PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rio Yaj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryer Michael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael has chosen OTHERWISE - Coming For The Throne as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Yaj
vs
Michael

192 cm
26
215 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

190 cm
26
210 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rio Yaj!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bryer Michael!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice cross by Michael.
Yaj misses with a left hand
and Michael counters with a straight right hand.

Yaj closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Yaj lands in his opponent's guard.

Michael has his foot on Yaj's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yaj works his way back into a safe position though.
Yaj postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Yaj wants to control from the top but Michael keeps moving.
Yaj throws a big elbow that misses.
Yaj preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michael pulls Yaj in close to prevent any damage.
Yaj throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Michael works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Michael holds on and takes a little breather.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Yaj accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael controlling the position.
Michael is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Yaj trying to control here.
Yaj tries to roll over but Michael keeps him under control.
Yaj wants to get back to full guard but Michael has mounted him!
Yaj sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yaj wants to get back to full guard but Michael has passed into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michael just content to control the position.
Yaj is looking for a sweep.
Michael wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yaj keeps working.
Michael is staying tight to Yaj's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Yaj is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj is not content to let Michael control the position.
Michael in the domination position with Yaj hanging on.
Yaj is looking to regain half guard here but Michael keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four 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.
Michael takes a little break here. Yaj wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Yaj tries to bench press Michael off him but Michael keeps the position.
Yaj is trying to escape the position but Michael is controlling the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Yaj works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Yaj on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Michael throws a leg kick which misses Yaj's front leg but catches the back leg as Yaj tries to avoid it.
Michael throws a solid leg kick but Yaj takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Michael.
Yaj looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yaj lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Yaj shoots in for a takedown but Michael shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bryer Michael dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Yaj misses the jab.
Michael misses with a looping left.
Michael throws a leg kick but Yaj checks it.
Rio Yaj seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yaj lands the left hand.
Yaj takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Michael scores with the left hand. Yaj knows he should have avoided that one.
Yaj avoids the head kick by Michael.
Nice uppercut there from Yaj.
Michael looks to land a combination. Yaj sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Yaj uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Michael.
The crowd cheers as Yaj lands an impressive looking overhand right. Michael doesn't seem phased though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Michael scores with a hook to the body. Yaj takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Michael displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Yaj.
Bryer Michael seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yaj jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Yaj looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rio Yaj overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael wants to improve his position but Yaj is controlling well.
Michael trying to control here.
Michael wants to improve his position but Yaj is controlling well.
Michael slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Michael is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yaj is aware though and is defending well.
Michael is trying to keep Yaj in close.

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

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.
Yaj pushes down on Michael's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Yaj throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Michael trying to get back to full guard but Yaj takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Michael tries to hold on but Yaj postures up.
Yaj punishing his opponent with strikes.
Michael is wriggling around trying to escape.
Yaj avoids the attempt from Michael to control.
Yaj lands a heavy elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj breaks from Michael's wrist control and lands an elbow.

It looks like Bryer Michael has been cut.
Michael is desperately trying to improve his position but Yaj has a good base and remains in mount.
Yaj controlling from mount.
Yaj looking to finish with strikes here!
Michael is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yaj looking to control and managing it successfully.
Yaj 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.
Michael wants to control but Yaj is having none of it.
Michael sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Michael is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yaj seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Yaj is trying to control the action in half guard but Michael is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Michael is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Michael is holding on to half guard well.
Yaj throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Michael is not content to let Yaj control the position.
Michael wants to control but Yaj is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Yaj prevents Michael from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rio Yaj dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bryer Michael's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Michael fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Yaj has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Yaj throws the left hand but Michael avoids the punch easily.
Yaj throws a looping overhand right but Michael ducks down to avoid it.
Yaj misses with a two punch combination.
Michael keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Michael blocks a jab.
Yaj uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Michael.
Michael is looking to slow Yaj down with leg kicks.
Yaj cracks a nice hook into Michael's ribs.
Yaj checks a low kick from Michael.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michael dodges the punch combination from Yaj.
Good exchange - Yaj coming out on top.
Yaj misses with the combination.
Michael steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Yaj.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yaj. Michael does a little dance to reset his feet.
Michael throws a series of punches but Yaj avoids them all with ease.
Yaj drops down looking for a counter takedown but Michael sprawls and moves away.
Michael has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Michael there as he acknowledges the shot.
Michael scoring well with a low kick there.
Yaj lands with an uppercut that bounces Michael off the cage and back into range.
Yaj moves into range and connects with a jab.
Yaj throws a left and a right that both miss
and Michael counters with a straight right hand.
Yaj shoots for a takedown but Michael saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Michael showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yaj.
Michael is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Yaj misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Michael.
Yaj throws a lazy uppercut
and Michael counters with a thumping low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yaj slips a jab from Michael.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yaj checks a low kick from Michael.
Yaj throws a shot from downtown. Michael moves away and avoids it.
A big left from Yaj misses.
Michael wants to counter the offense by Yaj and move into the clinch position.
Yaj is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Michael takes one on the button.
Michael lands a glancing blow to the side of Yaj's head.
Yaj takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Yaj misses with an uppercut.
Michael cracks the inside of Yaj's front leg.
A nice inside leg kick there by Michael. That's going to slow Yaj down.
Michael ducks under a wild hook from Yaj.
Michael keeps Yaj at a distance using the push kick.
Yaj tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Michael defends well and Yaj ends up having to push Michael into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Michael! But no joy.
Yaj ducks under a wild hook from Michael.
Michael explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Yaj.
Michael feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Yaj's calf.
Yaj uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Michael.
Yaj fails to land with a series of punches.
Michael throws a body shot but no joy.
Yaj changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Michael throws a lazy right hand but Yaj sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nice defenses there by Michael.
Michael throws a jab when Yaj was well out of range.
Michael lands with a good body shot.
Yaj is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Yaj uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Michael.
Yaj blocks a low kick nicely.
Michael lands a nice shot that snaps Yaj's head back.
Yaj shoots in looking for a takedown. Michael tries to sprawl out of it but Yaj keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Michael manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rio Yaj. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yaj fails with the takedown
enabling Michael to counter with a crisp jab.
Michael moves away from the strike by Yaj.
Michael throws a nice outside leg kick.
Michael lands a front kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A right-left combo lands from Michael.
Michael misses with a body kick.
Michael throws a big shot that misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Yaj.
Michael lands a nice leg kick that just misses Yaj's sensitive parts.
Bryer Michael is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yaj gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Michael counter with a right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bryer Michael comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Michael 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bryer Michael!
Bryer Michael seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.