PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Joshua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Bickle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joshua's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Parklife- Blur. Bickle is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Joshua
vs
Bickle

183 cm
26
190 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

185 cm
33
193 lbs
15 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

ON TAP 160Q Nutrition

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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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Joshua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 1, fighting out of London, Travis Bickle!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bickle throws a body kick that misses.
Joshua pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bickle is out of range and Joshua settles back down.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Joshua, as that shot connected.
Bickle throws a body shot but no joy.
Bickle loads up on a big right hand but Joshua slips the punch.
Bickle scores with a nice body kick.

Bickle gets tackled into the cage by Joshua. Joshua maintains the clinch.
Bickle throws a head punch that misses.
Bickle tries to work over Joshua's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Joshua effectively controlling the action here.
Joshua lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Bickle tries to land knees in the clinch but Joshua avoids the damage to the body.
Bickle is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bickle misses with a hook to the ribs.
Joshua working Bickle over with knees to the body.
Joshua creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Bickle's defenses.

It looks like Travis Bickle has been cut.
Joshua tries a body shot but Bickle blocks it.
Joshua can't find room to land a body shot as Bickle controls the action.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bickle has Joshua pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Joshua manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joshua lands a body shot in the clinch.
Joshua lands an elbow inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Joshua.
Bickle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Joshua tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bickle's elbow.
Bickle is working for takedown but Joshua is calmly controlling the position for now.
Daniel Joshua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Travis Bickle.

Joshua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bickle tries to clinch but Joshua moves out of range.
Bickle throws a leg kick but Joshua sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Bickle sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A clash of legs there as Bickle blocks the low kick.
Bickle attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Bickle throws out a leg kick but Joshua moves out of range and Bickle only half commits.

Bickle rushes Joshua and presses him up against the cage.
Joshua blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bickle throws an elbow but it misses.
Bickle blocks an elbow strike from Joshua.
Joshua lands an elbow inside.
Joshua managing to block the knees to the body from Bickle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Joshua fails to land.
Bickle softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bickle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bickle presses Joshua against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Bickle blocks an uppercut.
Joshua effectively controlling the action here.
Joshua can't find room to land a body shot as Bickle controls the action.
A head punch on the inside from Joshua fails to land.
Joshua tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bickle's elbow.
Bickle lands with a right to the head.
Bickle missing with knees to the body.

Bickle turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Bickle manages to end up in side control.
Bickle throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Joshua tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joshua is not content to let Bickle control the position.
Bickle throws an elbow but Joshua slips to the side and avoids it well.
Bickle throws a strike aimed at the side of Joshua's head but Joshua avoids it well.
Bickle trying to control the position but Joshua is working away.
Joshua can't do much from the bottom here.
Bickle throws a strike aimed at the side of Joshua's head but Joshua avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Bickle is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Joshua has escaped the position, nice work there.
Bickle sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Joshua is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Bickle thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Joshua is not content to let Bickle control the position.
An elbow from Bickle crashes against the mat.
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 Daniel Joshua will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Travis Bickle's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bickle moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Joshua misses with a body shot.
Bickle misses with a right hand
and Joshua counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bickle is looking to score with low kicks.
Bickle fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Joshua is out of range.
Bickle thumps Joshua with a low kick.
A head kick by Bickle misses
and Joshua counters with a nice low kick that buckles Bickle's knee momentarily.
Joshua throws a half hearted mid kick.
Bickle has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Joshua.
Joshua chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Bickle can pounce on him.
Joshua lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Bickle checks the leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joshua lands a nice shot that snaps Bickle's head back.
A slapping leg kick lands for Joshua.

Bickle clinches up with Joshua and pushes him back against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joshua goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Bickle tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bickle tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Joshua avoids it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bickle.
Joshua looking to stall.
Joshua misses with a hook to the ribs.
Joshua doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Joshua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Joshua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Bickle misses with an elbow over the top.
Joshua lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bickle throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Joshuas head.
Bickle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Joshua.
Joshua throws a punch but it's blocked by Bickle.
Bickle prevents a body shot from Joshua.

Bickle drags the fight down to the ground.
Joshua wants to stand and escape but instead Bickle has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joshua has momentary wrist control but Bickle slips an elbow through the middle.
Bickle wants to control from the top but Joshua keeps moving.
Bickle controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bickle trying to control the position from guard on top but Joshua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bickle stopping the sweep attempt from Joshua.
Bickle is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joshua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bickle is one step ahead there.
Bickle trying to control the position from guard on top but Joshua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joshua is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bickle throws a big elbow that misses.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Joshua wants to sweep here but Bickle controlling him for the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Joshua scores with the left hand. Bickle knows he should have avoided that one.
Bickle scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Joshua sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Joshua swings for the body but Bickle moves out of range.
Joshua keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Joshua displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bickle.
Joshua looks to land a body kick but Bickle moved away.
A jab from Joshua misses.
Good work by Bickle as he checks the leg kick.
Bickle steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Bickle moves out of range of the body kick.
Joshua throws the kick towards the body but Bickle avoids it.
Bickle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Travis Bickle will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Travis Bickle's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bickle on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Joshua. Joshua obviously looking to wear him down.
Bickle throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Joshua's waist but Joshua gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bickle off to one side.
Bickle scores with a leg kick.
Joshua cracks Bickle with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bickle with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Joshua loads up on a big right hand but Bickle slips the punch.
Joshua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Joshua takes the fight into the clinch.
Bickle misses with a punch on the inside.
Bickle is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Joshua prevents a body shot from Bickle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joshua blocks an uppercut.
Joshua swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Joshua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Still in the clinch, Bickle scores with a nice short uppercut.
Bickle fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bickle trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joshua goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Joshua fails to land.
Joshua is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Bickle trying to land knees to the body.
Joshua lands with a left to the head.
Bickle lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Joshua doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bickle works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Bickle avoiding damage as Joshua throws knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Bickle just misses with a elbow thrown towards Joshua's brow.
Joshua tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bickle missing with knees to the body.
A short uppercut from Bickle.
Bickle has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Joshua seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Bickle can turn it around.

Joshua breaks the clinch.
Daniel Joshua is winning the standup battle so far.
A swing and a miss from Bickle.

Bickle drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Joshua takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bickle throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Travis Bickle has got the better of the ground game so far.
Joshua holding on.
Bickle in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Bickle working the ground and pound.
Joshua avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Bickle.
Bickle is looking to take a break and control but Joshua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bickle stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Bickle tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bickle missing with a left hand there. Joshua was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bickle tries to close the distance and clinch up but Joshua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bickle moves out of range of the strikes.
Daniel Joshua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bickle misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bickle fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Joshua is out of range.
Joshua throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bickle.
Daniel Joshua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Travis Bickle.
Joshua works over Bickle's head and body with a nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Joshua as Bickle shoots in.
Bickle misses with a head kick.
Joshua slaps away a takedown attempt from Bickle, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bickle takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Joshua checks the leg kick.
Bickle takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Joshua with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bickle checks a low kick from Joshua.
Joshua moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromBickle.
Bickle is looking to score with low kicks.
Joshua chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Bickle looks to land a body kick but Joshua moved away.
Bickle shoots in for a takedown but Joshua shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
It looks like Joshua has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Left hook, right uppercut from Joshua.
Joshua misses with a low kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Joshua finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

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 Daniel Joshua.
I think Joshua 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27

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