PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Alex Cummings (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy String (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cummings
vs
String

154 cm
24
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Alex Cummings!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Billy String!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

String clinches up against the cage.

Cummings ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Cummings no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
String wants to control from the top but Cummings keeps moving.
String throws a big elbow that misses.
String looking to sit in guard and control but Cummings gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cummings is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cummings stops String from standing up.
String throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cummings distracts String with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cummings lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cummings is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cummings working some strikes from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cummings prevents String from getting back to his feet.

String looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Cummings is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
String doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Cummings lands a couple of digs.
String is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cummings scoring with some ground and pound.
Cummings controlling from the top position.
String wants to stand and escape but Cummings is having none of it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
String controls Cummings momentarily but Cummings frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

String drives through and clinches with Cummings against the cage.

Cummings manages to pull guard.
Cummings is controlling String's posture.
Cummings looking for a sweep. Not yet Cummings, not yet.
Cummings looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Cummings lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Cummings sitting in guard here, content to control.
Cummings might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
String wants to stand up but Cummings is controlling him.
String has momentary wrist control but Cummings slips an elbow through the middle.
Cummings is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Cummings lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cummings stopping the sweep attempt from String.
String throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
String can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cummings controls the pace.

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

String moves into range and clinches up with Cummings.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Cummings breaks from the clinch.

String has managed to clinch.
Cummings stalling against the cage.

Cummings manages to break the clinch.

Cummings looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for String!
Cummings is putting a hurting on String here, landing some big shots from side control.

Cummings is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, String has escaped the position, nice work there.
Cummings looks up at the clock and then as String takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Cummings smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
String tries to bench press Cummings off him but Cummings keeps the position.
Cummings lands a nice forearm strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Cummings dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

String gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Cummings is struggling to control the position.
Cummings is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that String can do to turn this around?
String tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Cummings is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. String can't fight it off and eventually Cummings manages to take the fight to the floor. String looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
String 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.
Cummings postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
String wants to stand and escape but Cummings is having none of it.
String thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Cummings showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cummings connects with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cummings stays in close to String's body and controls the position.

String looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Cummings passes into half guard.
String is trying to stand up here but Cummings is controlling him well.
Cummings working the head and body with strikes.
Cummings working over String with some ground and pound. String looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The fighters are battling for position here. String manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cummings stands up over String, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cummings could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

String working for submissions but it's allowed Cummings to get to half guard.

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.

String makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

String closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Cummings jumps into guard, dragging String to the mat.
Cummings seems keen to control String's posture.
String throws an elbow that misses. Cummings uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in String's guard. Nice move by Cummings!
Cummings stays in close to String's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cummings is in close to String's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Alex Cummings overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cummings controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
String is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Cummings dives into side control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

String drives through and clinches with Cummings against the cage.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Cummings breaks the clinch.

Cummings looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
String tries to kick Cummings off but Cummings keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Cummings looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cummings in particular looking to stall.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

String actively working from the bottom here.
Cummings landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Cummings dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

String moves into the clinch.
Cummings tries to pull guard but String holds him up against the cage and eventually Cummings drops back down to his feet.

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

String closes the distance and pushes Cummings back into the cage.
String is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Cummings pulls guard effortlessly.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cummings holds on and takes a little breather.
Cummings looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
String wants to stand but Cummings is controlling his posture from full guard.
String trying to control the position from guard on top but Cummings is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cummings manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. String manages to get himself to full guard.
Cummings won't allow String to get back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Alex Cummings is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

String has Cummings up against the cage in a clinch.
Cummings effectively controlling the action here.

Cummings's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

String moves into the clinch.

Cummings pulls guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
String wants to pass the guard but Cummings is keeping the position.

Cummings has his feet on String's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

String has closed the distance and engaged Cummings in a clinch.
Cummings has String pushed against the cage.
String can't break the clinch.
String wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
String wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cummings has him pressed against the cage.

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

String forces Cummings back against the cage and clinches.

Cummings manages to break the clinch.

Cummings tries to keep at a distance but String has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cummings breaks from the clinch.
Cummings throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and String counters with a slapping leg kick.

String drives through and clinches with Cummings against the cage.

Cummings manages to break the clinch.
Billy String seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

String has closed the distance and engaged Cummings in a clinch.
Billy String seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Cummings has String pressed against the cage, preventing String from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
String wants to break the clinch but can't.
String wants to stall.
Cummings tries to pull guard but String forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cummings pressing his opponent against the cage.
String wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
String wants to break the clinch but can't.
String misses with a hook to the ribs.

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

String has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cummings drops down looking for an ankle pick but String pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Cummings. That's going to take a lot out of him.

String closes the distance and clinches.

Cummings jumps into guard, dragging String to the mat.
Cummings trying to control the position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
String passes Cummings's left leg - he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Billy String.
I think Cummings 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Cummings!