PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Clifford Butler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edine Lion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Butler
vs
Lion

161 cm
18
278 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

190 cm
20
230 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Clifford Butler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Edine Lion!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lion gets a double leg takedown into Butler's guard.

Butler scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Lion pushes Butler up against the cage in a clinch.

Butler breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Lion tries to sprawl but Butler drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lion trying to hold on to Butler's head to control him but Butler postures up.

Butler is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Lion has managed to free his arm - good work.
Lion throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Butler manages to pass to side control.
Lion manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lion tries to roll over but Butler keeps him under control.
Lion is controlling Butler's trapped leg to prevent Butler from advancing to side control.
Lion's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

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.
Lion trying to hold on to Butler's head to control him but Butler postures up.
Lion taking some punishment here, with Butler in his half guard.
Lion is concentrating on defense, preventing Butler from advancing position.
Lion regains full guard. Nicely done.
Butler postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Butler lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Lion working a defensive guard but Butler passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lion is looking for a sweep. Butler is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lion has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Butler is working away from the top position though.
Lion regains full guard. Nicely done.
Lion trying to control the position here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Lion preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Butler shoots in and bounces Lion off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Lion has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Butler is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Butler pulls guard successfully.
Butler utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Butler wants to sweep here but Lion controlling him for the moment.
Butler lands an upkick as Lion stands over him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clifford Butler dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

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

Lion looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Lion must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Butler keeping moving, preventing Lion from controlling successfully.

Lion gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Lion decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Butler wants to stand back up but Lion manages to pass into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The strikes coming from Lion are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lion tries to move to mount but Butler blocks the move with his legs.
Butler is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butler regains half guard.
Lion prevents Butler from improving his position.
Butler moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Butler is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lion pushing down on Butler's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Butler regains full guard. Nicely done.
Lion trying to control but Butler is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lion wants to stand but Butler is controlling his posture from full guard.
Lion trying to control but Butler is working from the bottom.
Butler wants to sweep but no luck.
Butler keeping full guard, as Lion tries to pass.
Butler manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lion manages to get himself to full guard.

Clifford Butler overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Butler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lion works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lion pulls Butler in close to prevent any damage.
Butler stopping the sweep attempt from Lion.
Butler might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Lion wants to stand but Butler is controlling the position.

Lion is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Butler is aware though and is defending well.
Lion is breathing heavily.

Lion has his foot on Butler's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Butler works his way back into a safe position though.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Lion tries to clinch but Butler is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Butler swings for the body but Lion moves out of range.

Lion fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Butler to the ground. Lion is now in Butler's guard.

Butler looking for a guillotine here but Lion defends easily.

Butler working for submissions but it's allowed Lion to get to half guard.
Butler trying to hold on to Lion's head to control him but Lion postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Butler moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Clifford Butler will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Lion gets tackled into the cage by Butler. Butler maintains the clinch.

Butler's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Butler shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lion defends it nicely.
Nice uppercut lands for Lion. That snapped Butler's head back.

It looks like Clifford Butler has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lion drives through with a takedown into guard.
Butler keeping moving, preventing Lion from controlling successfully.
Lion throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lion got a little sloppy there for a moment and Butler has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lion has managed to get both his arms back between Butler's legs - danger averted.
Lion postures up in Butler's guard and throws a big left but Butler blocks it.
Lion throwing strikes from guard but Butler blocks nicely.
Lion trying to control the position from guard on top but Butler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Butler is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Butler really is a fat lump.
Butler wants to sweep but no luck.
Lion trying to control but Butler is working from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Lion throws a big elbow that misses.

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.

Butler is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lion is aware though and is defending well.

Butler throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Lion escapes and throws Butler's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Butler is not content to let Lion control the position.
Butler manages to work his way to half guard, despite Lion's best efforts.
Lion thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Butler slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lion forces his way into half guard.
Lion prevents Butler from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Butler is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lion pulls his head out easily.
Lion thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Butler's head.
Lion sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Butler defending well though.
Lion perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Butler is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Lion is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Butler doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lion.
Lion performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four 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.
Lion wants to get back to his feet.
Butler is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Butler regains full guard. Nicely done.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lion wants to pass the guard but Butler is keeping the position.
Edine Lion has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Clifford Butler is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lion trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edine Lion comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Butler has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Clifford Butler!