PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jesus Trace (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Fittings (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Fittings told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Trace
vs
Fittings

176 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

160 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jesus Trace!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Fittings!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Emerson Jorge and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Trace's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Trace lands a hook to the side of the head.
Trace keeps control of Fittings as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Trace lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Fittings tries to break the clinch but Trace is controlling the position.
Trace gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Fittings.
Fittings just leaning against Trace, taking a breather.
Fittings blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Fittings prevents Trace from breaking the clinch.
Fittings takes a shot to the head.
A short left from Fittings.
Fittings jumps guard but Trace stands there with Fittings around his waist. Fittings gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Fittings creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Fittings misses with a hook to the ribs.

Trace escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Trace is looking to clinch but Fittings is avoiding it.

Trace gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fittings parries the strikes from Trace easily there. Trace is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Fittings to escape.

Trace tries for a kimura but Fittings is defending well.
Fittings tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Trace wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Fittings is not content to let Trace control the position.
Fittings struggling a bit here.
Fittings tries to bench press Trace off him but Trace keeps the position.
Fittings wants to control but Trace postures up.
Trace has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Trace is looking to take a break and control but Fittings is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Fittings closes the distance but Trace moves to the side

and Trace counters with a takedown into side control.
Fittings looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Trace wants to control but Fittings is keeping him busy.
Fittings is looking for a sweep.

Trace tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Trace tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Trace has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Fittings is trying to control Trace's posture but Trace avoids it.
Trace lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fittings is not content to let Trace control the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Trace cracks Fittings with a big right hand but Fittings just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Trace tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Trace tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Trace has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Trace thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Trace scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Fittings to see if he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Trace tries for a kimura but Fittings is defending well.
The strikes coming from Trace are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Trace working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Fittings takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Trace scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Fittings to see if he's OK.
Trace is looking to take a break and control but Fittings is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fittings gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesus Trace dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A nice leg kick lands there from Trace.
Fittings circles away from the clinch attempt.

Trace gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Trace pulls Fittings into guard.
Trace will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Trace is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Trace is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fittings prevents Trace from getting back to his feet.
Fittings is breathing heavily.
Fittings tries to stand but Trace is controlling from the bottom.

Trace looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Trace is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Trace keeping moving, preventing Fittings from controlling successfully.

Trace is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Fittings frees his head nicely. Oh but Trace has switched to an armbar! Fittings is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Jesus Trace!