PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jon Byers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Butler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jon Byers has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Byers
vs
Butler

193 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

150 cm
19
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Sydney, Jon Byers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Butler!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Steve Erwin and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byers takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Byers fails to land with a series of punches.

Butler shoots in and gets a takedown into Byers's guard.
Butler looking to pass the guard.
Byers will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Butler showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Byers controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Butler shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Butler showed some decent athleticism there.
Byers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byers is trying to stand up here but Butler is controlling him well.
Butler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Byers keeps working.
Butler wants to pass to mount but Byers is defending the position.

Butler is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Butler prevents Byers from improving his position.
Butler trying to control the action but Byers is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byers controlling the position for now.

Byers is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Butler pulls his head out easily.
Byers is looking for a sweep. Butler is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Butler throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Butler missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Butler is looking to take a break and control but Byers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Butler should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Byers actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byers trying to hold on to Butler's head to control him but Butler postures up.
Byers tries to get to full guard but Butler has control of the leg.
Byers is trying to control but Butler manages to pass to mount!
Butler throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Byers because Butler loaded up on that one.
Butler throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Byers because Butler loaded up on that one.
Butler wants to control the pace but Byers is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butler thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Byers really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Butler avoids the attempt from Byers to control.
Butler prevents Byers from getting the reversal.
Byers avoids a series of strikes thrown by Butler.
Byers tries to hold on but Butler postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Butler misses with a head shot.

Butler goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Byers is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Butler dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Butler has closed the distance and engaged Byers in a clinch.
Still in the clinch, Byers scores with a nice short uppercut.

Butler jumps guard and drags Byers to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Butler not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Butler looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Byers passes into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Byers lands a nice short elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byers seems to be looking for submissions.
Butler is looking to improve his position.

Butler kicks Byers off and gets back to his feet.

Byers closes the distance and clinches.

Butler jumps guard and drags Byers to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Byers is in close to Butler's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Butler is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byers makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Byers.
Butler preventing the sweep.
Butler looking to pass the guard.

Byers has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Butler is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Byers.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Byers is not content to let Butler control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butler laying and praying for a moment but Byers takes advantage and regains half guard.

Byers looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Byers tries to get to full guard but Butler has control of the leg.
Byers is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butler throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Butler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Byers keeps working.
Butler is stalling here. Byers is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Butler seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Byers has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Byers is trying to get an arm triangle but Butler is defending well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Butler tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Byers wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mark Butler will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Byers looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Byers is working Butler over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Butler throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Butler not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Byers content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Butler managing to control the position.
Butler looking for a sweep. Not yet Butler, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butler is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Byers is refusing to be controlled, as Butler sits in half guard.
Byers tries to get to full guard but Butler has control of the leg.
Byers is trying to control but can't.

Byers actively working from the bottom here.
Byers regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Butler.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Byers is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Byers is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Butler sitting in guard here, content to control.
Byers keeping full guard, as Butler tries to pass.
Butler trying to control the position from guard on top but Byers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Butler must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Byers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Butler advances to half guard.
Butler wants to stand but Byers has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Byers is refusing to be controlled, as Butler sits in half guard.
Byers trying to hold on to Butler's head to control him but Butler postures up.
Byers makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Byers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butler wants to control from the top but Byers keeps moving.
Butler takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Byers is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Butler is aware though and is defending well.

Butler is posturing up here but Byers has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Butler tries to roll out but it's too tight and Butler has to tap! Slick submission there by Byers!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jon Byers!