PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Raymond Holt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brad Norvell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Holt comes to the cage accompanied by Brooklyn Nine-Nine Theme Song. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Brad Norvell enters the cage!

Holt
vs
Norvell

175 cm
28
159 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

175 cm
23
170 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Raymond Holt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Brad Norvell!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Glass and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab by Holt.
Holt looks to land a right hand but Norvell moved out of range.
Norvell is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Holt on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Holt misses with a wild combination.
Norvell takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Holt misses with a jab to the body

and Norvell counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Norvell.
Norvell scoring with punches to the head and body.
Norvell stands up over Holt, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Norvell trying to control the position from guard on top but Holt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Norvell postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Norvell postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holt can't keep his opponent in guard - Norvell advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Norvell is controlling the pace.
Holt keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Norvell controlling the action here.
Holt is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Norvell not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Holt tries to roll over but Norvell keeps him under control.
Norvell winds up and cracks Holt with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Norvell missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Holt wants to improve his position but Norvell is controlling well.
Norvell has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Norvell is trying to control the action in half guard but Holt is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Holt keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Holt is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Total Impact, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Norvell seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Holt smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norvell lands a two punch combo.
Norvell cracks Holt with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Norvell misses with a wild body shot.
Holt tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Holt moves away from the strike by Norvell.
Norvell moves into range and connects with a jab.
Holt loads up on a big right hand but Norvell slips the punch.
Norvell changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Raymond Holt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Norvell misses with a left hand
letting Holt counter with a right hand.
Holt looks to land a combination but Norvell avoids it well.
Norvell walks into a left hand.
Norvell misses with a wild body shot.
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!
Norvell avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norvell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Holt moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Holt lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Norvell circles away quickly and effectively.
Norvell misses with an uppercut. Holt saw that one coming.
An attempted straight right counter from Holt misses the target.
A jab from Holt finds it's way through Norvell's defenses.
Holt uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Norvell.
Norvell throws a left and a right that both miss
and Holt counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Norvell thinking.
Holt misses with a combination

and Norvell counters with a single leg into guard. Holt didn't expect that.
Norvell looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Norvell loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Norvell dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Holt throws a nice looking combination but Norvell bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Norvell throws a series of punches but Holt moves out of range.
Norvell takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Norvell ducks right into an uppercut from Holt.
Holt lands a really nice looking cross but Norvell seems unphased.
Holt steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Norvell.
Norvell looks to score with a jab to the body but Holt is just out of range.
Norvell bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Holt's head backwards.
Holt swings for the body but Norvell moves out of range.
Norvell throws a shot from downtown. Holt moves away and avoids it.
Holt bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Norvell's head.
Norvell bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Holt tries to clinch but Norvell moves out of range.
Holt is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
A looping hook to the body misses from Holt. Norvell does a little dance to reset his feet.
And Norvell tries to counter it with a takedown but Holt pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab from Holt.
Holt misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Norvell changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Raymond Holt is winning the standup battle so far.
Norvell misses with a series of wild punches.
Norvell connects with a good right hand that stumbles Holt. Holt circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Norvell uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Holt.
Norvell changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Norvell shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Holt fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Holt looks to land a combination but Norvell avoids it well.
Holt ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Norvell moves away.
Norvell's jab looks to have found its range, popping Holt under the eye.
Norvell slips a jab and a cross from Holt.
A jab from Holt misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A telegraphed right hand from Holt misses the target.
Norvell closes this distance looking for a takedown but Holt circles away.
Holt misses with a body shot.
Norvell misses with an uppercut. Holt saw that one coming.
Holt is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Norvell takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Holt throws a right hand that Norvell ducks under and follows up with a left that Norvell also avoids with ease.
Some wild striking there from Holt.
Norvell keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Holt throws a body punch but Norvell moves out of range.
Norvell is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Donk. Norvell catches Holt right on the button with a cross.
Norvell keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Norvell scores with the left hand. Holt knows he should have avoided that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holt misses with an uppercut.
Norvell moves away from the strike by Holt.
Norvell has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Holt is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Norvell drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Holt defends it well.
Norvell dodges the punch combination from Holt.
Holt scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Holt scores with a body shot.
Norvell lunges at Holt with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Holt's hand.
Norvell moves away from the strike by Holt.
Norvell avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Holt throws a right and a left that Norvell avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holt looks to land a right hand but Norvell moved out of range.
Holt displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Norvell throws out the jab.
Raymond Holt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holt throws a jab but it's blocked by Norvell.
Norvell blocks a jab.
Holt dodges the punch combination from Norvell.
Holt will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Norvell is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Holt gets caught flat footed, as Norvell shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Norvell pushing down on Holt's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Holt has hold of Norvell's hands but Norvell slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Norvell is working for a kimura but Holt is defending it quite comfortably.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Holt dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Holt misses with a straight left.
Danga de danga de dang - Norvell scores with a four punch combination!
A left lands for Holt.
Holt misses with a wild combination.
Nice shot lands for Norvell.
Norvell shoots in and drives through. Holt sprawls well.
Holt throws a lazy right hand but Norvell sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holt tries to clinch up.
A telegraphed right hand from Norvell misses the target.
Norvell throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Norvell takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holt wants to clinch up but Norvell keeps it at a distance.
Good exchange - Holt coming out on top.
Holt tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Norvell throws a nice looking combination but Holt bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Holt does no damage.
Norvell feints the counter takedown.
Holt misses with a looping left.
A swing and a miss from Norvell.

Holt gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Norvell to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Norvell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Norvell prevents Holt from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norvell missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Norvell trying to control the position from guard on top but Holt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Norvell landing with the ground and pound.
Norvell works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Norvell throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Norvell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Norvell wants to free his trapped foot but Holt is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Norvell working over Holt with some ground and pound. Holt looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norvell is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Norvell scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Norvell looks to land a strike but Holt avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Norvell lands a couple of digs.
Norvell showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Norvell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Brad Norvell has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Norvell working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Norvell throws a strike but Holt rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Holt avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Norvell is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brad Norvell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Norvell has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brad Norvell!
Brad Norvell decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
Raymond Holt spoke after the fight, saying 'I'm extremely dissapointed but that's how the fight game goes. You win some and you lose some. Props to Louis you got me good.No after party for me tonight. Thank you London for having me.'.