PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Norton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Fisher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Norton
vs
Fisher

180 cm
25
265 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

170 cm
19
245 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Very quick

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Enjoys gardening

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Norton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Fisher!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fisher dives in and grabs Norton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Norton pushes down on Fisher's head and hops out.
Nice sprawl there from Norton as Fisher shoots in.
Nice takedown defense from Norton. No joy for Fisher on that attempt.
Josh Norton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Fisher.
Fisher shoots in looking for a takedown but Norton manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fisher's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Norton leaves Fisher with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Fisher looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Norton is fending him off so far but Fisher persists. Nope, Norton circles away and we're back to standing.
Norton lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Fisher throws a head kick that misses.
Norton lands a jab to the head.
Fisher shoots in but no luck this time.
Fisher shoots in for a takedown but Norton shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Fisher looks winded!
Nice sprawl there from Norton as Fisher shoots in.
Fisher looks to throw a body kick

and Norton counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Norton ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Norton no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Fisher must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fisher throws an elbow that misses. Norton uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Fisher's guard. Nice move by Norton!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fisher working a defensive guard here.
Norton content to stall in guard here.
Norton pushing down on Fisher's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fisher has hold of Norton's hands but Norton slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Still in half guard, Norton seems content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fisher trying to control but Norton postures up.
Fisher wants to improve his position but Norton is controlling well.
Norton works his foot free and advances to mount.
Norton takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fisher is in a horrible position here. Norton smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Norton is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Fisher can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Fisher is trying desperately to improve position.
A nice elbow there by Norton.
Fisher tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Norton lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norton working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Fisher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Norton. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Norton looking for a guillotine from mount but Fisher is having none of it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Norton punishing his opponent with strikes.
Norton connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Norton working for a guillotine from mount but Fisher is in no mood to give up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Norton working for a guillotine from mount but Fisher is in no mood to give up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Norton dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fisher tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fisher tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Norton paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Fisher slips a straight right by Norton.

Norton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Fisher can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Norton controls the pace.
Fisher looking to control but Norton passes into half guard.

Fisher looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Norton uses his free foot to push down on Fisher's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Fisher.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fisher tries to improve his position but instead Norton has taken his back!
Norton is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Josh Norton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Norton looking for the choke from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fisher breaks Norton's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Fisher would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Norton keeping moving, preventing Fisher from controlling successfully.
Norton wants to sweep here but Fisher controlling him for the moment.
Fisher trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Norton shoots in looking for a takedown but Fisher manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Norton's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Fisher tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Norton manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fisher fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Norton avoids it really well and circles away.
Fisher jabs at Norton's body.
Fisher shoots in looking for a takedown but Norton manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fisher's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Norton forces Fisher back against the cage and clinches.
Norton keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Fisher's efforts to push away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norton has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Fisher avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Fisher wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Fisher is trying to pull guard but Norton has him pressed against the cage.
Josh Norton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Fisher.

Norton jumps guard and drags Fisher to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Norton 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.

Fisher got a little sloppy there for a moment and Norton has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Fisher has managed to get both his arms back between Norton's legs - danger averted.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fisher wants to stand but Norton has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Norton dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Fisher wants to clinch.
Norton lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Fisher backs up against the cage.
Norton fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Fisher tries for a takedown but Norton sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fisher throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Norton swats away the attempt to clinch by Fisher.
Fisher throws a sloppy head kick and Norton moves out of range easily.
Fisher closes the distance looking to clinch

and Norton counters by clinching up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norton wants a takedown.
Fisher drops down looking for an ankle pick but Norton pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fisher shoots for a takedown but Norton saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Josh Norton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Fisher.
Fisher tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fisher tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Norton counters with a thumping low kick.
Norton shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fisher as he avoids it easily.
Fisher looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Norton is fending him off so far but Fisher persists. Nope, Norton circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Norton checks a leg kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Fisher.
Norton shoots in for a takedown but Fisher shows good takedown defense.
Fisher throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Fisher will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Fisher tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Norton drives through and clinches with Fisher against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Fisher's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Fisher takes a knee to the side of the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Fisher is pressed up against the cage. Norton has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Fisher down to the mat. Fisher avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fisher shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Norton as he jumps to the side.
Fisher shoots for a double leg takedown but Norton sprawls well. He's pushed Fisher's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Norton looking to score a takedown here. Fisher is defending well but Norton drives through and ends up in Fisher's guard.
Fisher is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Norton is controlling him.
Fisher is trying to control the position but Norton postures up.
Norton is stalling in the full guard.
Norton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fisher swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fisher looking for a sweep. Not yet Fisher, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Fisher leaves Norton with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Fisher.
Fisher fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Norton avoids it really well and circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A slow jab from Norton misses its intended target.

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 Josh Norton.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Norton, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Norton!