PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Obrien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John James Paul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John James Paul has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Obrien
vs
James Paul

162 cm
24
194 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Leonardo Obrien!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John James Paul!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Skip Squint and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Paul moves into the clinch.
Paul lands a left hand that snaps the head of Obrien backwards.

Paul breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Paul instigates a clinch.

Obrien gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Obrien not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Obrien prevents Paul from standing back up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Paul can do anything to dispel that myth.
Obrien with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Obrien really is a fat lump.
Paul is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Obrien jumps into side control!
Obrien working the ground and pound.
Paul is trying to get back to half guard.
Obrien works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paul wants to get back to his feet but Obrien is dominant here and he's now got Paul's back!
Obrien lands punches and elbows.
Obrien is not going to allow Paul to sit and survive in this position.
Paul is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Obrien has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Paul's body.
Paul trying to control the hands but Obrien won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paul is trying to get back to his feet but Obrien has full control of the position and if anything, Paul has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Paul is in bad spot here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Obrien has good solid back control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul trying to control the position but Obrien manages to sink in the hooks.
Good control from Obrien.
Paul can't escape the position.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

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.
Paul just trying to survive but Obrien is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Paul rolls, trying to escape but Obrien keeps control of the position.
Paul is trying to get back to his feet but Obrien has full control of the position and if anything, Paul has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Paul tries to escape the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Obrien dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Leonardo Obrien's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Paul gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nice elbow from Paul.
Paul lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Paul tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Obrien can't get the takedown.
Obrien has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Paul after a bit of a struggle.

Paul pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Paul throws a head kick but Obrien moves out of range.
Obrien throws a series of punches but Paul avoids them all with ease.

Paul fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Obrien, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paul lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Paul scores with a knee to the head.
Paul connects with a knee to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Paul is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Obrien. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paul connects with a knee to the head.
Paul lands a nice elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paul throws an elbow but it misses.

Obrien gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Paul wants to get back to his feet but Obrien is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Paul 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.
Paul is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Obrien is controlling him.
Paul is trying to keep Obrien in close.
Paul is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paul wants to improve his position but instead Obrien has moved into half guard.
Paul tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Obrien has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Paul working to try and regain half guard.
Leonardo Obrien overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul keeps trying to improve his position.
Obrien landing strikes from the mount.

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.
Obrien avoids the attempt from Paul to control.
Paul is working to get back to half guard.
Obrien lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Paul tries to hold on but Obrien postures up.
Obrien works his way to his opponent's back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Obrien really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Paul.
Obrien is hanging on to Paul's back as he tries to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John James Paul showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Leonardo Obrien's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Obrien closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Paul tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Paul tries to escape the position.
Paul is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paul is trying to get back to his feet but Obrien has full control of the position and if anything, Paul has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Obrien lands a shot to the body.
Paul wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obrien keeps control of the position as Paul tries to break free.
Paul is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Obrien.
Paul is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Paul wants to control his opponent's hands but Obrien gets his hands free.
Paul trying to get back to his feet but Obrien is in full control for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Obrien looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Paul wants to get back to his feet.
I really don't envy Paul right now.
Obrien scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Obrien slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Paul trying to control the position but Obrien manages to sink in the hooks.
Paul might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Obrien haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Obrien is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Paul can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obrien punches Paul on the ear.
Paul is trying to get back to his feet but Obrien has full control of the position and if anything, Paul has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Paul trying to control but not successfully.
Paul tries to roll but Obrien sticks to his back.
Paul is trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Can Paul hold on?! Obrien is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Paul surviving as best he can, preventing damage.
Good control from Obrien.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonardo Obrien showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Obrien 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonardo Obrien!