PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Esteban Luna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Larry Cucumber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cucumber comes into a darkened arena with his song building. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhRXn2NRiWI kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Esteban Luna has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Luna
vs
Cucumber

196 cm
24
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

150 cm
23
130 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Likes musicals

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esteban Luna!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Larry Cucumber!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Luna.
Luna shoots in but no luck this time.

Cucumber gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Cucumber jumps into guard, dragging Luna to the mat.
Cucumber should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Cucumber has a closed guard, preventing Luna from standing up.
Luna will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Luna stopping the sweep attempt from Cucumber.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cucumber keeping moving, preventing Luna from controlling successfully.
Luna wants to stand but Cucumber has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cucumber thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luna wants to stand but Cucumber has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Luna is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cucumber can do anything to dispel that myth.

Cucumber has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Luna can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Larry Cucumber seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cucumber throws a leg kick but Luna sees it coming and checks it nicely.
It looked like Luna wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Cucumber scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Luna manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Cucumber is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cucumber tries to kick Luna off but Luna keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luna missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Luna stalling.
Cucumber tries to roll over but Luna keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cucumber is refusing to be controlled, as Luna sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cucumber has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Luna is working away from the top position though.
Luna wants to take a breather but Cucumber is having none of it.
Luna sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cucumber defending well though.
Luna prevents Cucumber from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Luna is looking to take a break and control but Cucumber is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Luna is thwarting Cucumber's attempts to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cucumber misses with the combination.

Cucumber moves into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Cucumber gets control of Luna's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cucumber will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Luna slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cucumber working a defensive guard but Luna manages to pass into side control anyway.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Larry Cucumber will probably get the nod.
That's time! Luna's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Cucumber has closed the distance and engaged Luna in a clinch.
Luna looking to stall.
Luna wants to take the fight to the mat but Cucumber manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Cucumber is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Luna fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Esteban Luna. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Luna jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cucumber walks away with a smile on his face. Luna gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cucumber or perhaps it was just good defense by Luna, which made it look bad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cucumber gets a clinch.
Luna really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cucumber prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luna changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cucumber fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Cucumber has Luna up against the cage in a clinch.
Luna fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Luna has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cucumber avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Cucumber gets control of Luna's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cucumber will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Luna's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Luna won't allow Cucumber to sweep him here.
Cucumber wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Cucumber working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Luna doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Luna manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luna is stalling in the full guard.
Luna trying to control the position from guard on top but Cucumber is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cucumber working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cucumber has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cucumber shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Luna as he jumps to the side.
Luna looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cucumber shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cucumber showed some decent athleticism there.

Luna has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Cucumber is on him like a limpet, forcing Luna back against the cage.
Luna is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Cucumber to keep the fight standing.

Cucumber manages to break the clinch.

Cucumber fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Luna, pushing him back against the cage.
Cucumber goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Cucumber drags the fight down to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luna trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cucumber's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luna controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Luna trying to control the position from guard on top but Cucumber is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Luna avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Luna trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cucumber's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Luna wants to control from the top but Cucumber keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Larry Cucumber showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Luna has taken the fight to the clinch.

Cucumber pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Luna moves out of range as Cucumber throws a body kick.
It appears Luna was looking to counter with a kick there.

Cucumber moves into range and clinches up with Luna.
Luna changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cucumber fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cucumber dives in and grabs Luna's left leg, looking for a takedown. Luna pushes down on Cucumber's head and hops out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cucumber circles away from the clinch attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cucumber is defended easily by Luna.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cucumber misses with a takedown attempt - Luna sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Esteban Luna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Larry Cucumber.

Luna has closed the distance and engaged Cucumber in a clinch.

Cucumber has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Luna regains guard immediately.
Cucumber must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Luna manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cucumber manages to get himself to full guard.

Luna 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luna seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Cucumber for as long as he can get away with.
Luna with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Luna controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cucumber can't keep his opponent in guard - Luna advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Cucumber is trying to stand back up but Luna is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Luna decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Cucumber clinches.
Luna has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cucumber avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Luna turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Cucumber bucks up and tries to throw Luna off but instead Luna has got his back!
Luna trying to control momentarily.
Luna gets his hands free as Cucumber looks to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luna is hanging on to Cucumber's back as he tries to escape.
Cucumber keeps trying to improve his position.
Cucumber trying to control but not successfully.
Esteban Luna overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Luna trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Luna wants to control the position but Cucumber frees himself and scrambles - Luna manages to regain control in side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Luna trying to control the position but Cucumber is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esteban Luna showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cucumber 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Larry Cucumber!