PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Travis McElroy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and CJ Lyons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

McElroy
vs
Lyons

185 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Travis McElroy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, CJ Lyons!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Andrew Berry and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McElroy fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Lyons sprawls well initially but McElroy persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
McElroy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
McElroy working Lyons over with strikes.
McElroy not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lyons is looking for a sweep. McElroy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lyons blocking the ground and pound attempt from McElroy.
Lyons is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lyons regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from McElroy.
McElroy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McElroy distracts Lyons with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Lyons has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
McElroy stands up over Lyons, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lyons looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lyons trying to control the position.
Lyons might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control McElroy haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
McElroy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
McElroy is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lyons working a defensive guard here.
Our spies down at at Gorilla Warfare MMA inform us that Lyons has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
McElroy lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lyons can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McElroy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
McElroy throws a big right hand that misses.
McElroy wants to stand but Lyons is controlling his posture from full guard.
McElroy has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
McElroy is looking to work some ground and pound but Lyons has wrist control.
Lyons pulls McElroy in close to prevent any damage.
Lyons trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
McElroy cracks Lyons with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

McElroy fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Lyons to the ground. McElroy is now in Lyons's guard.
Lyons is trying to control the position but McElroy postures up.
McElroy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
McElroy scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Lyons avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lyons working a defensive guard here.
McElroy is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
McElroy postures up in Lyons's guard and throws a big left but Lyons blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McElroy tries to free his leg and advance position but Lyons is retaining full guard.
McElroy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lyons pulls McElroy in close to prevent any damage.
McElroy trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lyons's guard.
McElroy passes easily into side control. Nice work.
McElroy is trying to ground and pound but Lyons uses the momentary lack of control by McElroy to regain half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
McElroy misses with a head shot. Lyons uses the momentum to regain guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis McElroy dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lyons gets the takedown into side control.
Lyons controlling the position.
McElroy is looking to reverse the position.
McElroy struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lyons tries to move into full mount but can't pass McElroy's legs.
Lyons controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lyons is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. McElroy knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lyons working away.
Lyons controlling the position.
Lyons advances to full mount.

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.
Lyons avoids the attempt from McElroy to control.
McElroy throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Lyons trying to control but McElroy is having none of it.
McElroy is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Lyons has taken his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lyons controlling from the back.
Lyons controlling well, preventing McElroy from escaping the position.
Travis McElroy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
McElroy looking very determined here, making life difficult for Lyons.
Lyons has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of McElroy's body.
Lyons is trying to stick to McElroy's back but McElroy is turning into Lyons. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Lyons's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by McElroy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McElroy throwing strikes from guard but Lyons blocks nicely.
Lyons has control of McElroy's left arm, preventing McElroy from doing any damage.
Lyons utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
McElroy throwing strikes from guard but Lyons blocks nicely.
McElroy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
McElroy loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
McElroy looking to pass the guard.
McElroy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but CJ Lyons will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

McElroy throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
McElroy's corner calls for a 1-2. McElroy obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Travis McElroy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

McElroy shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
McElroy is fighting to break Lyons's control of his arms but Lyons is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

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

McElroy got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lyons has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, McElroy has managed to get both his arms back between Lyons's legs - danger averted.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lyons has his hands on McElroy's head, controlling the position.

Lyons working for a triangle but McElroy defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McElroy advances position into side control!
Lyons tries to buck McElroy off but McElroy is having none of it.
McElroy tries to advance to mount but can't.
McElroy working the strikes but Lyons uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
McElroy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lyons defending well though.
McElroy not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lyons avoiding damage under a succession of punches from McElroy.
Lyons taking some punishment here, with McElroy in his half guard.
Lyons works his way to full guard. Good work.
McElroy lands a couple of elbows.
McElroy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lyons is adopting a defensive guard.
McElroy is looking to work some ground and pound but Lyons has wrist control.
McElroy is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lyons can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lyons controlling the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
McElroy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
McElroy with a flurry of punches that miss.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice takedown defense from McElroy. No joy for Lyons on that attempt.
Travis McElroy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McElroy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lyons paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lyons dives in for a single leg takedown but McElroy sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
McElroy tries to clinch

and Lyons counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Lyons.
McElroy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lyons trying to control but McElroy is working from the bottom.
McElroy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as McElroy holds on and takes a little breather.
Lyons looking to pass the guard.
Lyons must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Lyons looking to sit in guard and control but McElroy gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
McElroy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Travis McElroy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well McElroy 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Travis McElroy!