PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ji Lin Chen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy bo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Billy bo will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Lin Chen
vs
bo

167 cm
25
137 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
25
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ji Lin Chen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Billy bo!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Daniel Franklin and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
bo fails with a takedown attempt.
Chen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Chen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and bo moves into the clinch.
bo using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Nice elbow from bo.
bo tries to pull guard but Chen holds him up against the cage and eventually bo drops back down to his feet.
Chen fails to pull the fight into his guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chen is trying to break the clinch but bo has him pressed against the cage.
bo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Chen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ji Lin Chen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy bo.
Chen tries to clinch up but bo circles away and keeps his distance.
Chen dives in for a single leg takedown but bo sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Chen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Chen wants it to stay on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
bo throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Chen's head.
bo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Chen swivels and escapes.
A jab from bo misses.

bo moves into range and clinches up with Chen.
Chen tries to score a body lock takedown but bo shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

bo breaks from the clinch.
Chen tries to clinch there but bo circles away.
Chen throws a lazy right hand but bo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A head kick misses from bo.
Chen moves in looking to clinch but bo pushes him off.
Chen backing away here, and bo unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for bo.
Chen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
bo takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
bo tries to counter with a clinch but Chen shakes him off and moves away.
Chen throws a head kick but bo moves out of range.

bo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
bo wants a takedown but no success here.
Chen is trying to pull guard but bo has him pressed against the cage.

bo manages to pull guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chen advances position into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Chen stands up and beckons bo to his feet.

bo closes the distance and clinches.
bo is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
bo prevents a body shot from Chen.
Chen is trying to break free.
bo looking for a takedown.
bo prevents Chen from breaking the clinch.

bo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
bo shoots in looking for a takedown but Chen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing bo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Chen went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Chen stuffs the takedown.

Chen shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. bo is trying to defend but Chen finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
bo looks winded!
bo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Chen.
Chen throwing shots but bo is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chen working bo over with strikes.
Chen is pressing down on bo's thigh, looking to free his foot. bo is holding on for now.
bo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
bo won't allow Chen to pass to mount.
bo tries to kick Chen off but Chen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Chen controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chen tries to clinch there but bo circles away.
bo lands a head shot.
bo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Chen instigates a clinch.
Chen tries to stall but bo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Chen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. bo just stands there and leans against the cage.

bo breaks from the clinch.
Chen shoots in but no luck this time.

Chen clinches.

bo jumps into guard, dragging Chen to the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chen throwing strikes but missing.

Chen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
bo looking for a sweep. Not yet bo, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chen wants to stand but bo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Chen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed bo's guard.
Chen trying to control the action but bo is working from the bottom.
Chen throwing shots but bo is blocking nicely.
bo is looking for a sweep. Chen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
bo wants to control but Chen passes into side.
Chen taking a breather here.
Chen 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.
You can see the frustration on bo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
A control attempt from bo but he's now mounted!
bo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Chen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
bo avoids a series of strikes thrown by Chen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chen thowing shots but they're missing.
Ji Lin Chen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Chen throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
bo avoids a series of strikes thrown by Chen.

Chen is standing up, even though he is in mount.
bo fails to land the takedown.
Chen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has bo pinned against the cage. bo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ji Lin Chen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chen misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
bo shoots for a double leg takedown but Chen sprawls well. He's pushed bo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Chen shoots in but bo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
As Chen backs off bo throws a huge counter combo but Chen manages to avoid it all.
Chen has a takedown stuffed.
Chen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. bo defends it nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Horrible takedown attempt by Chen or perhaps it was just good defense by bo, which made it look bad.

Chen gets tackled into the cage by bo. bo maintains the clinch.
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 Ji Lin Chen 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!

Chen tries to score a power double leg takedown but bo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Chen somewhat.
bo swats away the attempt to clinch by Chen.
Chen motions for bo to come forward. Chen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
bo appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Chen tries to clinch up
and bo counters with an inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
bo shoots in and drives through. Chen sprawls well.
Chen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around bo's waist but bo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Chen off to one side.
Chen tries to score a power double leg takedown but bo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Chen somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ji Lin Chen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
bo shoots for a double leg takedown but Chen sprawls well. He's pushed bo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Chen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with bo but bo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from bo, right into the meat.
bo scores with a jab. Chen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
bo lands with a kick to the temple. Chen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Chen is rocked!
bo tries to clinch up but Chen circles away and keeps his distance.
bo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Chen's waist but Chen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing bo off to one side.
Chen closes this distance looking for a takedown but bo circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Chen. No joy for bo on that attempt.
bo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chen misses with a body shot.
bo throws a counter combo.
Chen doesn't manage to clinch there - bo circles away.
Chen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

bo drives through and clinches with Chen against the cage.
Chen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Chen is looking to take this one to the mat.
Chen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from bo.
The referee is keeping an eye on Chen - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
bo landing knees to the head.
Chen misses with a knee to the head.
Chen is looking to take this one to the mat.
Billy bo seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
bo lands a nice knee to the body.
bo jumps guard but Chen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
bo is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Chen is defending well.

bo breaks from the clinch.
bo shoots for a double leg takedown but Chen sprawls well. He's pushed bo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Chen is defended easily by bo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
bo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
bo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Chen.
bo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and bo wants it to stay on the feet.
Chen fails with a takedown attempt.
bo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Chen sprawls well. Chen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. bo gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Chen gets tackled into the cage by bo. bo maintains the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy bo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think bo 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Billy bo!