PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Son Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lex Layser (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Holmes
vs
Layser

174 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

172 cm
23
153 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Son Holmes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lex Layser!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holmes bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Layser drives through with a takedown into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Layser is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Holmes keeping moving, preventing Layser from controlling successfully.

Lex Layser has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Holmes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Holmes blocks the strikes from Layser.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Layser slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Layser is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Layser had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Holmes defends it easily.

Layser looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Holmes passes into side control.
Holmes knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Layser on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Layser is not content to let Holmes control the position.
Layser tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holmes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Layser has escaped the position, nice work there.
Layser is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Holmes off and has taken his back!
Layser wants to control the position but Holmes frees himself and scrambles - Layser manages to regain control in side control.
Layser scoring with punches from side control.
Holmes is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Layser trying to control the action but Holmes is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Layser throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Layser moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

Layser swings around for an armbar but Holmes sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Layser's guard.
Layser working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Holmes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Holmes stopping the sweep attempt from Layser.

Layser is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lex Layser dominated that round.
That's time! Holmes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Holmes looking to score a takedown here. Layser is defending well but Holmes drives through and ends up in Layser's guard.
Layser not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Layser isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Holmes stacks Layser on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Holmes!
Holmes tries to stand but Layser is controlling his head.
Layser is trying to control Holmes's posture but Holmes avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Layser is looking to reverse the position.
Layser struggling a bit here.
Layser sneaks back into half guard.

Layser looking for a kimura from the bottom but Holmes passes into side control!
Layser is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Layser keeps working.
Layser is trying to improve his position.
Layser is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Holmes is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Layser can't do much from the bottom here.
Holmes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Layser keeps working.
Layser is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Holmes has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Layser sneaks back into half guard.
Layser wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes stops Layser from getting back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Son Holmes just wasn't active enough.

Layser gets tackled into the cage by Holmes. Holmes maintains the clinch.

Layser has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Holmes regains guard immediately.
Holmes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Layser accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Layser not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Layser's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lex Layser showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Holmes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Layser tries to sprawl but Holmes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Lex Layser has got the better of the ground game so far.
Layser is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Layser wants to control but Holmes is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Layser gets back to full guard.

Layser had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Holmes defends it easily.
Layser looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Layser is looking for a triangle here but Holmes uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Layser misses with a strike from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Layser's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Layser is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Layser is looking to regain half guard here but Holmes keeps moving and retains side control.
Layser can't do much from the bottom here.

Holmes goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Layser has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Holmes but great work by Layser.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Layser tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Layser has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Layser scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Holmes to see if he's OK.
Lex Layser is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Holmes sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Layser controlling the action here.
Holmes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Layser controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Layser moves nicely into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Holmes is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Layser has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Son Holmes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holmes is looking for a sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lex Layser comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Layser 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lex Layser!