PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Denzel Slater (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jackson Teller (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.

Slater
vs
Teller

225 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Denzel Slater!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jackson Teller!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slater misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Teller with a poor takedown
and Slater counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Jackson Teller has been cut.
Teller closes the distance and clinches up with Slater, looking for a takedown. Teller pushes Slater against the cage but Slater circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Teller pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Slater scores with a jab. Teller acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Teller swinging wildly here.

Teller instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Slater jumps into guard, dragging Teller to the mat.
Slater looking for a sweep. Not yet Slater, not yet.
Teller postures up in Slater's guard and throws a big left but Slater blocks it.
Teller stops Slater from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Teller looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Teller wants to stand but Slater has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Teller loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Teller postures up and lands a big shot to Slater's brow.

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.

Slater has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Teller can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Teller won't allow Slater to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Slater tries for a takedown but Teller circles away easily
and Teller finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Slater shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Teller as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Denzel Slater. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Slater is breathing heavily.

Teller gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Teller escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Teller shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Slater as he avoids it easily.

Teller closes the distance and clinches.
Slater is trying to break the clinch but Teller has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Teller can't break the clinch.
Teller is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Slater gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Teller missing with knees to the body.
Teller displaying some good clinch control by pressing Slater up against the cage.

Teller has clasped his hands together around Slater's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Slater wants to control but Teller postures up.
Slater is trying to get back to half guard.
Slater wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Teller working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slater seems a little lost for a moment, as Teller dominates the positioning.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Slater tries to bench press Teller off him but Teller keeps the position.
Teller wants to stand but Slater is controlling his arm.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Teller closes the distance and clinches.
Teller drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Slater gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Teller wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Slater tries to pull guard but Teller won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Teller dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jackson Teller's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Teller throws a body shot but no joy.
Slater tries to counter with a takedown but Teller is quick to defend against it.

Teller clinches.
Teller is trying to force a seperation but Slater has the dominant position.
Teller jumps guard but Slater turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Teller drops down looking for an ankle pick but Slater pulls his leg out and moves away.

Teller rushes Slater and presses him up against the cage.

Slater turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Slater manages to end up in side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Teller wants to control but Slater postures up.
Slater takes advantage of some sloppy striking from Teller to pass into mount.
Slater can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Teller is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Teller tries to hold on but Slater postures up.
Slater can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Teller is looking to escape.
Teller really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Slater. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Teller tries to buck Slater off but Slater takes his back!
Slater keeps control of the position as Teller tries to break free.

Slater looking for the RNC.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Teller is trying to get back to his feet but Slater has full control of the position and if anything, Teller has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Slater is looking for the choke from the back position but Teller is controlling his hands well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Slater connects with a big shot to the side of Teller's head.
Teller needs to remain patient if he's going to get out of this sticky situation.
Teller tries to escape the position.
Teller is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Teller trying to control the position but Slater manages to sink in the hooks.
Teller tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Teller trying to survive by controlling the hands.
Teller is trying to break free.
Slater will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Slater avoiding Teller 's attempts to control his hands.
Teller can't escape the position.
Teller's corner are yelling at him, telling him to just focus on controlling Slater's hands.
Teller trying to control the hands but Slater won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Teller tries to roll but Slater sticks to his back.
Teller trying to get back to his feet but Slater is in full control for now.
Teller is really stuck here.

Teller is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Slater off. It looks like it's working - Slater slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Teller displaying calm under pressure there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Slater tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Slater avoids the head kick by Teller.

Teller moves into the clinch successfully.
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 Denzel Slater will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jackson Teller's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Slater throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Teller throws out a counter right but Slater avoids it with no problem.

Teller drives through and clinches with Slater against the cage.
Teller is trying to break free.
Slater is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Slater is looking to break free of the clinch but Teller has double underhooks.
Teller is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Slater is defending well.
Slater is looking to break free of the clinch but Teller has double underhooks.

Teller pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Slater shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Teller but Teller pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Slater fails in his attempt to clinch.
Teller will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slater has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Teller fails with a takedown attempt.
Denzel Slater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jackson Teller.

Teller bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Teller creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Slater sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Denzel Slater overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sloppy strikes there by Teller.

Teller working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Teller tries to get to his feet but Slater is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Teller in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Teller controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Teller has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Slater is proving hard to escape from.
Teller is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Slater slaps away a takedown attempt from Teller, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Teller will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Slater appears to be looking for a big counter.

Teller darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Slater trying to control but Teller postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Slater manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Teller looking to pass the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Jackson Teller comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Teller has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jackson Teller!