PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Ashton (ranked 186 p4p, 21 weight class) and Andre Haack (ranked 1255 p4p, 160 weight class). Ashton comes to the cage accompanied by Zombie Nation. Eric Ashton could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Andre Haack's chin.

Ashton
vs
Haack

182 cm
31
189 lbs
22 - 21 - 0

183 cm
35
183 lbs
27 - 14 - 2

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sully's Bar & Grill

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

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 22 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Eric Ashton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 14 - 2, fighting out of New York, Andre Haack!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Eddie Farnsworth and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, jab by Haack - just one landing.
Ashton lands with a kick to the ribs.
Haack displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ashton throws out the jab.
Ashton has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Haack.
Haack is looking to land body kicks.
Ashton throws a body punch but Haack moves out of range.
Ashton seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Haack throws a body kick that misses

and Ashton counters with a shoot takedown. Haack fights it but they end up in guard.
Haack wants to stand and escape but Ashton is having none of it.
Haack looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ashton looking to pass the guard.
Ashton controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ashton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Haack is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ashton checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Haack bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ashton uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Haack.
Haack goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Haack throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ashton dives in for a single leg takedown but Haack sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ashton throws a body shot but no joy.
Ashton throws a hook but Haack blocks it.
Haack looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Haack feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ashton's calf.
Ashton throws a lazy right hand but Haack sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Haack's coach down at Big Price MMA was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Haack's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Haack misses the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haack lands a leg kick that knocks Ashton off balance momentarily.
Haack tries to land a body kick

so Ashton counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Ashton postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Haack is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ashton, into his guard.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haack trying to control but Ashton is working from the bottom.
Ashton can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Haack controls the pace.
Ashton is pulling down on Haack's head to control his posture.
Ashton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Haack is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton is working hard here to advance position.
Ashton is controlling Haack's posture.
Ashton wants to sweep here but Haack controlling him for the moment.
Ashton wants to hit a switch here but Haack passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Ashton there!
Haack content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ashton sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haack controlling the pace.
Ashton is looking to improve his position.
Haack trying to pass the guard but Ashton defending well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ashton holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Ashton tries to roll over but Haack keeps him under control.
Ashton is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Haack's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Haack's back!
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 Eric Ashton will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ashton works the jab nicely.
Haack throws a shot to the body.
Ashton with a lazy takedown attempt
and Haack counters with a low kick, right behind Ashton 's knee.
Haack walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ashton wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ashton shoots in looking for a takedown but Haack manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ashton's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Haack looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Haack.
Ashton checks a leg kick nicely.
The fighters circle momentarily. Haack darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Ashton looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Haack is looking to sweep but instead, Ashton has passed into half guard.
Haack trying to control but Ashton postures up.
Eric Ashton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Haack is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton wants to pass to mount but Haack is defending the position.
Ashton is taking a breather. Haack says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Ashton is looking for a kimura here.
Haack is refusing to be controlled, as Ashton sits in half guard.

Haack is defending against the submission attempts here by Ashton.

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.
Ashton is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Ashton goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Haack turns into him and now he's in Ashton's guard.
Haack trying to control but Ashton is working from the bottom.
Ashton working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haack controls from within his opponent's guard.
Haack trying to control but Ashton is working from the bottom.
Haack pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ashton is keeping the position for now.
Ashton is adopting a defensive guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ashton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Haack wants to control from the top but Ashton keeps moving.
Ashton has control of Haack's left arm, preventing Haack from doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Haack lands a high kick!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Haack misses with an attempted mid kick.
Haack throws a leg kick but Ashton checks it.
Ashton feinted with a counter takedown.
Ashton scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Haack tried to score with a low kick but Ashton checks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Andre Haack will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Haack thows a leg kick but Ashton checks it

and Ashton counters with a nice double leg into side control. Haack won't be happy with that.
Haack sneaks back into half guard.
Haack is looking to control Ashton's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Haack avoid being mounted?
The fighters are battling for position here. Haack manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ashton passes Haack's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ashton wants to take a breather but Haack is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ashton looking for a submission but Haack manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Ashton stops Haack from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haack is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ashton trying to control but Haack is working from the bottom.
Ashton passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Haack prevents Ashton from improving position.
Haack manages to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Ashton is looking for a kimura here.

Ashton is working for a kimura but Haack is defending it quite comfortably.
Ashton wants to pass the guard but Haack is defending well.
Ashton is keen to just control but Haack is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haack is trying to stand up here but Ashton is controlling him well.
Haack trying to control but Ashton postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ashton throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ashton's corner calls for a 1-2. Ashton obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Haack attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Haack swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Haack works Ashton's body with a nice hook.
Ashton looks to throw the jab but Haack is out of range.
Ashton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ashton getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Haack throws a sloppy head kick and Ashton moves out of range easily.
Ashton jabs Haack right on the nose. Haack blinks but takes it well.
Ashton dives in and grabs Haack's left leg, looking for a takedown. Haack pushes down on Ashton's head and hops out.
Haack connects with a leg kick. Ashton looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Ashton gets a double leg takedown into Haack's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Haack keeping moving, preventing Ashton from controlling successfully.
Ashton engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ashton trying to control but Haack is working from the bottom.
Ashton prevents Haack from getting back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ashton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Haack looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ashton is one step ahead there.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Ashton showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ashton 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!