PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nathaniel Sloan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julio Chavez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Sloan
vs
Chavez

164 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nathaniel Sloan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Julio Chavez!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, David Schapiro and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Chavez connects with a crisp jab.
Sloan defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Chavez.

Chavez drives through and clinches with Sloan against the cage.

Chavez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Chavez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sloan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chavez staying out of range there.
Chavez is looking to clinch but Sloan is avoiding it.

Chavez clinches.
Chavez tries to break free but Sloan pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Sloan manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Chavez throws a big elbow that misses.
Chavez throws a big elbow that misses.
Chavez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sloan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Chavez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chavez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Chavez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sloan. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Chavez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Sloan manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Chavez has Sloan in his guard.

Sloan decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Chavez, up you get!
Chavez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Chavez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sloan sprawls well. Sloan wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Chavez gets slowly back to his feet.
Chavez tries to clinch there but Sloan circles away.
Sloan throws a lazy right hand but Chavez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chavez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Chavez lands a head shot.
Sloan stuffs the takedown.
Sloan wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Nathaniel Sloan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Chavez.
Sloan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Chavez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chavez tries to close the distance and clinch but Sloan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Chavez tries to clinch there but Sloan circles away.
Sloan swats away the attempt to clinch by Chavez.
Sloan feinted with a counter takedown.
Chavez falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sloan counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Sloan decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Chavez, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Chavez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Chavez looks winded!
Chavez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sloan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sloan.
Chavez with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sloan counters with a takedown into side control.

Sloan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sloan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Sloan decides to stand back up.
Sloan looks to score with a jab to the body but Chavez is just out of range.

Chavez has managed to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chavez is trying to break free.
Chavez is trying to break the clinch but Sloan is controlling him.

Sloan jumps guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sloan has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sloan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Chavez defends it easily.
Chavez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Chavez won't allow Sloan to sweep him here.
Chavez looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Chavez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathaniel Sloan dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Chavez has taken the fight to the clinch.

Chavez breaks from the clinch.
Sloan has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Chavez is defended easily by Sloan.
The fight stays on the outside here - Chavez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Chavez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sloan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloan misses with an uppercut. Chavez saw that one coming.
Sloan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sloan keeps the fight on the outside.
Chavez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sloan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloan avoids the body shot from Chavez.
Nathaniel Sloan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Chavez tries to clinch

and Sloan counters with a takedown into side control.
Chavez is trying to get back to half guard.

Sloan stands up and beckons Chavez to his feet.
Chavez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sloan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Chavez swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Sloan.
Nice takedown defense from Sloan. No joy for Chavez on that attempt.
Sloan tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Chavez manages to circle out of the way.
Chavez is breathing heavily.
Sloan slips under a jab.
Chavez shoots in for a double leg but Sloan sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nathaniel Sloan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Chavez.
Chavez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sloan staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloan bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Chavez misses with a combination

and Sloan counters by clinching up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Sloan gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Chavez regains guard.

Sloan stands up and waves to Chavez to follow him.

Chavez drives through and clinches with Sloan against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sloan.
Chavez is trying to break the clinch but Sloan has him pressed against the cage.
Sloan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Chavez can do to turn this around?
Sloan slows down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez tries to pull guard but Sloan won't allow it.

Chavez manages to break the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sloan. Chavez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sloan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Chavez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sloan defends well and Chavez ends up having to push Sloan into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Sloan wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Sloan tries to land a front kick but Chavez steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Chavez is looking to clinch but Sloan is avoiding it.
Chavez takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
A head kick misses from Chavez.
Chavez moves in looking to clinch but Sloan pushes him off.
Sloan attempts a counter takedown but Chavez avoids it well and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chavez turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nathaniel Sloan is winning the standup battle so far.
Chavez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sloan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sloan keeps the fight on the outside.
Sloan misses with a left hand
and Chavez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Chavez wants to clinch.
Chavez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Chavez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sloan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Chavez somewhat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathaniel Sloan dominated that second 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sloan cracks a nice hook into Chavez's ribs.
Chavez slips under a jab.

Chavez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sloan, pushing him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Chavez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Chavez lands a right hand.
Chavez can't find room to land a body shot as Sloan controls the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sloan has clasped his hands together around Chavez's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
A lull in the action here.
Sloan lands a few punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sloan goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Chavez has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Sloan but great work by Chavez.
Sloan gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Sloan manages to get to full guard.
Chavez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nathaniel Sloan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Sloan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Chavez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Sloan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Chavez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sloan is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Chavez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Chavez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Chavez landing with the ground and pound.

Chavez drops back looking for a leg! Sloan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sloan manages to kick Chavez off! Chavez jumps back into Sloan's guard.
Sloan is adopting a defensive guard.
Chavez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez postures up in Sloan's guard and throws a big left but Sloan blocks it.
Sloan lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Chavez is working an open guard so Sloan takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Chavez moves into the clinch.
Chavez working hard to break the clinch.
Chavez lands a shot to the body.
Chavez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Chavez is trying to pull guard but Sloan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Chavez tries to break free but Sloan pushes him back against the cage.

Sloan has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Chavez regains guard immediately.

Sloan drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sloan jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sloan decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Sloan leaves Chavez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Chavez pushes Sloan up against the cage in a clinch.
Julio Chavez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Sloan turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Sloan decides to stand back up. Sloan steps back and let's Chavez get back to his feet.
Chavez tries for a takedown but Sloan circles away easily

and Sloan counters with a takedown into side control.
Chavez wants to get back to his feet but Sloan is dominant here and he's now got Chavez's back!

And that's the end of the fight!
Julio Chavez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sloan 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!