PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bam Bam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bam
vs
Mason

225 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
178 lbs
2 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bam Bam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Mason!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Igor Prikhodko and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bam shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mason as he jumps to the side.
Bam fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Mason as Bam shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bam Bam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bam is looking to clinch.
Bam fails with an attempt to clinch.

Mason fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bam to the ground. Mason is now in Bam's guard.
Mason is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mason gets to his feet. Bam looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Mason misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bam half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason tries for a takedown but Bam sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Mason shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Bam is trying to defend but Mason finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Mason is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Mason is taking a breather. Bam says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Mason wants to get back to his feet.
Mason really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bam. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Bam is concentrating on defense, preventing Mason from advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mason stands up from half guard.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mason.
Mason has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mason.

Mason shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bam's guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Bam manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bam lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mason backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Mason stalling the fight.

Bam successfully pulls guard.
Bam working a defensive guard here.
Bam wants to sweep but no luck.

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.
Mason trying to control but Bam is working from the bottom.
Mason won't allow Bam to get back to his feet.
Bam has Mason pulled in close to control his posture.
Bam keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Mason content to stall in guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bam misses with a combination

and Mason counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Bam is looking to get back to is feet but Mason passes into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mike Mason 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.

Bam shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mason as he avoids it easily.

Mason closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Bam's guard.

Bam kicks Mason off and gets to his feet.

Mason looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bam escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mason gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mason is stalling in the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bam keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.
Bam will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bam manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mason manages to get himself to full guard.

Bam won't allow Mason to sweep him here.

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.
Bam with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mason wants to sweep here but Bam controlling him for the moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bam's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Bam is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Bam drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Mason dives on top into guard.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mason accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bam looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mason sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mason working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bam will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Mason is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Bam really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mason missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Mason shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bam sprawls well. Bam wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mason gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Bam throws a combination that misses

and Mason counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Mason perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Mason trying to control the action but Bam is working from the bottom.
Mason looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Bam has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mason is working away from the top position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mason trying to mount his opponent but Bam defends it.
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 Bam Bam will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Mason keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bam shoots in for a double leg but Mason sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Mason fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bam to the ground. Mason is now in Bam's guard.
Mason looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason trying to control but Bam is working from the bottom.
Mason looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mason wants to stand but Bam is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mason slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

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.
Mason fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mason shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bam as he jumps to the side.
Bam throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mason's waist but Mason gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bam off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bam Bam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bam dives in for a single leg takedown but Mason sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Mason throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Bam was covering up waiting for the punch and Mason finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Mason makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason stays in close to Bam's body and controls the position.

Mason gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Bam fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Mason shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Mason was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Bam is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Mason looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Bam is trying to escape the position but Mason is controlling the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bam tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mason moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Mason comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mason 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Mason!
In his post fight interview, Mike Mason started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.