PBP Commentary

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

Askren
vs
Brooks

186 cm
21
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
182 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Hates pizza

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yoel Askren!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eric Brooks!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Jonathan Paton and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brooks throws a series of punches but Askren moves out of range.
Askren swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Brooks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Brooks throws a nice looking combination but Askren bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Brooks misses with a head kick.
Askren throws out a loose jab but Brooks uses good head movement to avoid it.
Askren throws a hook but Brooks blocks it.
Brooks misses with a wild combination.
A telegraphed right hand from Askren misses the target.
Brooks is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Brooks throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Brooks defending well as Askren loads up on a big left hand.
Brooks throws a body shot but no joy.
Askren misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Askren misses the jab.
Askren throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Brooks's waist but Brooks gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Askren off to one side.
Askren fails to land the takedown.
Askren avoids a punch combination nicely.
Askren thows a left - swing and a miss!
It seemed like Brooks was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brooks lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Brooks tries a head kick but it misses.
Brooks moves into range and connects with a jab.
Eric Brooks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Donk. Brooks catches Askren right on the button with a cross.
Askren avoids the body shot from Brooks.
Askren shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Brooks pinned against the cage. Brooks gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoel Askren. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brooks throws a head kick that misses.

Askren gets a clinch.

Askren's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Brooks has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Askren is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Brooks throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Brooks slips a straight right by Askren.
Brooks now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Brooks throws a sloppy head kick and Askren moves out of range easily.
It looked like Askren was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Askren has managed to clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Brooks stalling the fight.
Askren prevents a body shot from Brooks.
Brooks doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brooks is looking to control Askren's arms but Askren gets an underhook and turns him. Now Brooks has his back to the cage.
Brooks trying to control the position but instead, Askren has worked for underhooks and has pushed Brooks into the cage.
Brooks is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Askren has denied him.
Brooks is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Askren is keeping busy.
Askren leaning his opponent against the cage.
Brooks goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Askren is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Brooks struggles to land a body shot inside as Askren controls his hands.
Brooks trying to control the position but instead, Askren has worked for underhooks and has pushed Brooks into the cage.
Brooks misses with a punch to the body.
Brooks pushes off an throws an elbow but Askren leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Askren.
Askren lands with a short shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren is pushing Brooks up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Askren holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Brooks is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Askren has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Brooks avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Askren is pushing Brooks up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Askren effectively controlling the action here.
Brooks struggles to land a body shot inside as Askren controls his hands.
Askren lands a nice uppercut.
Brooks pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Brooks misses with the head strike.
Brooks fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Brooks struggles to land a body shot inside as Askren controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren has Brooks pressed against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Brooks lands an elbow inside that Askren shrugs off.
Brooks doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Askren tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Brooks smiles and moves away.
Brooks throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Askren avoids the body shot from Brooks.
Brooks misses with a few strikes there.
Askren is looking for a counter combo.
Askren on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Brooks tries to clinch but Askren moves out of range.
Brooks walks into a straight right hand from Askren.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Brooks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Brooks fails with an attempt to clinch.
Brooks throws a body punch but Askren moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Brooks dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Askren tries for a takedown but Brooks sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Brooks misses the shot to the body.
Askren scores with a three punch combo!
No joy there for Brooks, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Brooks throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Brooks misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Brooks lands a slapping body shot.
Brooks tries a head kick but it misses.
A jab from Askren misses.
Askren throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Brooks slips a jab and a cross from Askren.
Brooks throws a half hearted mid kick.
Brooks has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Askren clinches.
Brooks will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Askren up against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Brooks throws an elbow but misses.
Brooks misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Brooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Askren stalling in the clinch.
Askren gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Askren leaning against his opponent.
Askren lands with a light punch inside.
Askren is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Brooks tries to throw a body punch but Askren avoids it by throwing Brooks back against the cage.

Askren ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Askren no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Brooks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Askren swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Brooks must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Askren manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Brooks manages to get himself to full guard.

Askren working some strikes from top position.
Brooks keeping moving, preventing Askren from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brooks wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Askren is now in half guard.
Brooks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Askren is thwarting Brooks's attempts to control the position.
Brooks is not content to let Askren control the position.
Askren uses his free foot to push down on Brooks's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Brooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Askren lands a nice shot to the head.
Askren sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Askren fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Brooks keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Askren landing punches.
Brooks tries to hold on but Askren pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Askren has control of Brooks's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Brooks regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Askren 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.
Askren lands a couple of good shots and Brooks has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Askren is looking to control Brooks but Brooks is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Askren has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Brooks is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Askren gets his way!

Askren working for a choke but Brooks reverses nicely into Askren 's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoel Askren dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Brooks lands a jab to the nose.
Askren slips a jab from Brooks.
Brooks will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Brooks punishes Askren's body with a nice straight punch.

Askren gets the takedown into side control.
Askren works to advance to full mount. Brooks defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Askren avoids the attempt from Brooks to control.
Brooks bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Askren looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brooks got a little sloppy there for a moment and Askren has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Brooks has managed to get both his arms back between Askren's legs - danger averted.
Askren is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Brooks is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Brooks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Askren swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
Brooks not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Askren looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Askren is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Brooks frees his head nicely. Oh but Askren has switched to an armbar! Brooks is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Yoel Askren!
An out of breath Yoel Askren thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.