PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Angel Powers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sterling Contreras (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Powers
vs
Contreras

159 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

158 cm
23
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Angel Powers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sterling Contreras!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Powers.
Contreras throws out a counter right but Powers avoids it with no problem.
Contreras avoids the head kick by Powers.

Contreras looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Powers!

Contreras thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Contreras is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Powers is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Contreras is looking to take a break and control but Powers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Contreras is trying to get an arm triangle but Powers is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Contreras prevents Powers from escaping the position.

Contreras goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Powers rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Contreras's guard! Nice work there by Powers!
Contreras wants to sweep but no luck.
Contreras is trying to keep Powers in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Powers is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Powers prevents Contreras from getting back to his feet.
Powers sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Contreras is trying to control the position but Powers postures up.
Powers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Contreras swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Contreras is adopting a defensive guard.
Contreras wants to hit a switch here but Powers passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Contreras there!

Powers working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powers has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Contreras's face.
Contreras regains half guard.
Contreras tries to get to full guard but Powers has control of the leg.
Powers is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Powers trying to control from half guard but Contreras is working away.

Powers is trying to work for a kimura but Contreras is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powers frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Powers working for a guillotine from mount but Contreras is in no mood to give up.
Contreras gets back to half guard.
Contreras is looking to escape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Contreras trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Angel Powers dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Powers throws a lazy head kick
and Contreras counters with a nice body shot.

Contreras fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Powers sprawls well initially but Contreras persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Contreras tries to pass to full mount but Powers defends it.
Contreras seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Powers does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Angel Powers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Powers wants to get back to his feet.
Powers could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Contreras tries to pass the half guard into mount. Powers knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Contreras landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Powers has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Contreras is working away from the top position though.

Contreras is trying to work for a kimura but Powers is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Contreras.
Contreras stops Powers from getting back to his feet.
Contreras throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Contreras seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Contreras stops Powers from getting back to his feet.
Contreras perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Contreras passes to full mount!
Powers is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Contreras controlling his opponent.

Contreras moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Powers has worked his arm free - good work by Powers!
Contreras throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Powers takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Contreras wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Powers, who protects the arm well.

Contreras swings around for an armbar but Powers sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Contreras's guard.
Contreras pulls Powers in close to prevent any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Contreras can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powers trying to control the position from guard on top but Contreras is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Contreras controls Powers momentarily but Powers frees himself.

Contreras pushes Powers off and gets back to his feet.
Powers with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Contreras shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powers taking some punishment here, with Contreras in his half guard.
Contreras missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Contreras prevents Powers from standing back up.
Powers has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Contreras is working away from the top position though.
Contreras seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Powers does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Powers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Contreras.
Contreras missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Powers wants to get back to his feet.

Powers actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sterling Contreras showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Contreras scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Powers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Contreras wants to free his trapped foot but Powers is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Contreras is looking to take a break and control but Powers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Powers is looking to control Contreras's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Powers avoid being mounted?
Powers is trying to stand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Contreras looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Powers manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Contreras keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Contreras gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Contreras prevents Powers from standing back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Contreras works his way into full mount!
Contreras trying to control but Powers is having none of it.
Contreras thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Powers wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Contreras.
Contreras can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Powers is looking to escape.
Contreras sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Contreras is looking to work his way around to Powers's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Contreras cracks Powers with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Contreras throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Contreras moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Powers has worked his arm free - good work by Powers!
Powers is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Powers regains half guard there - taking advantage of Contreras's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Contreras is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Powers as he works his way to full guard.
Contreras is looking to work some ground and pound but Powers has wrist control.
Contreras tries to stand but Powers is controlling from the bottom.
Contreras throws a big elbow that misses.
Powers wants to stand and escape but Contreras is having none of it.
Contreras tries to free his leg and advance position but Powers is retaining full guard.

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.
Contreras passes Powers's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Contreras is looking to take a break and control but Powers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Contreras wants to work for an arm triangle but Powers is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Contreras is looking for a kimura but Powers is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Contreras to get the leverage.
Contreras has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Contreras not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Powers wants to get back to his feet.
Contreras with the ground and pound but Powers uses the opportunity to regain guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Contreras with a flurry of punches that miss.
Contreras looking to pass the guard.
Powers keeping moving, preventing Contreras from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sterling Contreras comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Contreras 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sterling Contreras!