PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Norris Small (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oliver Queen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Norris Small has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Small
vs
Queen

214 cm
23
162 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

178 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Norris Small!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Oliver Queen!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Chris Downing and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Small tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Queen swivels and escapes.
Queen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Small up against the cage.
Queen tries a knee to the head but Small blocks it.
Small blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Queen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Queen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Small has Queen pressed against the cage, preventing Queen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Queen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Small's efforts to push away.
Small has had enough of the clinch but Queen keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Queen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Small uses from the top position.
Queen is controlling Small's posture.
Queen working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Small accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Small 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.
Small stops Queen from standing up.
Small controlling from the top position.
Small in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Queen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Queen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Small closes the distance and clinches up with Queen, looking for a takedown. Small pushes Queen against the cage but Queen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Queen wants to counter with a clinch but Small pushes him away.

Queen clinches up with Small and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Small wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Queen pulls guard effortlessly.
Small content to stall in guard here.
Small with a flurry of punches that miss.
Small throws a big right hand that misses.
Small will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Small won't allow Queen to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Small throwing strikes but missing.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Queen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Small is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Small looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small'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 referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Queen tries to clinch up.
Queen cracks a nice hook into Small's ribs.
Small shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Queen defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Norris Small. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Queen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Queen forces Small back against the cage and clinches.

Queen decides to pull guard.
Queen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Small is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Small lands a couple of digs.
Small is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Small postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Small wants to stand but Queen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Small prevents Queen from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Queen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Queen gets control of Small's arms and successfully pulls guard. Queen will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Small engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Queen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Small is controlling him.

Small stands and steps away. Queen gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The fight stays on the outside here - Queen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Oliver Queen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Queen is looking to clinch.

Small tries to keep at a distance but Queen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Queen prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Queen breaks the clinch.
Queen tries to clinch up but Small circles away and keeps his distance.
Small is looking for a counter combo.

Queen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Queen is stalling here. Small is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Queen seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Small has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Small stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Norris Small is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Queen moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Small jumps guard.
Small controls Queen momentarily but Queen frees himself.
Queen throws an elbow that misses. Small uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Queen's guard. Nice move by Small!

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Small slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Further stalling from Small.
Small throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Queen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Small.
Small sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Queen is working an open guard so Small takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Queen is looking to clinch.
Queen leaves Small with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Small tries to score a power double leg takedown but Queen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Small somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Norris Small. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Small swings for the body but Queen moves out of range.

Queen closes the distance and pushes Small back into the cage.

Queen gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Queen lands with a punch from half guard.
Small controlling the position well.
Queen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oliver Queen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Queen tries to clinch up.
Small thinks about countering with a head kick.
Small throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Queen's waist but Queen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Small off to one side.
Queen lands a body punch.
Small is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Queen to keep the fight standing.
Queen missing with knees to the body.
Queen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Queen lands a body shot.
Queen tries to land a knee to the head but Small blocks with his arms.

Queen wants the takedown. Small is fighting it off but Queen persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Small's guard against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Queen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Small swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Queen throwing strikes from guard but Small blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Small has his hands on Queen's head, controlling the position.
Queen throwing strikes but missing.
Small is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Queen wants to control from the top but Small keeps moving.
Queen throws an elbow that misses. Small uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Queen's guard. Nice move by Small!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Small is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Queen is trying to keep Small in close.

Small stands up and waves to Queen to follow him.
Queen throws a shot from downtown. Small moves away and avoids it.
Small throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Queen's waist but Queen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Small off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Norris Small. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Queen fails in his attempt to clinch.

Queen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Queen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Small pulls Queen in close to prevent any damage.
Queen looking to pass the guard.
Queen is looking to work some ground and pound but Small has wrist control.
Small is pulling down on Queen's head. It's preventing any offense from Queen, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliver Queen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Queen throwing strikes but missing.
Small wants to get back to his feet but Queen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Queen misses with a two punch combination.

Small gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Norris Small has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Small keeping moving, preventing Queen from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oliver Queen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Queen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Oliver Queen!
Oliver Queen seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.