PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Austin Warren (ranked 24223 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evander Holyfield (ranked 6215 p4p, 0 weight class). Austin Warren has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Warren
vs
Holyfield

216 cm
26
194 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
23
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Austin Warren!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Evander Holyfield!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Warren fails with the takedown.
As Warren backs off Holyfield throws a huge counter combo but Warren manages to avoid it all.
Holyfield shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Warren counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Holyfield fails with the takedown

and Warren counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Holyfield is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Warren scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Holyfield tries to roll over but Warren keeps him under control.

Holyfield has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Warren escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Warren!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Warren looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Warren lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Holyfield down.
Holyfield is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Holyfield takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Warren gets to mount! Holyfield was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Warren content just to control the position here.
Holyfield wants to try and get back to his feet.
Warren landing shots from mount.
Holyfield tries to hold on but Warren postures up.
Holyfield sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Holyfield is looking for a sweep. Warren is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Warren is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Warren scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Warren lands strikes from half guard.
Holyfield is looking to improve his position.

Warren is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Warren looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Warren is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Warren is working for a kimura but Holyfield is defending it quite comfortably.
Holyfield is looking to escape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Holyfield is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Warren stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Warren dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Holyfield shoots in for a takedown but Warren shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Warren is looking to counter the offense by Holyfield and move into the clinch.

Holyfield instigates a clinch.
Holyfield looking for a takedown.
Warren tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Holyfield smiles and moves away.
Warren stuffs the takedown.
Austin Warren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evander Holyfield.
Holyfield looks for a takedown but Warren sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holyfield with a poor takedown
and Warren counters with a stiff right hand.

Holyfield takes the fight into the clinch.

Warren pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holyfield preventing the sweep.
Holyfield must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Warren is on top in guard.

Warren lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Holyfield wants to control but Warren passes easily into half guard.
Holyfield trying to control here.
Holyfield is trying to stand.
Holyfield has hold of Warren's hands but Warren slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Warren takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Warren connects with a nice short shot to Holyfield's temple.
Nice strikes from Warren there.
Warren is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Holyfield can do to turn this around?
Warren lands with a punch from half guard.
Warren really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Warren working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Warren seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Holyfield does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Holyfield tries to get to full guard but Warren has control of the leg.
Holyfield is breathing heavily.
Holyfield trying to control but Warren postures up.
Holyfield tries to kick Warren off in order to stand up. Warren Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holyfield looks to move to half guard but instead Warren has passed into mount! Damn!
Warren fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Warren breaks from Holyfield's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Warren landing strikes, looking to finish!
Warren unloading with bombs!
Warren in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Holyfield tries to lock up and control but Warren gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Warren jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Holyfield manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Warren tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Warren has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Holyfield is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Warren has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Warren is chipping away with strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holyfield is looking to reverse the position.
Warren working the body and head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Warren dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Warren has closed the distance and engaged Holyfield in a clinch.
Holyfield is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Warren to keep the fight standing.
Holyfield stalling in the clinch.
Holyfield trying to stall but Warren improves his position.
Holyfield scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Austin Warren has been cut.
Warren fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Holyfield tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Holyfield throws a knee to the head but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Warren gets control of Holyfield's arms and successfully pulls guard. Warren will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Warren wants to stand but Holyfield is controlling the position.

Warren pushes Holyfield off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Warren stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Warren wants it to stay on the feet.
Austin Warren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evander Holyfield.
Holyfield takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Holyfield throws a sloppy head kick
and Warren counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Holyfield looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Holyfield has managed to clinch.
Warren fails to pull guard.

Warren breaks the clinch.

Holyfield moves into the clinch.
Holyfield has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Warren avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holyfield tries for a takedown but Warren manages to get underhooks.

Warren turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Warren manages to end up in side control.
Holyfield on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
The referee asks Warren politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Warren prefers to stall for the moment though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Warren thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Warren takes a little break here. Holyfield wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Holyfield tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Warren presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Warren lands a big elbow.
Holyfield in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Warren trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Austin Warren overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Holyfield is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

Warren goes for an armbar but Holyfield turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Holyfield.
Warren manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Holyfield manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Warren landing with the ground and pound.
Warren connects with a couple of short punches.
Warren working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Holyfield looking to control.

Warren is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Evander Holyfield has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Austin Warren is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Warren controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Warren showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Warren, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Warren!