PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Luke Quaid (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Epp (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.

Quaid
vs
Epp

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Luke Quaid!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Eric Epp!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Epp shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Quaid defends it nicely.
Epp shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Quaid as he jumps to the side.
Quaid tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Quaid misses with a body shot.
Epp avoids a kick to the body.
Epp fails with a takedown attempt.
Luke Quaid has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eric Epp.

Quaid moves into the clinch successfully.

Quaid breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Quaid shoots in for a takedown but Epp shows good takedown defense.
Quaid stuffs the takedown.
Quaid could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Epp shoots for a takedown but Quaid saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Quaid closes the distance and pushes Epp back into the cage.

Quaid pulls Epp into guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Epp trying to control but Quaid is working from the bottom.

Quaid looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Epp passes into half guard.
Quaid wants to improve his position but Epp is controlling well.
Epp lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Quaid looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Epp is taking a breather. Quaid 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.
Epp lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Quaid is trying to stand back up but Epp is controlling him
Epp wants to lay and pray for a moment but Quaid keeps working.
Quaid is trying to get back to full guard.
Epp is looking to advance position but Quaid won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Epp looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Epp scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Quaid wants to control but Epp is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Epp is looking to take a break and control but Quaid is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Epp tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Quaid.
Quaid gets back to full guard.
Quaid is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Quaid wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Epp manages to pass to side control.
Epp landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Epp is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Epp passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Epp stands up.
Epp tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eric Epp will probably get the nod.
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.

Epp is looking to clinch.
Quaid throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Epp's waist but Epp gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Quaid off to one side.
Quaid shoots in but no luck this time.
Quaid shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Epp as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luke Quaid. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Epp is looking to score with low kicks.
Epp misses with a body kick.
Luke Quaid is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Epp.
Epp digs a good hook to Quaid's body.
Epp shoots in but Quaid avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Quaid shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Epp shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Epp shoots in for a double leg but Quaid sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Epp looks to land a combination but Quaid avoids it well.

Quaid gets caught flat footed, as Epp shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Epp drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Quaid manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Epp has Quaid in his guard.
Epp is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Quaid is pushing down on Epp's leg trying to pass to half guard. Epp is fighting to maintain full guard but Quaid has managed to sneak the leg through.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Quaid is trying to control the action in half guard but Epp is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Epp kicks off Quaid and gets to his feet.
Quaid dives in and grabs Epp's left leg, looking for a takedown. Epp pushes down on Quaid's head and hops out.
Quaid takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Epp looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Quaid!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Quaid is trying to improve his position.
Quaid is not content to let Epp control the position.
Quaid manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Epp content to control rather than advance.
Quaid is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Epp jumps into side control!
Epp tries to move to mount but Quaid blocks the move with his legs.
Quaid is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Quaid takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Quaid prevents Epp from moving into mount.
Epp trying to control the position but Quaid is working away.
Quaid can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Epp stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Quaid misses with a combination
and Epp counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Epp showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Epp lands a two punch combo.
Epp throws out a leg kick but Quaid moves out of range and Epp only half commits.
Epp looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Quaid tries to clinch but Epp moves out of range.
Quaid shoots in and drives through. Epp sprawls well.
Horrible takedown by Quaid or perhaps it was just good defense by Epp which made him look bad.

Epp looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Quaid misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Epp is taking a breather. Quaid 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Quaid pushes Epp off looking to stand but Epp dives back in and keeps control.
Quaid wants to get back to full guard.
Epp looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Epp is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Epp wants to lay and pray for a moment but Quaid keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Epp performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Quaid tries to roll over but Epp keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Epp is trying to control. Quaid wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Quaid might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Epp trying to control the pace.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Eric Epp hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Epp tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Quaid swivels and escapes.
Quaid wants to clinch.
Quaid moves out of range as Epp throws a body kick.
Quaid tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Quaid blocks a head kick by Epp.

Epp dives in and scores a takedown into Quaid's guard.
Epp wants to control from the top but Quaid keeps moving.
Quaid is trying to control the position but Epp postures up.
Quaid is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Epp is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Epp wants to control from the top but Quaid keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Epp getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Epp comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Epp winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Josh West scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Epp!