PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joe Lau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Logan Manns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lau
vs
Manns

170 cm
24
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Lau!
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, Logan Manns!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manns shoots in looking for a takedown but Lau manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Manns's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Manns darts in and clinches Lau up against the cage.
Lau looking for a takedown.
Lau wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Manns has him pressed against the cage.

Manns escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Manns wants to clinch but Lau slips to the side

and Lau counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Manns!
Manns takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Lau cracks Manns with a big elbow.
Manns can't do much from the bottom here.
Manns tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lau wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Manns keeps trying to improve his position.
Check out the look on Lau's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Manns is trying to control Lau's posture but Lau avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lau is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Manns has escaped the position, nice work there.
Manns is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Manns seems a little lost for a moment, as Lau dominates the positioning.
Lau lands an elbow.
Manns is looking for a sweep.
Manns gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lau is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Manns on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Lau there.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Lau lands a nice short elbow.
Lau lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Lau thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Lau in particular looking to stall.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lau lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lau looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Lau is nestled in close to Manns, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Lau is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Lau throwing strikes but missing.
Manns is looking to sweep but instead, Lau has passed into half guard.
Lau wants to take a breather but Manns is having none of it.

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.
Manns gets back to full guard.
Lau slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Manns.
Lau is trying to control. Manns wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lau is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Lau connects with a nice short shot to Manns's temple.
Lau slows the pace down in half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lau is keen to just control but Manns is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Lau dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Manns with a poor takedown

and Lau counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Manns has his foot on Lau's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lau works his way back into a safe position though.
Lau working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Lau controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lau trying to control but Manns is working from the bottom.
Lau showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lau working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Manns can do anything to dispel that myth.
Manns can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Lau controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lau looking to sit in guard and control but Manns gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Joe Lau overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Manns throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Manns throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lau wants to sweep here but Manns controlling him for the moment.
Manns wants to control from the top but Lau keeps moving.
Manns is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Manns postures up in Lau's guard and throws a big left but Lau blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Manns with a nice head shot there.
Manns wants to stand but Lau has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Manns looking to sit in guard and control but Lau gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Lau prevents Manns from getting back to his feet.
Lau postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lau with a nice head shot there.
Lau works over Manns with some ground and pound from guard.
Lau looking to pass the guard.
Lau working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lau trying to control but Manns is working from the bottom.
Lau postures up.
Lau trying to control but Manns is working from the bottom.
Lau controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Manns keeping moving, preventing Lau from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Manns misses with a combination

and Lau counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Manns is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manns wants to get back to full guard.
Lau winds up and cracks Manns with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Lau prevents Manns from standing back up.

Lau is working for a submission of some sort.
Lau is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lau winds up and cracks Manns with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Lau looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Manns with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Lau lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Lau dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Lau tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Manns swivels and escapes.
Lau sets himself, and Manns steps forward looking for the clinch! Lau avoids it this time.
Logan Manns seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Manns gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Lau counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Lau performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Manns holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Let's hope that Manns has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manns trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lau frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Manns takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lau pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Lau dominating with strikes here.
Lau lands a big elbow.
Lau controlling from mount.
Lau unloading with bombs!
Lau controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lau looking to secure an arm triangle but Manns defends it well.
Lau lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Manns is working to get back to half guard.
Lau raining down shots from the mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lau tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Lau looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manns keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Lau scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Manns is desperately trying to improve his position but Lau has a good base and remains in mount.
Lau postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Manns looks a forlorn figure.
Lau working the ground and pound effectively.
Lau takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The referee warns Manns that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lau landing shots from mount.
Lau landing strikes from the mount and Manns is in trouble!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Manns is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lau has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Lau with a couple of short strikes.

Lau wants to finish this one by submission but Manns is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Lau.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lau postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Manns looks a forlorn figure.
A nice elbow there by Lau.
Lau takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Manns taking shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Lau showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lau, 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Joe Lau!
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight for Joe Lau!
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight for Joe Lau!

Joe Lau wins by unanimous decision!