PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Travis Bickle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thatcher Halverson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bickle's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen. Halverson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Enter Sandman. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Bickle
vs
Halverson

185 cm
34
193 lbs
16 - 10 - 1

196 cm
25
200 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 16 - 10 - 1, fighting out of London, Travis Bickle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Thatcher Halverson!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bickle throws a right hand that Halverson ducks under and follows up with a left that Halverson also avoids with ease.
Halverson drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Bickle defends it well.
Bickle misses with a kick to the body.
Halverson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Halverson misses with a takedown
and Bickle counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Bickle motions for Halverson to come forward. Bickle throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bickle misses with a looping left.
Bickle throws a jab when Halverson was well out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Halverson! But no joy.
Bickle feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Halversons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Bickle walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Halverson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Halverson looks to land a right hand but Bickle moved out of range.
Bickle seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Halverson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bickle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bickle swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bickle throws a right and a left that both miss.
Halverson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bickle pinned against the cage. Bickle gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bickle lands a jab-cross combination.
We've been told by Bickle's head coaches at Red Tri-Angle Gym. 15 Coaches/13 Elite that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Halverson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bickle throws a leg kick but Halverson sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Halverson changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Halverson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bickle throws out the jab.
Bickle swinging wildly here.
Bickle tried to score with a low kick but Halverson checks it.
Halverson drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Bickle defends it well.
Bickle moves forwards but Halverson connects with a nice, crisp jab.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Halverson.
Bickle misses with an attempted mid kick.
It seemed like Halverson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Bickle lands a nice leg kick that just misses Halverson's sensitive parts.

Halverson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bickle to the mat! Bickle manages to get full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Halverson wants to control from the top but Bickle keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halverson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bickle is keeping the position for now.
Bickle keeping moving, preventing Halverson from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bickle is looking to stand up but Halverson isn't so interested in that idea.
Halverson throws a big right hand that misses.

Bickle uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Bickle misses the body punch
and Halverson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Halverson ducks right into an uppercut from Bickle.
A lazy body kick from Bickle
and Halverson counters with a stiff right hand.
Halverson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bickle manages to avoid it.
Halverson shoots for a takedown but Bickle saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Travis Bickle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thatcher Halverson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halverson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Bickle.
Bickle keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Halverson.
Bickle looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Halverson throws an off balance right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Bickle thows a left - swing and a miss!

Halverson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Bickle is pulling down on Halverson's head. It's preventing any offense from Halverson, at least for the moment.

Bickle looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Halverson has picked Bickle up and slammed him! Bickle can't keep hold of the triangle and Halverson manages to pass to side control!
Bickle is not content to let Halverson control the position.
Bickle avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Halverson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bickle is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Halverson asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Halverson trying to control the action but Bickle is working from the bottom.
Bickle is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Halverson is looking to take a break and control but Bickle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Halverson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Bickle dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Halverson shoots for a takedown but Bickle saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bickle steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Halverson.
Bickle misses with a lunging right hand
and Halverson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bickle misses with a body shot.
Bickle is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Halverson can do to turn this around?
Halverson moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Travis Bickle is winning the standup battle so far.
Bickle uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Halverson.
Bickle throws a head kick but Halverson moves out of range.
Halverson looks to land a left hand but Bickle moved out of range nicely.
Bickle throws a right hand that Halverson ducks under and follows up with a left that Halverson also avoids with ease.
A little jabbing left from Halverson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Bickle misses with a body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bickle is looking to clinch.
Bickle misses with a double jab
and Halverson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bickle throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Halverson might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Bickle throws a body kick that misses

and Halverson counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halverson tries to free his leg and advance position but Bickle is retaining full guard.

Halverson stands up over his opponent, looking to dive in with a big punch. Here he comes, superman style! Oh, the punch misses and Bickle has got him in a triangle choke for good measure! Oh no! Halverson manages to get his head free but now Bickle has transitioned to an armbar! Halverson grimaces and is forced to tap! Beautiful Jiu Jitsu from Bickle! I'd be surprised if that didn't end up as submission of the night!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Travis Bickle!
Travis Bickle was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.
Thatcher Halverson spoke after the fight, saying 'I shall rise to the top again! Thanks to the promoter for making the fight and opportunity. Also thanks to my opponent for stepping up and taking the fight. He proved tonight why he's the champ.'.