PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Bates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Messi Suarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bates
vs
Suarez

186 cm
23
218 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Sun-Tzu

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Bates!
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, Messi Suarez!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bates avoids the body shot from Suarez.
Bates appears to be looking for a big counter.

Suarez has Bates up against the cage in a clinch.
Bates wants a takedown.
Suarez lands a shot to the body.
Suarez lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bates backwards.
Suarez struggles to land a body shot inside as Bates controls his hands.
Suarez displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bates up against the cage.
Suarez stalls.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bates tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Bates. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suarez stalling in the clinch.
Suarez stops a takedown attempt from Bates.
Suarez stalling in the clinch.
Suarez content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Suarez stops a takedown attempt from Bates.
Suarez softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Suarez tries to work over Bates's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bates keeps control of Suarez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Suarez taking a breather.
Bates jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Suarez walks away with a smile on his face. Bates gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Bates takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Suarez clinches up with Bates and pushes him back against the cage.
Suarez misses with a body punch.
Suarez pushes Bates back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Suarez stalls.
Suarez trying to land knees to the body.
Suarez stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Bates is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Suarez tries to throw a body punch but Bates avoids it by throwing Suarez back against the cage.
Bates is looking to take this one to the mat.
Bates is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Suarez is defending well for now.
Suarez effectively controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates is working for takedown but Suarez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Bates tries to pull guard but Suarez forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Suarez works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A nice left hand lands by Suarez.
Bates drops down looking for an ankle pick but Suarez pulls his leg out and moves away.

Suarez has Bates up against the cage in a clinch.
Bates has Suarez pressed against the cage, preventing Suarez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Suarez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Bates throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Suarez's waist but Suarez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bates off to one side.
Bates is breathing heavily.
Bates with a poor takedown

and Suarez counters by clinching up.
Suarez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bates is trying to break the clinch but Suarez is controlling him.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Suarez.
Suarez stalling in the clinch.
Suarez leaning against his opponent.
Suarez can't break the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice body punch from Suarez.
A body shot lands from Suarez.
Suarez tries to work over Bates's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Messi Suarez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Suarez lands a right hook to the body.

Bates tries to keep at a distance but Suarez has taken the fight into the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Suarez.
Suarez tries a body shot but Bates blocks it.
Suarez struggles to land a body shot inside as Bates controls his hands.

Bates escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bates uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Suarez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suarez wants to get back to striking at distance but Bates won't allow it.
Suarez stalling against the cage.

Bates jumps guard.
Bates is looking to stand up but Suarez isn't so interested in that idea.
Bates keeping full guard, as Suarez tries to pass.
Suarez wanted to stand there but Bates had control of the position.
Bates keeping full guard, as Suarez tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Bates controls Suarez momentarily but Suarez frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Suarez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bates working a defensive guard here.

Suarez wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Bates's closed guard. He's half up but Bates has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Bates pivots and extends the arm, Suarez falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Bates! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). James Bates!
A pretty intense looking James Bates took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.