PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Junior Brandon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ask Fairchild (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon's entrance music is Life Is Beautiful. A fine choice. Fairchild comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Jesse & Joy - Llorar kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Ask Fairchild will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Brandon
vs
Fairchild

178 cm
36
215 lbs
12 - 15 - 0

219 cm
35
208 lbs
17 - 19 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Pitt Nutrition 160Q!

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 12 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Junior Brandon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ask Fairchild!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brandon shoots for a double leg takedown but Fairchild sprawls well. He's pushed Brandon's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fairchild with the counter takedown but Brandon avoids it easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Brandon is defended easily by Fairchild.
Brandon looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Junior Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairchild slaps away a takedown attempt from Brandon, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Fairchild circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fairchild tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Brandon has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairchild swats away the attempt to clinch by Brandon.
Fairchild is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Fairchild on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Brandon with a lazy takedown attempt
and Fairchild counters with a straight right hand.

Brandon fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Fairchild to the ground. Brandon is now in Fairchild's guard.
Brandon wants to control from the top but Fairchild keeps moving.

Fairchild escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brandon gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Fairchild has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Brandon is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Fairchild.
Brandon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fairchild keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairchild tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The strikes coming from Brandon are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Fairchild is looking for a sweep.

Brandon tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Brandon has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Fairchild is looking for a sweep.
Brandon staying calm.
Fairchild tries to improve position but can't.
Fairchild is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Fairchild manages to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fairchild looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Fairchild is looking to improve his position.
Fairchild is still trying to improve position.
Brandon takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Brandon is keen to just control but Fairchild is a slippery customer.

Brandon is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Fairchild sees it coming and defends easily.
Fairchild is trying to get back to full guard.
Brandon trying to pass the guard but Fairchild defending well.

Fairchild actively working from the bottom here.
Fairchild is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Brandon content to control rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fairchild is looking for a sweep. Brandon is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Fairchild is looking to improve his position.
Brandon with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fairchild regains full guard. Nicely done.
Fairchild told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Fairchild can't keep his opponent in guard - Brandon advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Fairchild looking for submissions off his back.
Fairchild is looking for a sweep. Brandon is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Junior Brandon will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Brandon clinches up with Fairchild and pushes him back against the cage.

Fairchild breaks the clinch.
Brandon moves in looking to clinch but Fairchild pushes him off.
A nice side step and Fairchild releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Junior Brandon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Brandon tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fairchild swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Brandon throws a leg kick

and Fairchild counters with a single leg into guard. Brandon didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fairchild trying to control the position from guard on top but Brandon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Brandon has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Fairchild has passed into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brandon tries to bench press Fairchild off him but Fairchild keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Fairchild trying to mount his opponent but Brandon defends it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Brandon wants to get back to full guard.
Brandon is looking to control Fairchild's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Brandon avoid being mounted?
Brandon moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Brandon keeping full guard, as Fairchild tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Brandon wants to stand but Fairchild is controlling the position.
Fairchild wants to pass the guard but Brandon is keeping the position.
Fairchild scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Brandon is trying to control the position but Fairchild postures up.
Brandon wants to sweep but no luck.
Fairchild throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Brandon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Brandon keeping moving, preventing Fairchild from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Junior Brandon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fairchild stuffs the takedown attempt from Brandon. Brandon gets slowly back to his feet.
Fairchild appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairchild leaves Brandon with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Brandon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Fairchild is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Brandon looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Junior Brandon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Brandon is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Fairchild!
Fairchild is desperately trying to improve his position but Brandon has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fairchild gets back to half guard.
Fairchild is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Brandon is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Brandon controlling the action here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Fairchild looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ask Fairchild will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Brandon's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Brandon scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Brandon is looking to take a break and control but Fairchild is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Brandon is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Fairchild 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.
Fairchild tries to buck Brandon off but Brandon is having none of it.
Brandon is working Fairchild over with some ground and pound from side control.
Brandon content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Fairchild tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairchild is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Fairchild looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Fairchild actively working from the bottom here.
Brandon seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Fairchild wants to improve his position but Brandon is controlling well.
Brandon is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Brandon wants to control but Fairchild is keeping him busy.
Fairchild is looking to improve his position.
Brandon keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Fairchild looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Fairchild is trying to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Brandon in particular looking to stall.
Brandon is nestled in close to Fairchild, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Fairchild is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairchild moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Fairchild looking for a guillotine here but Brandon defends easily.
Fairchild takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Fairchild looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Brandon is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Brandon working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Fairchild's head.
Brandon sitting in guard here, content to control.

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.
Fairchild keeping moving, preventing Brandon from controlling successfully.

Fairchild escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brandon gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Fairchild looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Fairchild is looking for a triangle but Brandon pushes his legs off easily.
Brandon might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Brandon sitting in guard here, content to control.
Brandon seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Fairchild for as long as he can get away with.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Junior Brandon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Brandon 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Junior Brandon!
Junior Brandon thanked the fans post fight for their support.