PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jolly Leg Byrd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chance Spong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chance Spong has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Leg Byrd
vs
Spong

172 cm
21
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

168 cm
21
168 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jolly Leg Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chance Spong!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byrd misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Spong.
Spong ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Byrd moves away.
An attempted straight right counter from Byrd misses the target.
A big right from Spong misses.
Spong throws a half hearted mid kick.
Spong tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Byrd connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Byrd connects with a crisp jab.
Byrd throws a shot to the body.
Spong slips under a jab.
Spong misses with a low kick.
Byrd circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spong scores with a nice head shot.
Spong takes a jab right on the kisser.
Spong throws a right hand that misses
and Byrd counters with a straight right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Spong's jab looks to have found its range, popping Byrd under the eye.
Spong lands with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd fails with an attempt to clinch.
Byrd misses with an uppercut.
Spong tests Byrd's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Spong throws a leg kick but Byrd sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Byrd misses with a body shot.
Spong swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Spong takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Spong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Byrd.
Byrd was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Byrd lands with a right hand.
Byrd looks to score with a jab to the body but Spong is just out of range.
Spong uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Byrd.
Byrd scores with a jab. Spong acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Spong clinches up with Byrd and pushes him back against the cage.
Byrd trying to control the position but instead, Spong has worked for underhooks and has pushed Byrd into the cage.
Byrd keeps control of Spong as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
I was talking to Byrd's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spong drops down looking for an ankle pick but Byrd pulls his leg out and moves away.

Spong shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Spong showed some decent athleticism there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Byrd regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Spong.
Spong stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Byrd swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Spong trying to control but Byrd is working from the bottom.

Byrd looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Spong throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Spong stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Byrd swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd 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.
Byrd is working hard here to advance position.

Spong has gone for a leg lock! Byrd slips out almost immediately though and dives into Spong's guard.

Spong seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Byrd trying to control the position from guard on top but Spong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Byrd throws an elbow that misses. Spong uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Byrd's guard. Nice move by Spong!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrd looking to control.
Byrd controlling Spong's posture.
Byrd wants to sweep but no luck.
Byrd keeping moving, preventing Spong from controlling successfully.
Spong wants to pass the guard but Byrd is keeping the position.
Spong works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Spong lands a nice short elbow.

Spong seems to be working for a kimura but Byrd defends the submission attempt.
Spong slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chance Spong will probably get the nod.
That's time! Byrd's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Spong connects with an inside leg kick.
Byrd throws an off balance right hand

and Spong counters with a takedown into side control.

Spong tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Byrd is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Byrd regains half guard.
Byrd blocking the ground and pound attempt from Spong.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Byrd looking for submissions off his back.
Spong trying to pass the guard but Byrd defending well.
Byrd trying to control but Spong postures up.
Spong has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spong wants to pass to mount but Byrd is defending the position.
Spong is looking to take a break and control but Byrd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Spong might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Byrd haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Byrd trying to control here.
Byrd is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Spong is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Byrd makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Byrd.
Byrd working a defensive guard here.

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.
Byrd pulls Spong in close to prevent any damage.
Spong trying to control but Byrd is working from the bottom.
Byrd has control of Spong's left arm, preventing Spong from doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A shot to the liver by Byrd. Beautiful body shot.
Byrd tries to bum rush Spong with a series of wild strikes but Spong uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Spong feints and as Byrd raises his hands in defense, Spong changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Byrd looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Spong landing some decent shots from guard.
Spong postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spong controlling from the top position.
Spong advances position into side control!
Spong has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Byrd parries the strikes from Spong easily there. Spong is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Byrd to escape.
Byrd taking a bit of punishment here - Spong scoring with strikes.
Byrd is looking for a sweep.
Spong wants to take a breather but Byrd manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Spong.
Spong throwing strikes from guard but Byrd blocks nicely.
Spong stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Byrd swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Chance Spong has got the better of the ground game so far.
Spong keeps trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spong postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Spong stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Byrd swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Byrd is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Spong pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Byrd is keeping the position for now.
Spong working some strikes from top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Spong tries to free his leg and advance position but Byrd is retaining full guard.
Spong won't allow Byrd to sweep him here.
Byrd is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chance Spong 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!

Byrd misses with a lunging right hand
and Spong counters with a thumping low kick.
A big left from Spong misses.
Byrd ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Spong moves away.
Jolly Leg Byrd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spong walks into a jab.
Spong steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Byrd.
Spong pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
An attempted straight right counter from Byrd misses the target.
Byrd scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Byrd finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Jolly Leg Byrd is winning the standup battle so far.
Byrd lands a jab to Spong's midsection.
Spong throws a jab but it's blocked by Byrd.
Byrd was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Byrd cracks Spong with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Byrd loads up on a big right hand but Spong slips the punch.
Byrd throws an overhand right that lands on Spong's shoulder, as Spong tries to avoid the shot.
Spong moves away from the strike by Byrd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd throws a body shot but no joy.
Byrd listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Byrd tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Spong was well out of range. Poor timing from Byrd.
Byrd has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Spong.

Spong clinches with his opponent.
Byrd prevents a body shot from Spong.
A right hand to the body from Byrd.
Spong goes for a takedown attempt but Byrd pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Byrd lunges at Spong with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Spong's hand.
Byrd moves out of range of the leg kick from Spong.
A shot to the body from Spong misses
enabling Byrd to counter with a crisp jab.
Spong takes a jab right on the kisser.
Byrd just misses with a punch to the body.
Spong drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Byrd defends it well.
Jolly Leg Byrd has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrd throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Spong sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Spong feints the counter takedown.
Byrd waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Spong.
Byrd tries to land a front kick but Spong steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A decent looking cross lands there for Spong.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Byrd throws a chopping leg kick but Spong manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Byrd takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Spong swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Spong looks to land a right hand but Byrd moved out of range.
Byrd slips under a jab.

Spong scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Byrd is trying to maintain the position but Spong is very close to passing his half guard.
Nice strikes from Spong there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd is trying to maintain the position but Spong is very close to passing his half guard.
Byrd is pressing down on Spong's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Spong throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Spong is stalling in the full guard.
Spong passes into half guard.
Spong is looking to take a break and control but Byrd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Spong has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Spong lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spong landing strikes from the mount and Byrd is in trouble!
Spong in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Byrd is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Spong wants to control the pace but Byrd is squirming around nicely.
Byrd is in all sorts of trouble here.
Byrd takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Byrd sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Byrd tries to get to full guard but Spong has control of the leg.
Spong working Byrd over with strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Spong trying to mount his opponent but Byrd defends it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chance Spong.
I've got Spong winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chance Spong!
After the fight, Chance Spong was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.