PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lance Fanger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Liddell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liddell has chosen Just Another Victim by Helmet & House of Pain as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fanger
vs
Liddell

189 cm
22
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
23
193 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Knockout power

White Gorilla Nutrition
Convicted

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lance Fanger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kurt Liddell!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liddell looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Fanger fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Liddell shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Liddell showed some decent athleticism there.
Liddell is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Liddell prevents Fanger from getting the reversal.
Liddell lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Fanger is trying desperately to improve position.
Liddell with good strikes from the mount here!
Liddell breaks from Fanger's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Liddell putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Liddell raining down shots from the mount!

Fanger is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell unloading with bombs!
Oh Fanger is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
A nice elbow there by Liddell.
Liddell working Fanger over with strikes here.
Fanger sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Liddell looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Liddell winds up and cracks Fanger with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Fanger throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Fanger trying to hold on to Liddell's head to control him but Liddell postures up.
Liddell trying to control from half guard but Fanger is working away.
Fanger seems to have got his legs back now.
Fanger is trying to get back to full guard.
Fanger wants to control but Liddell is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fanger is not content to let Liddell control the position.
Liddell looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Fanger is looking to improve his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Fanger wants to clinch.
Liddell swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fanger scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Liddell manages to work his way to half guard, despite Fanger's best efforts.
Liddell wants to improve his position but Fanger is controlling well.
Liddell is trying to stand up here but Fanger is controlling him well.
Fanger not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Fanger is looking to take a break and control but Liddell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Liddell tries to roll over but Fanger keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Liddell won't allow Fanger to pass to mount.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Fanger with a lazy takedown attempt

so Liddell counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liddell tries to free his leg and advance position but Fanger is retaining full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Liddell's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fanger tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Liddell stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fanger swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Fanger looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Liddell throwing strikes but missing.
Fanger throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Fanger has a closed guard, preventing Liddell from standing up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Fanger with a poor takedown

and Liddell counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lance Fanger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Liddell looks gassed!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Liddell thows a big elbow that misses.
Fanger not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Liddell 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.

Fanger misses with a body shot.
Liddell fails with the takedown

and Fanger counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Fanger wants to control from the top but Liddell keeps moving.
Liddell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fanger trying to control the position from guard on top but Liddell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liddell wants to sweep but no luck.
Liddell controlling Fanger's posture.
Liddell wants to sweep but no luck.
Liddell is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Fanger misses with a takedown

so Liddell counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fanger looking to control.

Fanger looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Liddell makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Liddell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Liddell content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Liddell would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Fanger trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fanger bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Liddell's guard.
Liddell keeping moving, preventing Fanger from controlling successfully.
Fanger pushing down on Liddell's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fanger trying to control from half guard but Liddell is working away.
Liddell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Fanger.
Fanger takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Fanger prevents Liddell from improving his position.
Fanger is looking to take a break and control but Liddell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Fanger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell wants to improve his position but Fanger is controlling well.
Liddell is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Fanger looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Kurt Liddell has got the better of the ground game so far.
Liddell 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.
Fanger is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Liddell wants to sweep here but Fanger controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fanger drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Fanger jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fanger wants to control from the top but Liddell keeps moving.
Liddell is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Fanger trying to control but Liddell postures up.
Liddell looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fanger with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Fanger tries to roll over but Liddell keeps him under control.
Fanger has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Liddell is working away from the top position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lance Fanger will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Fanger with a poor takedown

and Liddell counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Liddell.
Liddell working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Fanger's head.
Liddell working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Liddell sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Fanger's guard.
Fanger is pressing down on Liddell's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Fanger 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.
Liddell trying to stand up but can't free himself from Fanger's guard.
Liddell postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Fanger throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Liddell takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Liddell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Fanger looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Liddell pushing down on Fanger's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fanger tries to roll over but Liddell keeps him under control.
Liddell winds up and cracks Fanger with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Liddell working the head and body with strikes.
Liddell seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Fanger is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Liddell pulls his head out easily.
Liddell works his way into side control.
Fanger is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Liddell off and has taken his back!
Liddell turns into Fanger and is now in his guard.
Liddell stopping the sweep attempt from Fanger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liddell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Fanger is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Liddell scoring with punches to the head and body.
Liddell advances position into side control!
Fanger sneaks back into half guard.
Fanger avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Liddell.
Fanger is pressing down on Liddell's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fanger not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Liddell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Liddell wants to stand and escape but instead Fanger has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Fanger trying to control the position from guard on top but Liddell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liddell manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Liddell punishing his opponent with strikes.
Fanger is wriggling around trying to escape.

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.
Fanger regains half guard.
Liddell is thwarting Fanger's attempts to control the position.
Fanger is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Liddell's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Liddell's back!
Fanger is trying to stick to Liddell's back but Liddell is turning into Fanger. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Fanger's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Liddell.

Liddell postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Fanger is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Liddell, into his guard.
Fanger trying to control but Liddell is working from the bottom.
Fanger with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurt Liddell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Liddell has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurt Liddell!