PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Illias Illiadis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rufus McTearson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Illiadis
vs
McTearson

178 cm
30
177 lbs
18 - 7 - 1

193 cm
31
188 lbs
24 - 10 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition
Perkele!

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Illias Illiadis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 10 - 2, fighting out of New York, Rufus McTearson!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Chris Edwards and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McTearson scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
McTearson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
McTearson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Illiadis manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Illiadis throws a hook but McTearson avoids it easily.
McTearson follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
McTearson avoids the body shot from Illiadis.
Illiadis uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before McTearson has time to react.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Illiadis - that will leave a mark!
Illiadis throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

McTearson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Illiadis blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Illiadis tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Illiadis stalling against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Illiadis.
McTearson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
McTearson scores a nice knee to the body.
Illiadis misses with a short punch on the inside.

Illiadis ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Illiadis no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Illiadis controls McTearson momentarily but McTearson frees himself.
Illiadis is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Illiadis avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
McTearson content to stall in guard here.
Illiadis is trying to keep McTearson in close.
McTearson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Illiadis trying to control the position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Illiadis is pulling down on McTearson's head. It's preventing any offense from McTearson, at least for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
McTearson misses with a hook. Illiadis ducked under it nicely.
Nice sprawl there from McTearson as Illiadis shoots in.
McTearson tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Illiadis is able to avoid easily.
McTearson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Illiadis moves into the clinch.
Illiadis manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for McTearson.
McTearson throws an elbow but it's blocked.
McTearson lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A short right from Illiadis on the inside.
McTearson has a couple of punches blocked by Illiadis.
McTearson misses with a short punch on the inside.
McTearson misses with a knee strike.
Illiadis lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of McTearson backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McTearson digs a right hand underneath Illiadis's ribcage. Illiadis let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by McTearson as Illiadis tries to tie him up.
A head punch on the inside from Illiadis fails to land.
Illiadis looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
McTearson misses with a punch on the inside.
McTearson works on Illiadis's body with a couple of short punches.
Illiadis lands a body shot in the clinch.
McTearson has a couple of punches blocked by Illiadis.
McTearson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
I was talking to Illiadis's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A bit of stalling here from Illiadis.
McTearson throws an elbow that misses.
Illiadis tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
McTearson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Illiadis is defending well for now.
McTearson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Illiadis misses with the head strike.
McTearson pushes off an throws an elbow but Illiadis leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McTearson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Illiadis has a couple of punches blocked by McTearson.
Illiadis misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from McTearson.
Illiadis lands with a left to the head.
McTearson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
McTearson lands a left hand that snaps the head of Illiadis backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Illiadis blocks a body shot from McTearson.
McTearson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Illiadis looking to stall.
McTearson has a couple of punches blocked by Illiadis.

Illiadis wants the takedown. McTearson is fighting it off but Illiadis persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in McTearson's guard against the cage.
Illiadis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Illiadis postures up.
Illiadis wants to control from the top but McTearson keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Illiadis misses with an uppercut. McTearson saw that one coming.
McTearson looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
McTearson throws a low kick, looking for Illiadis's leg but Illiadis calmly moves out of range.
Illiadis seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Illiadis comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Illiadis cracks McTearson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A swing and a miss from Illiadis.
Illiadis misses with an attempted mid kick.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from McTearson! But no joy.
Illiadis throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McTearson throws a nice head kick!
Illiadis lands with an overhand left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Illiadis misses with a kick to the body.
Illiadis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
McTearson throws a looping overhand right but Illiadis ducks down to avoid it.
A jab from Illiadis misses.
McTearson avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McTearson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Illiadis looks to land a body kick but McTearson moved away.
McTearson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Illiadis connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
McTearson lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
McTearson takes a swing at Illiadis's ribcage but misses.
Illiadis changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
McTearson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Illiadis moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Illiadis tries to close the distance and clinch but McTearson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Illiadis catches McTearson with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
McTearson stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Illiadis shoots in and bounces McTearson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Illiadis looking to sit in guard and control but McTearson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McTearson looking to sit in guard and control but Illiadis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

McTearson pulls Illiadis in close to his closed guard and prevents Illiadis from doing any damage or advancing position.
Illiadis wants to control from the top but McTearson keeps moving.
Illiadis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Illiadis trying to control but McTearson is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Illiadis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. McTearson is keeping the position for now.
McTearson looking to control.
McTearson keeping moving, preventing Illiadis from controlling successfully.
McTearson trying to control the position.
Illiadis might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
McTearson controlling Illiadis's posture.
Illiadis wants to control from the top but McTearson keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
McTearson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Illiadis trying to control but McTearson is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
McTearson controls Illiadis momentarily but Illiadis frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McTearson throws a nice head kick!

Illiadis has taken the fight to the clinch.
Illiadis lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of McTearson backwards.
McTearson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Illiadis.
Illiadis taking a breather.
Illiadis tries to work over McTearson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Illiadis misses with a punch on the inside.
Illiadis tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McTearson's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Illias Illiadis dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Illiadis uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from McTearson.
Jab by McTearson.
McTearson throws out a leg kick but Illiadis moves out of range and McTearson only half commits.
Illiadis throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Illiadis is defended easily by McTearson.
McTearson looks to score with a jab to the body but Illiadis is just out of range.
Illias Illiadis is winning the standup battle so far.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by McTearson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from McTearson.
A solid leg kick lands there for McTearson.
Illiadis throws the left hand but McTearson avoids the punch easily.
McTearson scores with a nice right hand.
Rufus McTearson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Illiadis swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling McTearson to counter with a crisp jab.

Illiadis is rocked!
Illiadis uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McTearson.
Illiadis tries to counter by moving into the clinch but McTearson manages to circle out of the way.
Oh Illiadis is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Illiadis gets the takedown into side control.
Illiadis tries to advance position but instead McTearson slips a leg back in to half guard.

Illiadis is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Illiadis seems to have got his legs back now.
McTearson is controlling Illiadis's trapped leg to prevent Illiadis from advancing to side control.
Illiadis seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but McTearson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Illiadis tries to pass to full mount but McTearson defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McTearson is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Illiadis is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Illiadis wants to free his trapped foot but McTearson is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Illiadis wants to control but McTearson is keeping him busy.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Illiadis in particular looking to stall.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
McTearson tries to clinch but Illiadis moves out of range.
Illiadis cracks McTearson with a right hand to the side of the head.

Illiadis is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in McTearson's half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Illiadis in particular looking to stall.
McTearson is trying to get back to full guard.
Illiadis trying to control from half guard but McTearson is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Illiadis with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Illiadis wants to pass the guard but McTearson is defending well.
McTearson wants to get back to full guard.
Illiadis wants to lay and pray for a moment but McTearson keeps working.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Illiadis is really struggling to control McTearson but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
McTearson misses with an uppercut.

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 Illias Illiadis.
I think Illiadis 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Illias Illiadis!
A victorious Illias Illiadis thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.