PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Don Julio (ranked 1819 p4p, 275 weight class) and Trey Lawson (ranked 3484 p4p, 460 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Julio
vs
Lawson

186 cm
39
184 lbs
29 - 20 - 1

182 cm
33
180 lbs
17 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 29 - 20 - 1, fighting out of New York, Don Julio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Trey Lawson!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Glass and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawson with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Julio to counter with a crisp jab.
We've been told by Julio's head coaches at Midnight MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Lawson tries to land a front kick but Julio steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Julio lands the left hand.
Julio throws out a leg kick but Lawson moves out of range and Julio only half commits.
Julio steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lawson.

Lawson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Julio is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Lawson is controlling him well.
Julio parries the strikes from Lawson easily there. Lawson is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Julio to escape.
Lawson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Julio is trying to buck Lawson off.
A lull in the action here as Lawson stalls from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawson working the strikes but Julio uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Julio tries to kick Lawson off but Lawson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Julio keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lawson stops Julio from getting back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Trey Lawson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lawson. Julio does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lawson with a poor takedown
and Julio counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Julio looks to land a left hand but Lawson moved out of range nicely.
Julio takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
No luck for Lawson with that takedown attempt.
Don Julio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Trey Lawson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Julio.
Lawson throws a half hearted mid kick.
Lawson misses with an uppercut.
Lawson has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Lawson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Julio misses with an uppercut. Lawson saw that one coming.
Julio scores with a nice right hand.
Lawson misses with a body punch
and Julio cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Julio throws an overhand right that lands on Lawson's shoulder, as Lawson tries to avoid the shot.
Lawson slips a jab from Julio.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Julio has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Julio there as he acknowledges the shot.
Julio takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Julio throws a head kick but Lawson moves out of range.
Julio misses with a head kick.
Lawson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Julio as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Julio looks to land a right hand but Lawson moved out of range.
Julio lands a leg kick that knocks Lawson off balance momentarily.
A big right from Julio misses.
A cross from Julio lands.
Julio misses with a body kick.
Julio throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Don Julio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lawson. Julio does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lawson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Julio counters with a nice uppercut.
Julio loads up on a big right hand but Lawson slips the punch.
Lawson slips a jab from Julio.
Nice shot lands for Julio.
Lawson dodges the punch combination from Julio.
Sloppy strikes from Lawson. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lawson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lawson shoots in for a double leg but Julio sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lawson throws a hook but Julio blocks it.
Julio moves out of range of the strikes.
Julio is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Lawson throws a shot from downtown. Julio moves away and avoids it.
Lawson throws a combination that misses
and Julio counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Julio misses with a head kick.
Julio misses with a straight right.
Lawson connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Julio throws a sloppy head kick and Lawson moves out of range easily.
And Lawson tries to counter it with a takedown but Julio pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Lawson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Julio is looking to stand up but Lawson isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Julio dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lawson cracks Julio with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A head kick from Julio lands but Lawson takes it in his stride.
Lawson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Lawson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lawson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Julio misses with a low kick.
Lawson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Lawson jabs Julio to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Julio gets caught flat footed, as Lawson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Lawson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Julio works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lawson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Julio has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Lawson has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Julio breaks from the clinch.
Lawson has a takedown stuffed.

Lawson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Julio to the mat! Julio manages to get full guard.

Julio kicks Lawson off and gets to his feet.
Lawson bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Julio's head backwards.
Lawson cracks the inside of Julio's front leg.
Lawson missing with a left hand there. Julio was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Julio fakes the leg kick and cracks Lawson in the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lawson misses with an uppercut.
Lawson throws an overhand right that lands on Julio's shoulder, as Julio tries to avoid the shot.
Lawson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Julio moves away.
Lawson misses with a right hand
and Julio counters with a straight right hand.
Lawson jabs Julio to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Julio throws a head kick that misses.
Julio connects with a good right hand that stumbles Lawson. Lawson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Lawson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Julio.
Julio uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lawson.
Julio is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lawson can do to turn this around?
Lawson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Julio.
Julio looks to land a right hand but Lawson moved out of range.
Lawson throws a body punch but Julio moves out of range.
Lawson scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Julio connects with a leg kick. Lawson looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawson shoots in for a takedown but Julio shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Don Julio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Trey Lawson.
Lawson's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Julio connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Lawson scrambles back to his feet.
Lawson misses with a right hand
and Julio counters with a stiff right hand.
Lawson misses with a hook. Julio ducked under it nicely.
Julio fires out a quick counter leg kick but Lawson just manages to avoid it.
Lawson moves away from the strike by Julio.
Lawson staying out of range there.
Julio throws a looping overhand right but Lawson ducks down to avoid it.
Lawson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Lawson slips a jab from Julio.

Lawson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Lawson is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Julio is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Julio trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Lawson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Julio's head.
Lawson wants to take a breather but Julio is having none of it.
Julio keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A telegraphed right hand from Lawson misses the target.
Lawson slips a jab from Julio.
Lawson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Julio slips a jab and a cross from Lawson.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lawson.
Julio is looking to counter with a body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Don Julio will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lawson manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Julio on his heels. He'll look to pass Julio's guard now, I'm sure.
Lawson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lawson wants to control from the top but Julio keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lawson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawson trying to control the position from guard on top but Julio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Julio wants to stand up but Lawson is controlling him.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Lawson stays in close to Julio's body and controls the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Lawson closes the distance and clinches up with Julio, looking for a takedown. Lawson pushes Julio against the cage but Julio circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Julio throws a quick counter head kick but Lawson was just out of range.

That's two 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.
Lawson throws a right hand that Julio ducks under and follows up with a left that Julio also avoids with ease.
Lawson takes a kick to the side of the head.
Julio waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lawson.
Julio ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
It looked like Julio was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Lawson.
Julio cracks Lawson with a right hand to the side of the head.
Julio waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lawson.
Julio connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Lawson's hands.
Lawson misses with a two punch combination.
Julio thuds his right hand into Lawson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Lawson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Julio is not content to let Lawson control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Lawson.
Julio is trying to get back to his feet.
Julio is being controlled here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Lawson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Julio is avoiding damage well.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Julio slips under a jab.
Trey Lawson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters circling - Julio throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Julio defending well as Lawson loads up on a big left hand.
Julio moves out of range of the strikes.
Julio seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Lawson throws a head kick that misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lawson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Lawson connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Don Julio is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Julio takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

And that's the end of the fight!
Trey Lawson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Julio 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Julio!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Don Julio made sure he mentioned Alpha-Male Nutrition Q160, along with how happy he was to win his fight.