PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Water (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elton John (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Water might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Mother F***** of The Year- Motley Crue. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Water
vs
John

190 cm
22
230 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

191 cm
22
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Chris Water!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Elton John!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Water tries to land a front kick but John steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Water circles away from the clinch attempt.
Water is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
John is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Water darts in and clinches John up against the cage.
John lands a nice uppercut.
John lands a hook that snaps the head of Water backwards.
John tries for a takedown. No joy.

Water drags the fight down to the ground.
John prevents Water from getting back to his feet.
John looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
John pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Water is keeping the position for now.
John trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Water manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Water wants to stand but John is controlling his posture from full guard.
John can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Water controls the pace.
Water missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

John is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
John looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
John is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Water is controlling him.

That's two 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
John fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
John circles away from the clinch attempt.
John uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Water has time to react.
Water throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Water tries to keep at a distance but John has taken the fight into the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
John drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Chris Water has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elton John.
Water can't get the takedown.
Water is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
John looking to slow down the pace here.
Water tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. John just stands there and leans against the cage.
John is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Water pulls him back up using the underhooks.
John looks gassed!
John stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
John lands with a short head shot on the inside.

John pulls guard successfully.
Water slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Water decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on John, up you get!
John looks for a takedown but Water sprawls well.
Water wants to clinch.
John closes the distance but Water moves to the side
and Water counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Water shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John misses with the combination.
Water closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Water goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
John tries for a takedown but Water sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Water stuffs the takedown.
Water lands with a nice combination. John backs away looking to recover.
A head kick misses from Water.
Water tries to close the distance and clinch up but John swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Water moves into range and clinches up with John.
John is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Water is keeping busy.
Water wants to break free but John has control.

John pulls guard successfully.
Water stops John from standing up.
Water not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Water dominated that round.
That's time! Water's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Water lands a jab to John's midsection.
Water shoots in for a double leg but John sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
John misses with a double jab

and Water counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Water.

John manages to break the clinch.
John thows a left - swing and a miss!

John pushes Water up against the cage in a clinch.
Water managing to block the knees to the body from John.
Water is working John over against the cage.
Water can't find room to land a body shot as John controls the action.
John tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Water just stands there and leans against the cage.
Water fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
John is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Water has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. John is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Water. That's going to take a lot out of him.
John lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
John throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Water breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Water avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Water keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from John.
No luck for John with that takedown attempt.
Water rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but John moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
John circles away from the clinch attempt.
John darts in trying to clinch
and Water counters with a one-two to the body.
Water shoots in but John avoids the takedown attempt easily.

John gets a clinch.
John lands a nice elbow.
Stalling in the clinch from John.
Knees to the body from John.

John manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John trying to keep a closed guard but Water is proving a slippery customer.

John has his foot on Water's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Water works his way back into a safe position though.
Water is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
John not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Water stands up from guard. Let's bang!
John is looking to clinch but Water is avoiding it.
John tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Water counters with a one-two to the body.
John misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
John has his takedown stuffed

and Water counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for John!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
John is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Water lands a heavy elbow.
Water controlling from mount.
John is squirming around, avoiding Water's attempts to control the action.
BOOM! Water connects with a massive shot to the dome!
John is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Water sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

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.

Water looking to secure an arm triangle but John defends it well.
John wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Water.
Water looking to control but John is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
John wants to control but Water is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Water dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Water shoots in for a takedown but John shows good takedown defense.
Water circles away from the clinch attempt

and Water counters by clinching up.
John drops down looking for an ankle pick but Water pulls his leg out and moves away.
John wants to clinch up but Water keeps it at a distance.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Water here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Water misses with a combination

and John decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Water's guard.

John thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
John trying to control the position from guard on top but Water is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Water manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. John manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John keeping moving, preventing Water from controlling successfully.

Water stands up and waves to John to follow him.

John closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Water to the mat! Water manages to get full guard.
Water looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John preventing the sweep.
Water is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Water pulls John in close to prevent any damage.
Water is trying to keep John in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Water looking for a sweep. Not yet Water, not yet.
Water looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

John pushes Water up against the cage in a clinch.
Water is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A hook to the body from John.
Water is pressed up against the cage. John has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Water down to the mat. Water avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Chris Water seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
John is looking to clinch.
A left and a right from John both land. Nice combination.

John has Water up against the cage in a clinch.

Water pulls guard successfully.

Water is looking for a triangle but John pushes his legs off easily.
Water has a closed guard, preventing John from standing up.
John missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John postures up.
John wants to control from the top but Water keeps moving.
John trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Water looking to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice uppercut lands for John. That snapped Water's head back.

John instigates a clinch.
Water is working for takedown but John is calmly controlling the position for now.
John scores with a shot to the side of Water's head.
A bit of stalling here from John.
Elton John has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chris Water is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
John tries for a takedown but Water manages to get underhooks.
Chris Water has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elton John.
John struggles to land a body shot inside as Water controls his hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elton John comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Water 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Water!