PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jarrod Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cliff Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cliff Lee has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jarrod Holmes's chin.

Holmes
vs
Lee

176 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

183 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jarrod Holmes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cliff Lee!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Vladimir Khabensky and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holmes shoots for a double leg takedown but Lee sprawls well. He's pushed Holmes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice takedown defense from Lee. No joy for Holmes on that attempt.
Lee dives in and grabs Holmes's left leg, looking for a takedown. Holmes pushes down on Lee's head and hops out.
Lee fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Holmes is out of range.
Lee throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lee misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lee takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Holmes gets tackled into the cage by Lee. Lee maintains the clinch.
Lee is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lee breaks from the clinch.
Holmes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lee swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jarrod Holmes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice shot lands for Lee.
Lee misses with a two punch combination.
Lee tries to bum rush Holmes with a series of wild strikes but Holmes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lee has closed the distance and engaged Holmes in a clinch.
Holmes is trying to pull guard but Lee has him pressed against the cage.
Lee wants to break the clinch but can't.
Holmes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lee.

Lee breaks from the clinch.
Lee takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Lee defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Holmes.
Holmes doesn't manage to clinch there - Lee circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Lee as Holmes shoots in.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Holmes shoots in and gets a takedown into Lee's guard.
Lee is adopting a defensive guard.
Holmes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Lee 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.
Holmes content to stall in guard here.
Holmes preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holmes stands up from guard. Let's bang!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Holmes is defended easily by Lee.

Lee closes the distance and pushes Holmes back into the cage.

That's four 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.
Lee wants to break free but Holmes has control.
Lee working hard to break the clinch.

Lee breaks from the clinch.
Holmes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Holmes blocks a head kick by Lee.
Lee throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Holmes.

Lee rushes Holmes and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holmes is trying to pull guard but Lee turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Holmes fails to pull the fight into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cliff Lee dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Holmes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lee is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Lee is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Lee gets back to half guard.
Holmes stops Lee from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lee kicks Holmes off and gets back to his feet.
Holmes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Lee counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lee escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Lee closes the distance and clinches.
Lee is trying to break the clinch but Holmes has him pressed against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Lee fails to land.
Holmes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lee pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Lee content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Lee looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Lee looking for a takedown.
Holmes tries to pull guard but Lee forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jarrod Holmes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lee has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Holmes uses from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee keeping moving, preventing Holmes from controlling successfully.
Lee is pulling down on Holmes's head. It's preventing any offense from Holmes, at least for the moment.
Lee controls Holmes momentarily but Holmes frees himself.
Lee managing to control the position.
Jarrod Holmes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Lee is trying to keep Holmes in close.
Lee is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Holmes is controlling him.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lee shoots in looking for a takedown but Holmes manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lee's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Holmes shoots in looking for a takedown but Lee manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Holmes's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
As Holmes backs off Lee throws a huge counter combo but Holmes manages to avoid it all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Lee shoots in for a double leg but Holmes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lee is breathing heavily.
Holmes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lee as he avoids it easily.
Holmes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lee sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Holmes somewhat.
Holmes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Lee can pounce on him.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Holmes shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lee but Lee pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Holmes takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cliff Lee showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Holmes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lee shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Holmes defends it nicely.
Lee misses with a body shot.
Both fighters circling a little - Lee finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Holmes tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Lee defends well and Holmes ends up having to push Lee into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lee throws a wild body kick that Holmes sees coming a mile off.
Holmes darts in looking for a takedown but Lee gets double underhooks and turns Holmes into the cage.

Lee has closed the distance and engaged Holmes in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee trying to land knees to the body.
Lee throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Holmess head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Lee.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lee pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Lee gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Holmes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Lee trying to keep a closed guard but Holmes is proving a slippery customer.
Holmes wants to stand but Lee is controlling his posture from full guard.
Lee wants to sweep here but Holmes controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lee manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Holmes stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lee.
Lee throws a series of punches but Holmes avoids them all with ease.

Holmes gets caught flat footed, as Lee shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lee takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lee stopping the sweep attempt from Holmes.
Holmes is working hard here to advance position.
Lee trying to control but Holmes is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lee is controlling him.

Holmes is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lee defends well.
Holmes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Holmes keeping moving, preventing Lee from controlling successfully.
Lee throws a big elbow that misses.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cliff Lee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holmes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lee sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Holmes somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jarrod Holmes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Holmes misses with a takedown attempt - Lee sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Lee has managed to clinch.
Holmes has Lee pressed against the cage, preventing Lee from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Lee's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lee has closed the distance and engaged Holmes in a clinch.
Lee is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Holmes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Jarrod Holmes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cliff Lee is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lee is trying to force a seperation but Holmes has the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cliff Lee comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lee 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cliff Lee!