PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Graham Spencer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bear King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Spencer
vs
King

222 cm
22
215 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

193 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Graham Spencer!
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, Bear King!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Wesley Smith and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Spencer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
King misses with an attempted mid kick.
King chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Spencer can pounce on him.
King misses the jab.
King fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Spencer gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows King to score an easy takedown into full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King wants to pass the guard but Spencer is keeping the position.
Spencer will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
King seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spencer looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but King puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
King content to control rather than advance.
King thows a huge punch but Spencer dodges it nicely.
Spencer has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. King is working away from the top position though.
King missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
King performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Spencer enables King to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Spencer manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spencer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Spencer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

King decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Spencer, up you get!

King scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
King prevents Spencer from improving his position.
Spencer blocking the ground and pound attempt from King.

King seems to be working for a kimura but Spencer defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King is trying to control. Spencer wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
King is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Spencer tries to regain full guard. Instead though, King has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
King manages to capitalize on a mistake by Spencer to take his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
King slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Spencer covering up well and avoiding damage.
King is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Spencer up.
Spencer avoids the strikes from King.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King misses with a punch to the head.
King missing with punches from the back.

King has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bear King dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

King gets a takedown into half guard.
Spencer tries to kick King off in order to stand up. King Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
King trying to control the action but Spencer is working from the bottom.

King is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Spencer is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

King is trying to get an arm triangle but Spencer is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

King stands up and we're back to a striking position.

King closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
King throwing shots but Spencer is blocking nicely.
Spencer keeps control of the position for the meantime.
King slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spencer is trying to get back to full guard.
Spencer wants to stand back up but King manages to pass into side control.
Spencer tries to bench press King off him but King keeps the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
King is staying tight to Spencer's torso, preventing him from escaping.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bear King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spencer shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts King as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

King shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Spencer napping and manages to drive through into side control!
King wants to control but Spencer is keeping him busy.
Spencer is looking to regain half guard here but King keeps moving and retains side control.
King in side control, throwing shots but Spencer defends.
King working the strikes but Spencer uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with King in particular looking to stall.

That's four 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.
King is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Spencer!
King has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
King throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
King trying to control but he's not successful this time.
King controlling the position easily from mount.
Spencer really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Poor strikes thrown by King there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Poor strikes thrown by King there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
King sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bear King showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

King tries to bum rush Spencer with a series of wild strikes but Spencer uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Spencer tries to counter by clinching up but King breaks away and moves out of range.

Spencer gets caught napping as King dives in and scores a takedown. Spencer manages to retain guard.

Spencer is working an open guard so King takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

King clinches.

King has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Spencer uses from the top position.
Spencer wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.

King escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Spencer gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spencer is looking to work some ground and pound but King has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spencer won't allow King to sweep him here.

King looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Bear King has got the better of the ground game so far.
King avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Spencer wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.
Spencer looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
King misses with the combination.
As King tries to get set, Spencer tries to push him back and clinch up but King manages to avoid the attempt.
Graham Spencer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

King instigates a clinch.

That's two 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.
Spencer is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the cage.

King decides to pull guard.
Spencer is looking to work some ground and pound but King has wrist control.
Spencer wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.

Spencer got a little sloppy there for a moment and King has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Spencer has managed to get both his arms back between King's legs - danger averted.
King trying to control the position here.
Spencer preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King keeping moving, preventing Spencer from controlling successfully.

King isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Spencer stacks King on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Spencer!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
King takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
King tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Spencer wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

King moves into the clinch successfully.
Spencer tries to score a body lock takedown but King shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Spencer wants to break the clinch but can't.
King lands a nice knee to the body.

Spencer breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King walks into a left hand.

King shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Spencer napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Spencer bucks up and tries to throw King off but instead King has got his back!
Spencer is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Bear King comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well King 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bear King!