PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Markus Aurelio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Link (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aurelio's entrance music is It's a Fight. A fine choice. Hank Link has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Aurelio
vs
Link

179 cm
19
176 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

179 cm
20
165 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Fight 4 America

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Markus Aurelio!
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, Hank Link!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Robert Twigg and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Link ducks under a wild hook from Aurelio.

Link shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Link showed some decent athleticism there.
Link tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Aurelio.
Link is looking to pass Aurelio's guard but actually Aurelio recovers to full guard.
Link seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Link accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Link tries to free his leg and advance position but Aurelio is retaining full guard.
Link is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Link trying to control but Aurelio is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Link controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Link trying to control the position from guard on top but Aurelio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Link postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Link not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Link gets to his feet. Aurelio looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Aurelio missing with a left hand there. Link was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Aurelio takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Link tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Aurelio swivels and escapes.
Aurelio lands an overhand right.
A head kick misses from Link.
Aurelio pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Aurelio wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Link looks for a takedown but Aurelio sprawls well.
Markus Aurelio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Link looks gassed!
Link tries a head kick but it misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Aurelio cracks Link with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A jab from Aurelio misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Link dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nice cross by Aurelio.
Aurelio with a jab.
Link closes the distance and clinches up with Aurelio, looking for a takedown. Link pushes Aurelio against the cage but Aurelio circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Link on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Aurelio lands a really nice looking cross but Link seems unphased.
Link moves in looking to clinch but Aurelio pushes him off.
Aurelio throws out a loose jab but Link uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Link shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Link slips under a jab from Aurelio.
The fighters circling - Aurelio throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aurelio lands an overhand right.
Link shoots in and drives through. Aurelio sprawls well.
Link is breathing heavily.
Link misses with a body shot
and Aurelio counters with a straight right hand.
A jab from Aurelio misses.
Link takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Aurelio slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Link throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Aurelio counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Aurelio misses with a hook. Link ducked under it nicely.
Aurelio connects with a looping right hand.
Link slips a straight right by Aurelio.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Link moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Aurelio fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Link moves forwards but Aurelio connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Aurelio throws a one two combo.
Aurelio lands a lovely overhand right.
Aurelio looks to land a left hand but Link moved out of range nicely.
Link lands a nice looking body kick.
Aurelio waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Link.
Link bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hank Link is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Link walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Link wants to clinch.
Link takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A big left from Aurelio misses.
Link moves out of range as Aurelio strikes.
Link doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Aurelio cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Markus Aurelio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hank Link.
Good exchange - Aurelio coming out on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Link looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Aurelio!
Link looking to land elbow strikes but Aurelio uses the position to regain half guard.
Link is looking to advance position but Aurelio won't allow it.
Aurelio is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markus Aurelio dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Link takes one to the side of the head.
Hank Link seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aurelio keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Link.
Link is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Aurelio listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Link misses with a takedown
and Aurelio counters with a nice body shot.
Aurelio lands with a hook. Link tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Link takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Aurelio cracks Link with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Aurelio sizes up Link with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Aurelio slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aurelio misses with a hook. Link ducked under it nicely.
Aurelio connects with a nice looking jab.
Aurelio scores with a jab to the jaw.
Aurelio bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Link's head backwards.
Aurelio connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Aurelio blocks a head kick by Link.
Aurelio lands with a straight right. Link didn't see that one coming.
Link walks into a stiff left hand from Aurelio.
The crowd cheers as Aurelio lands an impressive looking overhand right. Link doesn't seem phased though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Link staying out of range there.
Aurelio is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Aurelio smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Link has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Aurelio misses with an uppercut.
Aurelio lands a jab-cross combination.
Aurelio keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Link slips a jab from Aurelio.
Aurelio scores with a jab. Link acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Link takes one on the button.
Aurelio misses with a straight left.
Link is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aurelio connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Aurelio throws an overhand right that lands on Link's shoulder, as Link tries to avoid the shot.
Link gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Aurelio thuds a left hand into Link's body.
Link has his takedown stuffed
and Aurelio counters with a left to the body.
Aurelio scores with a decent looking hook.
Link tries to clinch up
and Link takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Aurelio lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Aurelio cracks Link with a good jab.

Link is rocked!
Link slips a jab from Aurelio.
A swing and a miss from Aurelio.
Aurelio lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Aurelio jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Link misses with a takedown
letting Aurelio counter with a right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Markus Aurelio showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Aurelio 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Markus Aurelio!