PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Micah Newell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wolfgang Bader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Newell
vs
Bader

190 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Micah Newell!
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, Wolfgang Bader!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Newell. No joy for Bader on that attempt.
A punch combination from Newell misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Bader, as that shot connected.
Newell lands a right hook to the body.
Newell misses with a wild body shot.
Newell scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Newell avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bader drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Newell slips a jab and a cross from Bader.
Newell paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Some wild striking there from Newell.
Newell throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Bader.

Bader drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bader stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Newell swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bader wants to control from the top but Newell keeps moving.
Newell bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bader's guard.
Newell is stalling in the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader keeping moving, preventing Newell from controlling successfully.
Bader being controlled here, momentarily.

Bader working for a triangle but Newell defends it easily.
Newell trying to control but Bader is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Newell is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Newell trying to control but Bader is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bader swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Newell counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Newell throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bader tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Newell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Newell misses with the combination.
Newell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bader stuffs the takedown attempt from Newell. Newell gets slowly back to his feet.
Newell jabs Bader right on the nose. Bader blinks but takes it well.
Newell fails with a takedown attempt.
Newell falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bader counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Newell with a poor takedown

and Bader counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Newell!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Micah Newell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Newell is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader raining down shots from the mount!
Newell wants to hold on but Bader pushes him away.
Newell is bucking up trying to escape but Bader cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Newell is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bader in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bader cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bader controlling from the full mount.
Newell is looking to get to half guard.

Bader working for a submission but Newell is keeping him at bay.
Bader looking to control but Newell is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bader looking to control and managing it successfully.

Bader looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Newell is trying to escape the mount.
Newell regains half guard.
Bader wants to take a breather but Newell is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wolfgang Bader dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bader throws the left hand but Newell avoids the punch easily.
Newell jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Bader throws a nice looking combination but Newell bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bader misses with a wild combination.
Bader with a jab.
Newell throws a right and a left that both miss.
Newell displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bader throws out the jab.
Micah Newell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bader dodges the punch combination from Newell.
Newell lands a really nice looking cross but Bader seems unphased.
Newell thows a left - swing and a miss!

Bader changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Newell looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Newell tries to improve position but can't.

Bader looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Newell tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newell struggling a bit here.
Bader wants to lay and pray for a moment but Newell keeps working.
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Bader wants to control but Newell is keeping him busy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Bader throws a right and a left that Newell avoids nicely.
Newell throws a sloppy head kick and Bader moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Newell throws a one two combo.
Newell misses with a combination

and Bader counters with a shoot takedown. Newell fights it but they end up in guard.
Bader wants to control from the top but Newell keeps moving.
Bader postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bader distracts Newell with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bader slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Newell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bader wants to pass the guard but Newell is keeping the position.
Bader chips away with some ground and pound.
Newell is trying to keep Bader in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Newell throws a body punch but Bader moves out of range.
No joy there for Bader, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Newell misses with a combination

and Bader counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Newell wants to control but Bader is keeping busy.
Newell is staying active underneath Bader, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ground and pound from Bader.
Newell gets full guard.
Bader wants to control from the top but Newell keeps moving.
Newell looking to control but Bader passes into half guard.
Bader scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bader throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Bader wants to pass to mount but Newell is defending the position.
Bader moves nicely into side control.
Newell tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bader wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Bader landing a few strikes.
Bader happy to just control the position for now.
Newell keeps Bader under control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wolfgang Bader showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Newell throws a combination that misses
and Bader counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bader looks to land a combination but Newell avoids it well.
Bader tries to bum rush Newell with a series of wild strikes but Newell uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Newell darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Bader has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Newell is working away from the top position though.
Bader is looking to escape.
Newell perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Bader striking from the bottom.
Newell moves into full mount! Bader won't be happy about that!
Newell trying to control but Bader is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Newell tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Bader bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Bader trying to control but Newell is working from the bottom.
Newell looking for a sweep. Not yet Newell, not yet.
Bader must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bader trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Newell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bader slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Newell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bader passes into half guard.
Bader is pressing down on Newell's thigh, looking to free his foot. Newell is holding on for now.
Bader is thwarting Newell's attempts to control the position.
Newell gets full guard.
Newell looking to control.
Wolfgang Bader has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bader throwing strikes from guard but Newell blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Bader stopping the sweep attempt from Newell.
Newell looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Bader puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Newell is looking for a sweep. Bader is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bader is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Newell is trying to maintain the position but Bader is very close to passing his half guard.
Bader looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Newell is looking for a sweep. Bader is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bader takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Newell tries to roll over but Bader keeps him under control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Bader in particular looking to stall.
Bader tries to stand and escape but Newell is controlling the position.
Bader is keen to just control but Newell is a slippery customer.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bader shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Newell but Newell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Newell tries to clinch but Bader is having none of it.
Micah Newell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bader throws a nice looking combination but Newell bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Wolfgang Bader.
I've got Bader 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wolfgang Bader!