PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joel Bates (ranked 948 p4p, 128 weight class) and Denis Prager (ranked 1596 p4p, 213 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Bates
vs
Prager

180 cm
26
190 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

176 cm
26
193 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Joel Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Denis Prager!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Bart Greer and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bates tries to bum rush Prager with a series of wild strikes but Prager uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Prager manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bates on his heels. He'll look to pass Bates's guard now, I'm sure.
Prager lands a couple of elbows.
Prager controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bates has Prager pulled in close to control his posture.
Prager not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Prager looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Prager postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Prager.
Prager not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Bates keeping moving, preventing Prager from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates trying to keep a closed guard but Prager is proving a slippery customer.
Prager throws a big elbow that misses.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Bates holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bates lands a nice looking body shot.
Bates lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Prager at a distance.
Bates fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Prager drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bates can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Prager controls the pace.
Bates working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Prager.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Prager lands a couple of elbows.
Prager tries to free his leg and advance position but Bates is retaining full guard.
Bates on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bates tries to get out of the position.
Bates keeping moving, preventing Prager from controlling successfully.
Prager is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Bates avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Bates preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Prager wants to control from the top but Bates keeps moving.
Prager throwing strikes from guard but Bates blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Prager gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bates counters with a left to the body.
Bates paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Bates lands with a straight right. Prager didn't see that one coming.
Prager misses with a takedown attempt
and Bates counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Prager thinking.
Bates is looking to wear down Prager with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
A good leg kick by Bates.
Prager fails with the takedown
and Bates counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Joel Bates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Denis Prager.
Prager has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Bates finds it's way round the side to connect with Prager's head.
Nice body punch from Bates.
Prager closes the distance and clinches up with Bates, looking for a takedown. Prager pushes Bates against the cage but Bates circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bates feinted there with a counter leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Prager gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bates counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bates scores with a hook to the body. Prager takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Bates scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Prager fails with a takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Prager or perhaps it was just good defense by Bates, which made it look bad.
Bates lands a right hook to the body.
Bates scores with a kick to the body.
Prager shoots and misses
and Bates counters with a left to the body.
Prager looks winded!
Bates throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Bates lands a slapping body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice body kick there by Bates.
Prager misses with a takedown
enabling Bates to counter with a crisp jab.
Bates scoring well with a low kick there.
Bates changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice shot lands for Bates.
Prager has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Bates finds it's way round the side to connect with Prager's head.

Prager shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Bates napping and manages to drive through 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!
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Bates is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Prager is breathing heavily.
Prager is staying tight to Bates's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates tries to bench press Prager off him but Prager keeps the position.
Prager misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Bates manages to work his way to half guard, despite Prager's best efforts.
Denis Prager has got the better of the ground game so far.
Prager is trying to control the action in half guard but Bates is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Prager perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Prager is thwarting Bates's attempts to control the position.
Prager is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Prager in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates blocking the ground and pound.
Prager fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Prager looking to control but Bates is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Prager thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Prager tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bates in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Bates tries to hold on but Prager postures up.
Prager connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prager trying to control but Bates is having none of it.
Prager looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Prager pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Prager tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
A nice elbow there by Prager.
Prager has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Bates's face.
Bates is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Prager looking to control but Bates is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Prager controlling from mount.
Poor strikes thrown by Prager there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Prager looking to control and managing it successfully.
Prager throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Bates because Prager loaded up on that one.
Prager takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Prager trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Prager throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Bates because Prager loaded up on that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Prager showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bates lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Prager with a poor takedown
and Bates counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Prager thinking.
Bates stuffs the takedown.
Prager chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Bates can pounce on him.
Prager darts in looking for a takedown but Bates gets double underhooks and turns Prager into the cage.
Joel Bates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Denis Prager.
Prager fails with the takedown
enabling Bates to counter with a crisp jab.
Bates scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Prager fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bates avoids it really well and circles away.
Bates seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Bates cracks Prager with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Prager looks for a takedown but Bates sprawls well.
Prager throws a leg kick
and Bates counters with a nice low kick that buckles Prager's knee momentarily.
Prager takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bates defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Prager.
Prager gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Bates counter with a right hand.
Bates jabs at Prager's body.
Bates throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Prager stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Bates lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Bates connects with a nice looking jab.
Joel Bates is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Prager walks into a jab.
Prager shoots and misses
and Bates counters with a nice body shot.
Prager with a poor takedown
and Bates counters with a nice low kick that buckles Prager's knee momentarily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bates digs a good body shot into Prager's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bates sends Prager crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Bates is motioning to the referee to let Prager up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

Prager is rocked!
Bates plants his feet and throws a brutal three punch combo that sends Prager swiftly into unconsciousness! Right, left, right! Boom, boom, boom! Prager face plants, battered and bloodied! He might never be the same again after that finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:13 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Joel Bates!
Our winner, Joel Bates, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.