PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Avery (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Hetfield (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcus Avery has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Avery
vs
Hetfield

198 cm
24
270 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

195 cm
27
285 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marcus Avery!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, James Hetfield!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hetfield stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Avery throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Hetfield's head.

It looks like James Hetfield has been cut.

Avery closes the distance and pushes Hetfield back into the cage.
Avery using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hetfield has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hetfield told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Avery has a couple of punches blocked by Hetfield.
Avery is looking to control Hetfield's arms but Hetfield gets an underhook and turns him. Now Avery has his back to the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hetfield prevents a body shot from Avery.
Hetfield wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Avery throws a punch but it's blocked by Hetfield.
A knee to the head by Avery.
Avery tries to throw a body punch but Hetfield avoids it by throwing Avery back against the cage.
Avery keeps control of Hetfield as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hetfield misses with a short punch on the inside.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Avery struggles to land a body shot inside as Hetfield controls his hands.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hetfield as Avery tries to tie him up.
Knees in the clinch landing for Avery.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hetfield creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Good body shot from Avery.
Hetfield working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Avery scores with a shot to the side of Hetfield's head.
Hetfield misses with a punch on the inside.
Avery tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Avery lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Avery keeps control of Hetfield as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hetfield taking a breather.
The referee calls for Avery to work.
Avery doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hetfield on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Hetfield manages to break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Avery keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hetfield misses with a double jab.
Hetfield shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Avery eats them both and turns towards Hetfield to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Avery ducks under a wild hook from Hetfield.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hetfield throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Avery.
Hetfield bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Avery's head.
Hetfield swinging wildly here.
Avery avoids the body shot from Hetfield.
Avery feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Hetfields jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Hetfield connects with a body shot.
A good leg kick by Avery.
Hetfield lands a jab-cross combination.
Hetfield throws a body punch but Avery moves out of range.
Avery chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Hetfield looks winded!
Hetfield checks the leg kick.
Hetfield checks the leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Avery buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Avery lands an overhand right.
Avery will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Avery misses with an uppercut.
Avery fails with an attempt to clinch.
A big left from Hetfield misses.
Hetfield throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Avery fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Hetfield is out of range.
Avery throws a sloppy head kick and Hetfield moves out of range easily.
Avery throws a looping overhand right but Hetfield ducks down to avoid it.
Hetfield scores with the left hand. Avery knows he should have avoided that one.
Avery misses with a looping left.
Hetfield misses with an uppercut. Avery saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hetfield misses with a double jab.
Hetfield scores with a jab to the jaw.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hetfield misses with a hook. Avery ducked under it nicely.
Hetfield throws a right hand that Avery ducks under and follows up with a left that Avery also avoids with ease.
Avery goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
James Hetfield seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Avery closes the distance and pushes Hetfield back into the cage.
Avery lands an uppercut.
Avery cracks Hetfield with a nice body shot.
Avery blocks an uppercut.
Avery missing with knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hetfield is trying to break the clinch but Avery is controlling him.
Hetfield misses with a punch to the body.
Hetfield is trying to break the clinch but Avery is controlling him.

Hetfield's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hetfield keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Avery dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Hetfield's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hetfield wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Avery slips a straight right by Hetfield.
Hetfield thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hetfield chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Avery can pounce on him.
Hetfield misses with the combination.
Avery needs to keep his hands up - Hetfield had a free shot at his head there.
Hetfield connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Hetfield throws a hook to the side of Avery's head but Avery sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Avery fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hetfield manages to avoid it.

Avery closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Avery in side control lands a decent elbow.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
What's Hetfield going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Avery is working Hetfield over with some ground and pound from side control.
Avery scoring with punches and elbows.
Avery scoring with punches from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hetfield is letting Avery control him for a moment.
Avery scoring with punches from side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Avery wants to control but Hetfield is keeping him busy.
Hetfield is working to avoid the ground and pound but Avery connects with a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hetfield struggling a bit here.
Hetfield avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Avery.
Hetfield tries to improve position but can't.
Avery lands a nice forearm strike.

