PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between James Alan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Lucio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lucio has chosen Nas ft Damian Marley - Strong will continue as his entrance music. Xavier Lucio struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 157.6lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Alan
vs
Lucio

165 cm
19
155 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

160 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Alan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Xavier Lucio!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Daniel Blasius and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alan misses with a head kick.
Alan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Alan stuffs the takedown.
Lucio stuffs the takedown.
Alan wants to clinch.
Alan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A punch combination from Alan misses.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Lucio has eaten all the pies!
Lucio looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lucio is looking to clinch but Alan is avoiding it.

Lucio gets a clinch.
Lucio prevents Alan from breaking the clinch.
Lucio tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Alan just stands there and leans against the cage.
James Alan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xavier Lucio.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucio blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Lucio misses with some punches.
Lucio drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Alan gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Lucio is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Alan can't fight it off and eventually Lucio manages to take the fight to the floor. Alan looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lucio looks winded!
Lucio throws a big right hand that misses.
Alan keeping moving, preventing Lucio from controlling successfully.
Lucio postures up.
Alan seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alan wants to sweep here but Lucio controlling him for the moment.
Alan has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

We're going to have a standup here because James Alan wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Lucio moves out of range of the body kick from Alan.
Lucio has a takedown stuffed.
Alan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Alan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lucio manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Alan wants to land a leg kick but Lucio is out of range.
Alan keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucio is trying hard to land a takedown here. Alan sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Lucio tries to sprawl but Alan drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Lucio told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Alan tries to pass to full mount but Lucio defends it.
Alan is taking a breather. Lucio 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.
Alan is keen to just control but Lucio is a slippery customer.
Alan is stalling here. Lucio is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Alan seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Lucio has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Lucio working away.
Alan manages to work his way to half guard, despite Lucio's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alan missing with punches from the bottom.
Alan is staying active underneath Lucio, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Alan trying to hold on to Lucio's head to control him but Lucio postures up.
Alan is positioning himself well to prevent Lucio advancing to mount.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Alan gets full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Alan wants to get back to his feet but Lucio is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alan pulls Lucio in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lucio tries to clinch but Alan moves out of range.
Lucio throws a sloppy head kick and Alan moves out of range easily.
Alan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Alan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lucio pinned against the cage. Lucio gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lucio stuffs the takedown.
Alan tries for a takedown but Lucio circles away easily
and Lucio counters with a nice kick to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Alan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alan tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucio shoots in looking for a takedown but Alan manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lucio's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lucio is breathing heavily.

Alan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lucio, pushing him back against the cage.
Alan has Lucio pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lucio manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lucio has had enough of the clinch but Alan keeps him there for the moment.
Lucio jumps guard but Alan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Alan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alan moves in looking to clinch but Lucio pushes him off.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lucio.
Horrible takedown by Alan or perhaps it was just good defense by Lucio which made him look bad.
Lucio stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lucio wants it to stay on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alan shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lucio as he jumps to the side.
James Alan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alan tries to clinch up but Lucio circles away and keeps his distance.
Alan tries to clinch up.
Lucio shoots for a takedown but Alan saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Alan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lucio but Lucio pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Alan throws a hook to the side of Lucio's head but Lucio sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Alan is defended easily by Lucio.
Alan pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucio throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Alan is looking to clinch.
Lucio tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Alan counters with a takedown into side control.
Alan trying to control the position but Lucio is working away.
Lucio tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Alan easily slips into full mount!
Alan trying to control but Lucio is having none of it.

Alan looking to secure an arm triangle but Lucio defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alan controlling from the full mount.
Alan is looking to stand but Alan has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alan wants to control the pace but Lucio is squirming around nicely.
Lucio blocking the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alan thowing shots but they're missing.
Alan throws some wild stikes that Lucio manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Alan dominated that second 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Alan misses with a body kick.

Alan shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Lucio is trying to defend but Alan finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Lucio wants to get back to full guard.
Lucio is staying active underneath Alan, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Lucio is trying to get back to full guard.
Lucio keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
James Alan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lucio is trying to stand up here but Alan is controlling him well.
Lucio takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Alan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lucio keeps working.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Lucio is looking for a sweep. Alan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alan wants to control but Lucio is keeping him busy.
Alan missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lucio is looking to control Alan's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lucio avoid being mounted?

The ref stands the fighters back up because James Alan just wasn't active enough.
Alan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lucio sprawls well. Lucio wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Alan gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice defenses there by Lucio.
Alan fails with the takedown

and Lucio counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alan controlling Lucio's posture.

Alan working for a triangle but Lucio defends it easily.
Lucio won't allow Alan to sweep him here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lucio looking to sit in guard and control but Alan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Alan scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alan is pushing down on Lucio's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lucio is fighting to maintain full guard but Alan has managed to sneak the leg through.
Alan trying to control from half guard but Lucio is working away.
Alan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Alan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lucio does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lucio is trying to stand back up but Alan is controlling him
Alan trying to control from half guard but Lucio is working away.
Alan wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucio is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Alan is looking to advance position but Lucio won't allow it.
Alan sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of James Alan.
Alan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Xavier Lucio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Alan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
James Alan is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Alan drives through with a takedown into Lucio's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Alan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alan, 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Alan!
Xavier Lucio was interviewed post fight and said 'meh....'.