PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bubba Short (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russell Patterson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Patterson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: "Still Unbroken" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Russell Patterson acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Short
vs
Patterson

192 cm
25
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

191 cm
27
225 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Knockout power

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 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bubba Short!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Russell Patterson!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Short shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Patterson looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Short is controlling the pace.
Patterson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Short missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Short looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Short decides to return to a standing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Short fails with the takedown.
Short shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Short lands with an overhand left.

Short gets a clinch.
Patterson avoids the elbow strike from Short, against the cage.
Short wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bubba Short. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Short tries to pull guard but Patterson holds him up against the cage and eventually Short drops back down to his feet.
Patterson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Short gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Short is trying to push Patterson away but Patterson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Short jumps guard but Patterson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Patterson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Patterson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Patterson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Short manages to avoid it.
Short throws a leg kick but Patterson sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Short looks for the body kick but Patterson saw that one coming.
Short shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Patterson sprawls well. Patterson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Short gets slowly back to his feet.
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!
A decent looking cross lands there for Short.
The crowd cheers as Short lands an impressive looking overhand right. Patterson doesn't seem phased though.
Patterson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Short throws a half hearted mid kick.
Patterson circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Short throws a series of punches but Patterson moves out of range.
Patterson shoots in for a takedown but Short shows good takedown defense.
Short swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Short fails with an attempt to clinch.

Short pushes Patterson up against the cage in a clinch.
Short is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Patterson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Short pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Short wants to get back to striking at distance but Patterson won't allow it.
Patterson avoids the elbow strike from Short, against the cage.

Short decides to pull guard.
Patterson looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Short is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Patterson defends well.
Short wants to sweep here but Patterson controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Short is striking but Patterson is not phased and passes to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Short is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bubba Short dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Short fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Patterson, pushing him back against the cage.

Patterson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Short uses from the top position.
Short engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Short wants to get up but he can't break Patterson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Short trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Patterson is breathing heavily.
Short wants to control from the top but Patterson keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Short passes Patterson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Short controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Short decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Patterson blocks a leg kick.
Russell Patterson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Short shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bubba Short is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Short shoots for a double leg takedown but Patterson sprawls well. He's pushed Short's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Short instigates a clinch.

Patterson has clasped his hands together around Short's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Short manages to get back to half guard.

Short is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Patterson pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patterson is keen to just control but Short is a slippery customer.
Short missing with punches from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Short wants to control but Patterson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Short is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Short trying to control from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Short shoots in looking for a takedown. Patterson tries to sprawl out of it but Short keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Patterson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bubba Short. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Short.
Patterson shoots in looking for a takedown but Short manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Patterson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Short throws a series of strikes that have Patterson backpedaling.
Short displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Short shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Patterson defends it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Short stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Short wants it to stay on the feet.

Patterson closes the distance and clinches.
Patterson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Short.
Short tries to circle away but Patterson has him pinned against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Short jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Patterson walks away with a smile on his face. Short gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Short looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Patterson is fending him off so far but Short persists. Nope, Patterson circles away and we're back to standing.

Patterson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bubba Short dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Short moves into the clinch.
Short wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Patterson has him pressed against the cage.
Short changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Patterson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Short fails to land the takedown.
Short shoots in looking for a takedown. Patterson tries to sprawl out of it but Short keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Patterson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bubba Short. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Patterson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Patterson wants it to stay on the feet.
Patterson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Short throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Short gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Patterson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Short gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Short is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Short goes for a takedown in the clinch but Patterson prevents it.
Short jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Patterson walks away with a smile on his face. Short gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Patterson moves into the clinch.
Short tries to stall but Patterson uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Short wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Patterson tries to land knees in the clinch but Short avoids the damage to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Short lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Patterson or not.
Short gets underhooks to prevent Patterson's takedown attempt.
Short has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Patterson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Patterson turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Short can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Patterson tries to stand but Short is controlling his head.
Patterson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Short keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patterson wants to stand but Short is controlling his arm.
Short wants to control but Patterson postures up.
Short gets back to half guard.
Short trying to control here.
Short is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Short shoots in for a double leg but Patterson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Short.
Short fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Short looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bubba Short is winning the standup battle so far.
Patterson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Short swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Russell Patterson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Short keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Short clinches up with Patterson and pushes him back against the cage.
Short wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Bubba Short is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Patterson jumps guard and drags Short to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bubba Short.
Well Short 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bubba Short!
Bubba Short decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.