Avery working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hetfield is looking for a sweep.
Hetfield is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Avery's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Hetfield avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Avery.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Avery throwing shots but Hetfield is blocking nicely.
Hetfield trying to hold on to Avery's head to control him but Avery postures up.
Avery throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hetfield is trying to maintain the position but Avery is very close to passing his half guard.
Hetfield tries to get to full guard but Avery has control of the leg.
Hetfield is looking to control Avery's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hetfield avoid being mounted?

James Hetfield has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Hetfield scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Avery avoids the body shot from Hetfield.
Avery throws out a leg kick but Hetfield moves out of range and Avery only half commits.
Avery ducks under a wild hook from Hetfield.
Avery shoots in for a takedown but Hetfield shows good takedown defense.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hetfield. Avery does a little dance to reset his feet.
James Hetfield is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Hetfield, as that shot connected.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Avery lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Avery throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A looping hook to the body misses from Hetfield. Avery does a little dance to reset his feet.
Avery throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Avery misses the jab.
Hetfield throws a right and a left that Avery avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Avery dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on James Hetfield's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hetfield checks a leg kick.
Hetfield will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hetfield thows a body shot but no joy.
Avery avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hetfield swings for the body but Avery moves out of range.
Hetfield tests Avery's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hetfield throws a looping overhand right but Avery ducks down to avoid it.
Avery lands a leg kick that knocks Hetfield off balance momentarily.
Hetfield misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Avery.
Avery wants to land a leg kick but Hetfield is out of range.
Hetfield looks to land a right hand but Avery moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hetfield misses with an uppercut.
Hetfield misses with a series of wild punches.
Jab, jab by Avery - just one landing.
Hetfield takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Avery moves into the clinch.
Avery is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Hetfield wants to break free but Avery has control.
Hetfield lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hetfield wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Avery has him pressed against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Avery.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hetfield is pressed up against the cage. Avery has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hetfield down to the mat. Hetfield avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hetfield takes one on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Avery misses with a body kick.
Good leg kick by Avery there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Avery cracks the inside of Hetfield's front leg.
Hetfield misses with a body punch
and Avery counters with an inside leg kick.
Hetfield slaps away a takedown attempt from Avery, before circling back to the center of the mat.
James Hetfield has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hetfield defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Avery.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Avery. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hetfield moves into range and connects with a jab.
Hetfield chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Avery can pounce on him.
Avery connects with a single shot there.
Avery lands a jab.
Avery throws a leg kick but Hetfield checks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Hetfield. Those never looked like landing.
Hetfield throws out a loose jab but Avery uses good head movement to avoid it.
Avery staying out of range there.
It looks like Avery has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Avery tries to close the distance and clinch but Hetfield swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Avery gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Hetfield.
Hetfield checks a leg kick.
Hetfield keeps the fight on the outside.
Hetfield throws a big shot that misses.
Avery connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Hetfield momentarily.
Hetfield chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Avery can pounce on him.
Hetfield throws a combination that misses
and Avery counters with a good low kick that Hetfield was not able to check.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Avery connects with a solid leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hetfield takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Avery throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hetfield stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Avery cracks Hetfield with a big right hand and Hetfield goes down!

Hetfield is rocked!
Avery advances position into side control!
Avery connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Hetfield some visible discomfort.
Avery lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Hetfield is still in real trouble! Can Avery finish him?
Hetfield tries to bench press Avery off him but Avery keeps the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Avery goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Hetfield has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Avery but great work by Hetfield.
Avery is looking to regain half guard here but Hetfield keeps moving and retains side control.
Hetfield seems to have recovered his senses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Avery showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Avery has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Avery!
Post fight, Marcus Avery stared into the camera and said 'I am Back baby ,I can't be beat, I won't be beat, had a great camp, thanks to Taco and the boys, Steel and all my fans. I know everyone in the UK was watching me kick some ass. It doesn't stop here, I'm gonna be pound for pound number one, Steel and Assasi know it, I'm hung too!'.