PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Duke (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.

White
vs
Duke

189 cm
25
264 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jake Duke!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Winston Alpacca and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duke avoids a punch combination nicely.
Good work by Duke as he checks the leg kick.
Duke looks for a takedown but White sprawls well.
White wants to clinch up but Duke keeps it at a distance.
A punch combination from Duke misses.

Duke has White up against the cage in a clinch.
White wants to get back to striking at distance but Duke won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Duke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
White tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Duke swivels and escapes.
White doesn't manage to clinch there - Duke circles away.
Duke tries to clinch but White is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
White looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Duke shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
White keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
White feinted with a counter takedown.
John White has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Duke.

Duke moves into the clinch.

White pulls guard successfully.

White has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Duke can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
White is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Duke is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke wants to pass the guard but White is keeping the position.
White working a defensive guard here.
Duke tries to free his leg and advance position but White is retaining full guard.
Duke must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
White wants to stand but Duke is controlling the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Duke controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
White might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Duke won't allow White to sweep him here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Duke shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
White shoots for a takedown but Duke saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Duke, right into the meat.
White misses with a double jab.
Duke misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Duke rushes White and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duke wants to take the fight to the mat but White manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
White holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Duke is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables White to keep the fight standing.
White is defending well against a takedown attempt.
White tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Duke is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. White is defending well for now.

White pulls guard effortlessly.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Duke decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A combination from Duke does no damage.
White could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Duke dodges the punch combination from White.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John White will probably get the nod.
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.

White shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Duke wants to sweep but White has passed to side control!
White trying to control the position but Duke is working away.

White tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Duke tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White trying to control the position but Duke is working away.
White in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
White misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Duke is looking for a sweep.
White is looking to take a break and control but Duke is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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

That's two 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.
White tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Duke is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
White working the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Duke is avoiding damage well.
White working away.

White tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
White is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Duke can do to turn this around?
White tries to stand but Duke is controlling his head.

White is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Duke is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
White working away.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.
Duke throws a sloppy head kick and White moves out of range easily.

Duke moves into range and clinches up with White.
The referee calls for White to work.
Come on Duke - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Duke manages to pull guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
White trying to control the position from guard on top but Duke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Duke is looking for a triangle but White pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John White dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Duke shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has White pinned against the cage. White gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

White throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Duke was covering up waiting for the punch and White finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Duke controls White momentarily but White frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White sitting in guard here, content to control.
White with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
John White overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Duke working for a triangle but White defends it easily.

Duke is working an open guard so White takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Duke is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
White misses with a two punch combination.

White darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Duke is looking for a sweep. White is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White wants to control but Duke is keeping him busy.
Duke tries to roll over but White keeps him under control.
Duke keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
White is looking to take a break and control but Duke is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
White moves nicely into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke wants to control but White postures up.
White tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
White working the ground and pound.
Duke struggling a bit here.
White scoring with punches from side control.
Duke tries to improve position but can't.
Duke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
White trying to control the position but Duke is working away.
Duke is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duke is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
White is looking to take a break and control but Duke is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

White stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
White just misses with a punch to the body.
White misses with a series of wild punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
John White showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for White, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John White!
After winning the bout, John White thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.