PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alberto Caesar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Alberto Caesar has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Alberto Caesar seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Caesar
vs
Michaels

173 cm
24
157 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

178 cm
24
163 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Milwaukee's Best 160 (85% laundry)

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alberto Caesar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Josh Michaels!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Daniel Blasius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Caesar darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Caesar uses his free foot to push down on Michaels's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Michaels.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Michaels can do anything to dispel that myth.
Caesar landing strikes from the mount and Michaels is in trouble!
Michaels tries to lock up and control but Caesar gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Caesar trying to control but Michaels is having none of it.
Caesar scoring with strikes but Michaels is staying in there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Caesar controlling his opponent.
Michaels told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Michaels taking shots to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caesar putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Caesar wants to control the pace but Michaels is squirming around nicely.

Caesar goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Michaels turns into him and now he's in Caesar's guard.
Michaels must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Caesar wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Caesar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Michaels is one step ahead there.
Caesar seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Alberto Caesar.
Michaels swinging wildly here.
Josh Michaels seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Michaels lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Caesar circles away quickly and effectively.
Michaels misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Caesar walks into a straight right hand from Michaels.
Michaels misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Caesar takes the fight into the clinch.
Caesar is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Caesar gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Caesar looking to sit in guard and control but Michaels gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Caesar manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Caesar scoring with strikes but Michaels is staying in there.
Caesar has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Caesar fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Caesar fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
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!
Caesar raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Caesar wants to control the pace but Michaels is squirming around nicely.
Caesar controlling from the full mount.
Caesar raining down hammerfists from mount.

Michaels is rocked!
Caesar lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Michaels hang on?
Michaels is still in real trouble! Can Caesar finish him?
Caesar trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Michaels seems to have recovered his senses.

Michaels defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Caesar.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Caesar wants to control the pace but Michaels is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alberto Caesar dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Michaels throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Caesar.
Michaels throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Josh Michaels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Caesar takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Caesar avoids the body shot from Michaels.
Some wild striking there from Michaels.
Caesar fails with a takedown attempt.
Michaels looks to score with a jab to the body but Caesar is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caesar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michaels.
Michaels lands a nice shot to the body.
Michaels throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Caesar steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Michaels.
Caesar dodges the punch combination from Michaels.
Josh Michaels is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Michaels misses with a series of wild punches.
Some wild striking there from Michaels.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Michaels does no damage.
Michaels lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Caesar circles away quickly and effectively.
Michaels misses the shot to the body.
Caesar changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Michaels tries to avoid it but Caesar manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Michaels to the ground. Michaels escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Michaels connects with a good right hand that stumbles Caesar. Caesar circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Michaels looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Caesar drives through with a takedown into Michaels's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Michaels can't keep his opponent in guard - Caesar advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Michaels wants to get back to his feet.

Caesar is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Michaels wants to get back to his feet.
Michaels controlling the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Caesar seems content to control.
Caesar looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Michaels with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Caesar tries to pass to full mount but Michaels defends it.

Caesar is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Michaels has managed to free his arm - good work.

Caesar is looking for a kimura but Michaels is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Caesar to get the leverage.
Caesar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Michaels does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Caesar lands with a punch from half guard.
Caesar prevents Michaels from standing back up.
Caesar is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Alberto Caesar will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Michaels misses with a double jab.
Michaels misses with a looping left.
Michaels swinging wildly here.
Michaels works the jab nicely.
Michaels fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Michaels misses with a jab, cross combination.
Michaels misses with a straight right.
Caesar fails with the takedown.
Caesar misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Caesar doesn't seem bothered though.
Caesar takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Michaels throws a right and a left that Caesar avoids nicely.
Josh Michaels seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Michaels throws a one two combo.
Michaels swinging wildly here.
Michaels throws a nice looking combination but Caesar bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Caesar shoots in and drives through. Michaels sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Caesar slips a jab and a cross from Michaels.
Michaels throws a right and a left that both miss.
Michaels misses with a jab, cross combination.

Michaels gets caught napping as Caesar dives in and scores a takedown. Michaels manages to retain guard.
Caesar looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Caesar trying to control but Michaels is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Caesar forces his way into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Caesar is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Michaels is just riding it out for now. Caesar eventually gives up the hold.

Caesar is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Michaels sees it coming and defends easily.
Alberto Caesar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alberto Caesar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Caesar prevents Michaels from improving his position.
Caesar seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Caesar is working away from the top position though.
Caesar sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Michaels is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Michaels ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Josh Michaels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Michaels fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Josh Michaels.
I think Caesar has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:28
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28

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