PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Louis Il (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manfred Yuri (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.

Il
vs
Yuri

188 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Louis Il!
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, Manfred Yuri!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Peter Branson and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Il has a takedown stuffed.
Il keeps the fight on the outside.

Il clinches with his opponent.
Yuri is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Il is keeping busy.
Il lands a shot to the body.
Il gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Yuri.
Yuri has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Il takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Il is pushing Yuri up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Il for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Il drops down looking for an ankle pick but Yuri pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Il gets a clinch.
Il tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Louis Il. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Il has had enough of the clinch but Yuri keeps him there for the moment.

Il has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Yuri uses from the top position.

Il has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Yuri can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Yuri forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yuri drops an elbow to the side of Il's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Il is holding on to half guard well.
Il is staying active underneath Yuri, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Yuri passes to full mount!
Il is trying to escape the mount.
Il on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Il tries to get out of the position.
Il is working hard here to advance position.
Yuri pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yuri manages to capitalize on a mistake by Il to take his back!
Yuri trying to control momentarily.

Yuri is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Il knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Il for a finish.

Yuri is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Il knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Yuri on the ground.
Yuri not allowing Il to control his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Il is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Yuri is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Il defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Yuri has the hooks in. Il is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Yuri gets his hands free as Il looks to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yuri tries to keep control of the position but Il is staying busy.
You can see the frustration on Il's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manfred Yuri dominated that round.
That's time! Il's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Yuri shoots in looking for a takedown but Il manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Yuri's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Yuri has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Il shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And Yuri tries to counter it with a takedown but Il pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Il misses with a head kick.
Il looks to land a body kick but Yuri moved away.
Yuri is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Yuri missing with a left hand there. Il was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The fight stays on the outside here - Yuri looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Yuri closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Il decides to pull guard.
Yuri sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Il looking for subs off his back but Yuri has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Il is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Yuri jumps into side control!
Yuri scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Il to see if he's OK.
Il on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Yuri cracks Il with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Il is not content to let Yuri control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yuri taking a breather here.
Il is not content to let Yuri control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Il is trying to improve his position.
Yuri trying to control the position but Il is working away.
Yuri tries to move into full mount but can't pass Il's legs.

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.
Il taking a bit of punishment here - Yuri scoring with strikes.
Il is looking to reverse the position.
Yuri trying to control the position but Il is working away.
Il is trying to get back to half guard.

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

Il fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Yuri, pushing him back against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yuri tries for a takedown. No joy.
Il tries to land knees in the clinch but Yuri avoids the damage to the body.
Yuri stops a takedown attempt from Il.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manfred Yuri showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Il avoids the head kick by Yuri.

Yuri forces Il back against the cage and clinches.
Il tries to pull guard but Yuri won't allow it.
Il is trying to break the clinch but Yuri has him pressed against the cage.

Il escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Il clinches up against the cage.

Il pulls guard successfully.
Yuri trying to control but Il is working from the bottom.
Yuri advances to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Il wants to improve his position but Yuri is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Yuri in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yuri stands up from half guard.
Il misses with a takedown attempt
and Yuri counters with a nice body shot.
Il circles away from the clinch attempt.

Il has Yuri up against the cage in a clinch.

Yuri breaks the clinch.

Il gets a clinch.
Il wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Yuri tries to pull guard but Il forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yuri tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Il smiles and moves away.

Yuri closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Il to the mat! Il manages to get full guard.
Il 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.
Yuri cracks Il with a solid left hand.
Yuri sitting in guard here, content to control.
Il wants to sweep here but Yuri controlling him for the moment.
Il is pulling down on Yuri's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yuri trying to control the position from guard on top but Il is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Il working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yuri.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Il fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Louis Il. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Il moves into the clinch successfully.
A bit of stalling here from Il.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Il keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Yuri's efforts to push away.
Yuri fails to pull guard.
Yuri is working for takedown but Il is calmly controlling the position for now.
Yuri takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Yuri manages to break the clinch.
Il shoots for a takedown but Yuri saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Yuri will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Yuri doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Il counters by clinching up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Il is trying to pull guard but Yuri turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Louis Il has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Il tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Yuri avoids it.
Louis Il has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Manfred Yuri is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Il lands a body shot in the clinch.

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 Louis Il.
I think Yuri 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 David Hoff scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manfred Yuri!
Manfred Yuri seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.