke has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Locke shoots in but Bernard avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Locke dives in and grabs Bernard's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bernard pushes down on Locke's head and hops out.
Locke checks the leg kick.

Bernard is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Locke's half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Locke wants to control but Bernard is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Locke has one foot on Bernard's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Bernard looking to score a takedown here. Locke is defending well but Bernard drives through and ends up in Locke's guard.

Locke working for a triangle but Bernard defends it easily.
Bernard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Locke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Locke looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernard stopping the sweep attempt from Locke.

Locke is looking for a triangle but Bernard pushes his legs off easily.
Bernard throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Locke is on top in guard.
Locke wants to stand and escape but instead Bernard has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bernard is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Locke is looking to stand up but Bernard isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimbo Bernard dominated that round.
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.

Locke closes the distance and clinches up with Bernard, looking for a takedown. Locke pushes Bernard against the cage but Bernard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Bernard shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Locke is trying to defend but Bernard finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Locke wants to improve his position but Bernard is controlling well.
Bernard sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Bernard wants to take a breather but Locke is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bernard prevents Locke from standing back up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Bernard is controlling the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jimbo Bernard wasn't active enough on the ground.

Locke tries to sprawl but Bernard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Locke trying to hold on to Bernard's head to control him but Bernard postures up.
Bernard wants to pass the guard but Locke is defending well.

Locke kicks Bernard off and gets back to his feet.
Horrible takedown by Locke or perhaps it was just good defense by Bernard which made him look bad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bernard drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bernard is breathing heavily.
Bernard trying to control but Locke is working from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Locke is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bernard is aware though and is defending well.
Bernard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Locke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bernard won't allow Locke to get back to his feet.
Bernard trying to control but Locke is working from the bottom.
Locke is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Locke has his foot on Bernard's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bernard works his way back into a safe position though.
Locke not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Locke keeping moving, preventing Bernard from controlling successfully.

Locke is looking for a triangle here but Bernard uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Bernard wants to lay and pray for a moment but Locke keeps working.
Locke is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Locke is being controlled here.
Locke is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Bernard decides to stand back up. Bernard steps back and let's Locke get back to his feet.

Locke drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Locke decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bernard to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bernard staying out of range there.
Bernard circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jimbo Bernard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A combination from Bernard does no damage.
A combination from Locke does no damage.
Locke gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bernard moves into the clinch.
Locke changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bernard fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Bernard shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Locke's guard.
Bernard controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Locke is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bernard gets to his feet - Locke follows without any prompting.

Bernard feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Bernard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bernard wants to control from the top but Locke keeps moving.

Locke wriggles free and stands up.

Bernard instigates a clinch.
Locke is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Bernard is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Locke. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bernard slowing the pace effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bernard jumps guard.
Locke postures up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Locke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bernard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Locke looking to pass the guard.
Locke trying to control the position from guard on top but Bernard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Locke sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Bernard's guard.
Locke throwing shots but Bernard is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernard wants to get back to full guard.
Locke moves into full mount! Bernard won't be happy about that!

Locke is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Bernard is surviving well by controlling Locke's body position as best he can.
Locke thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Locke trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bernard keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Locke working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Locke lands with some strikes.
Locke wants to control the pace but Bernard is squirming around nicely.
Bernard is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Locke looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
John Locke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jimbo Bernard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bernard tries to lock up and control but Locke gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

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 John Locke.
I think Bernard 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimbo Bernard!