PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bill Longer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bel Air (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bel Air will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Longer
vs
Air

172 cm
24
166 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bill Longer!
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, Bel Air!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Dmitry Maklakov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Longer avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Air lands a jab to the nose.
Jab, jab by Air - just one landing.
Air throws a hook to the side of Longer's head but Longer sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Air's jab looks to have found its range, popping Longer under the eye.
Longer moves out of range as Air strikes.
Air displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Air misses with a straight left.
Air throws a series of punches but Longer avoids them all with ease.
Air throws a hook but Longer blocks it.
Longer ducks under a wild hook from Air.
Longer slips a jab and a cross from Air.
Air misses with a double jab.
Longer moves out of range as Air strikes.
Air connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Air misses with a looping left.
Air connects with a crisp jab.

Longer closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Air did well to prevent Longer getting side control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Longer works his way into side control.
Longer content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Longer advances nicely into full mount.
Longer looking to control and managing it successfully.
Longer's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bill Longer has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Longer closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Longer content to control rather than advance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bill Longer will probably get the nod.
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.

Longer fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bel Air is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Air misses with a jab, cross combination.
Air connects with a good right hand that stumbles Longer. Longer circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Longer.
Longer controls the position.
Longer tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Longer taking a breather here.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bill Longer just wasn't active enough.
Air throws out a loose jab but Longer uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Air tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Longer was well out of range. Poor timing from Air.
Air lands with an overhand left.

Longer shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Air is trying to defend but Longer finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Longer is looking to advance position but Air won't allow it.
Longer is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bill Longer has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Longer dives in and scores a takedown into Air's guard.
Longer controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Longer stands and throws Air's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The referee asks Longer politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Longer prefers to stall for the moment though.
Longer seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Air for as long as he can get away with.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Longer tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Longer content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Longer dominated that second round.
That's time! Longer's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Nice body punch from Air.
A combination from Air does no damage.
Longer defending well as Air loads up on a big left hand.
Air throws a right and a left that Longer avoids nicely.
Longer bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bel Air seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Air pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Longer uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Air.
Air lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Longer closes this distance looking for a takedown but Air circles away.

Longer shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Air is trying to defend but Longer finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Well, if Longer is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Longer has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Bill Longer has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Air slaps away a takedown attempt from Longer, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Longer is trying hard to land a takedown here. Air sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Longer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Air throws a jab when Longer was well out of range.
A swing and a miss from Air.
Air throws a half hearted mid kick.
Air throws a combination. Longer tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Air leaves Longer with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Longer scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Air is being controlled here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

That's three 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bill Longer just wasn't active enough.
Longer gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Air.

Longer gets a takedown into half guard.
Bill Longer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Air tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Longer manages to move to mount!
Air is trying to stand but he's just given Longer his back.
Longer controlling the position well here. Air rolled but Longer kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bill Longer showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Longer, 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight for Bill Longer!
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight for Bill Longer!
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight for Bill Longer!

Bill Longer wins by unanimous decision!