PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Velez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Long (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Velez
vs
Long

170 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alexander Velez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brandon Long!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Long takes the fight into the clinch.

Long decides to pull guard.
Long wants to sweep but no luck.
Long is trying to keep Velez in close.
Velez throwing strikes but missing.
Velez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Velez 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Long is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Velez wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Velez defending well though.
Long is trying to control. Velez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Velez keeping control of the position.
Velez won't allow Long to pass to mount.
Velez preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Long sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Long tries for a takedown but Velez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Brandon Long seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Long defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Velez.
Long is looking to clinch but Velez is avoiding it.
Velez misses with a takedown
and Long counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Velez lands a slapping body shot.
Long fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velez misses with a takedown attempt
and Long counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Velez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Velez doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Long counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Long throws a head kick that misses.
Velez throws a head kick but Long moves out of range.
Long shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Velez defends it nicely.
Velez throws a quick counter head kick but Long was just out of range.
Long closes this distance looking for a takedown but Velez circles away.
Long looks winded!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Velez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Long gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Velez avoids the elbow strike from Long, against the cage.
Velez letting Long take a breather here.
Long misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Velez.
Velez jumps guard but Long stands there with Velez around his waist. Velez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Long is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Long has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Long wants to clinch

and Velez counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Long!
Long is trying to get back to half guard.
Velez trying to control the action but Long is working from the bottom.
Velez sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Long is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Long is trying to improve his position.

Velez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Long keeps trying to improve his position.
Long is trying to control Velez's posture but Velez avoids it.

Velez decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Velez slaps away a takedown attempt from Long, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Long doesn't manage to clinch there - Velez circles away.
Velez swats away the attempt to clinch by Long.
Long closes this distance looking for a takedown but Velez circles away.
Long is breathing heavily.
Velez misses with a takedown attempt - Long sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
No joy there for Long, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Velez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Long defends well and Velez ends up having to push Long into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Long stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Long wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Velez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Long fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long stuffs the takedown attempt from Velez. Velez gets slowly back to his feet.

Long moves into the clinch.
Velez is trying to pull guard but Long has him pressed against the cage.
Velez tries to pull guard but Long won't allow it.
Long wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Velez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Long tries to break the clinch but Velez is controlling the position.
Long wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

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.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Velez is pressed up against the cage. Long has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Velez down to the mat. Velez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Velez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Long defends it nicely.
Long tries for a takedown but Velez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Velez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Long sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Velez tries to clinch but Long is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brandon Long will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Long shoots in for a double leg but Velez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Velez feinted with a counter takedown.
Velez fails with a takedown attempt.
Long feints the counter takedown.
Long fails with the takedown.
Velez with a poor takedown

and Long counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Velez pushes Long off and scrambles back to his feet.
Brandon Long seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Long takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Long shoots in but no luck this time.
Alexander Velez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brandon Long.
Long misses with a takedown
and Velez counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Long swivels and escapes.
Velez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Long rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Velez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Velez is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Long.
Velez shoots in looking for a takedown. Long tries to sprawl out of it but Velez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Long manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Velez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Long circles away.
Velez is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Long.
Velez dives in for a single leg takedown but Long sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Long throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Velez feinted with a counter takedown.
Long slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velez throws a sloppy head kick and Long moves out of range easily.
Long shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Velez defends it nicely.
Velez was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Brandon Long is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Velez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
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!
Velez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Long has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Velez is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long is trying to get back to full guard.
Long trying to control from the bottom.
Long taking some punishment here, with Velez in his half guard.
Velez prevents Long from improving his position.
Long has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Velez not doing much here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A swing and a miss from Long.
Velez half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

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.
Long stuffs the takedown attempt from Velez. Velez gets slowly back to his feet.
Long shoots in for a takedown but Velez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Velez lands a high kick!

Velez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Long tries for a takedown but Velez manages to get underhooks.

Velez pulls guard successfully.
Velez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Velez trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alexander Velez.
I think Long 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Long!