PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hipolito Battle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jon Gray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hipolito Battle has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Battle
vs
Gray

164 cm
19
193 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

200 cm
20
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Hipolito Battle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jon Gray!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Summer Carpenter and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Battle scores with a one two! Gray had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Battle really is a fat lump.

Gray closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Battle quickly recovers to half guard.
Battle wants to control but Gray is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Battle wants to stand back up but Gray manages to pass into side control.
Battle is looking for a sweep.
Gray slows the pace down.
Battle is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
A lull in the action here.
Gray wants to control but Battle is keeping him busy.
Battle pushes Gray away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Gray gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Battle is trying to improve his position.
Gray trying to control the position but Battle is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray lands a few punches from side control.
Gray tries to stand but Battle is controlling his head.
Battle is looking for a sweep.
Check out the look on Gray's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Gray is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
What's Battle going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Gray has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gray trying to control the action but Battle is working from the bottom.
Battle might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Battle takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gray decides to stand up, so the ref orders Battle to his feet.

Gray shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Battle manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gray wants a takedown.
Gray tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Battle smiles and moves away.

Gray looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gray wants to control from the top but Battle keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray prevents Battle from getting back to his feet.
Gray wants to control from the top but Battle keeps moving.
Gray connects with a couple of short punches.
Battle keeping moving, preventing Gray from controlling successfully.
Gray is in close to Battle's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Battle wants to stand up but Gray is controlling him.
Battle is adopting a defensive guard.
Gray trying to control the position from guard on top but Battle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four 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.
Gray keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Battle's head.
Gray trying to control the position from guard on top but Battle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Battle will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Gray is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Battle keeping moving, preventing Gray from controlling successfully.
Battle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gray engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Battle with a body punch. A glancing blow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Gray dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gray fails with the takedown
and Battle counters with a two punch combo.
Gray fails to land the takedown.

Gray closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Battle landing knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Battle managing to block the knees to the body from Gray.
Gray tries to circle away but Battle has him pinned against the cage.
Battle lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Gray.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battle effectively controlling the action here.
Battle is struggling to control the position.
Gray drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hipolito Battle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jon Gray.
Battle leaning his opponent against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Battle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Battle lands a knee to the body.
Battle holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Gray throws a head punch that misses.
Battle lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Gray works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Battle is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Gray presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Battle lands a nice elbow.
Battle utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Battle stalls.
A bit of stalling here from Battle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battle gets underhooks to prevent Gray's takedown attempt.
Gray tries to land knees in the clinch but Battle avoids the damage to the body.

Battle escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gray closes the distance and clinches up with Battle, looking for a takedown. Gray pushes Battle against the cage but Battle circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Gray fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Battle, pushing him back against the cage.
Battle avoiding damage.
Gray has had enough of the clinch but Battle keeps him there for the moment.
Battle tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gray smiles and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Battle tries to keep at a distance but Gray has taken the fight into the clinch.
Battle avoids the elbow strike from Gray, against the cage.
Battle stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Battle tries to pull guard but Gray forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gray tries to stall but Battle uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Battle pressing his opponent against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hipolito Battle dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Gray fails with the takedown.
Battle changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Battle gets a clinch.
Battle dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Gray can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray wants to get back to striking at distance but Battle won't allow it.
Gray jumps guard but Battle turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Gray is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Battle is defending well for now.
Battle displaying some good clinch control by pressing Gray up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battle lands a damaging elbow.
Battle blocks an uppercut.
Battle scores with a knee to the head.
Gray fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hipolito Battle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jon Gray.

Battle breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

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

Battle makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Battle stalks Gray and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Gray's face. Gray staggers backwards, shaken.

Battle fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gray sprawls well initially but Battle persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gray trying to control here.
Battle takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Battle is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gray can do to turn this around?
Gray wants to get back to his feet.
Battle sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Gray is looking to control Battle's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gray avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray is trying to stand up here but Battle is controlling him well.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Battle is controlling the pace.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Gray shoots in for a double leg but Battle sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Battle half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Gray closes the distance and pushes Battle back into the cage.

Battle manages to break the clinch.
Battle dives in for a single leg takedown but Gray sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Battle misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gray has taken the fight to the clinch.
Battle tries to pull guard but Gray won't allow it.
Come on Battle - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Battle landing knees to the body.
Gray is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Gray jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Battle walks away with a smile on his face. Gray gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gray shoots and misses

and Battle counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gray tries to break free but Battle pushes him back against the cage.
Gray can't break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hipolito Battle showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Battle has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hipolito Battle!