PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Francis Fitzpatrick (ranked 515 p4p, 60 weight class) and Elmore James (ranked 469 p4p, 56 weight class). James has chosen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aMfD2O9Gds as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Fitzpatrick
vs
James

180 cm
26
165 lbs
19 - 12 - 0

172 cm
25
167 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Francis Fitzpatrick!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Elmore James!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Daniel Franklin and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from James misses.
Fitzpatrick misses with a hook.
It seemed like James was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Fitzpatrick fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
James thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fitzpatrick missing with a left hand there. James was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
James swings widly with a right hand
and Fitzpatrick counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Fitzpatrick is looking to clinch.
James throws a counter combo.
Fitzpatrick misses with a hook. James ducked under it nicely.
Fitzpatrick defending well as James loads up on a big left hand.
An attempted straight right counter from Fitzpatrick misses the target.
James scores with a decent looking hook.
James looks to throw the jab but Fitzpatrick is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Fitzpatrick clinches up with James and pushes him back against the cage.
Fitzpatrick lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Elmore James has been cut.
Fitzpatrick blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
James throws a head punch that misses.
James is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Fitzpatrick misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short uppercut from James.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James misses with a short punch on the inside.
Fitzpatrick prevents a body shot from James.
Our sources have told us that Fitzpatrick has been working on his elbows in the gym.
James misses with a hook from the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Fitzpatrick creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Still in the clinch, James scores with a nice short uppercut.
James throws a punch but it's blocked by Fitzpatrick.
James tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
James makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
James takes an elbow to the forehead.
James working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Fitzpatrick blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Good body shot from Fitzpatrick.
James swings wildly with an uppercut but Fitzpatrick uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fitzpatrick gets through James's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
James pushes Fitzpatrick back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Fitzpatrick.
James tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Fitzpatrick lands an elbow inside.
Fitzpatrick misses with a punch to the body.
James lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fitzpatrick doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
James tries a body shot but Fitzpatrick blocks it.
James misses with a hook to the ribs.
James lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Fitzpatrick blocking some punches.
James looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Fitzpatrick blocks an uppercut.
Fitzpatrick creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through James's defenses.

That has opened up Elmore James's cut even more.
Fitzpatrick scores with a nice hook to the head.
James avoids the elbow strike from Fitzpatrick, against the cage.
James lands a right hand.
James throws a punch but it's blocked by Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick misses with the head strike.
James can't find room to land a body shot as Fitzpatrick controls the action.
James lands a right hand.
Fitzpatrick misses with a hook from the clinch.
Fitzpatrick working aggressively here.
James lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Fitzpatrick lands a nice shot to the body.
Fitzpatrick blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Fitzpatrick stalling in the clinch.
A short left from Fitzpatrick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James lands a body shot.
Fitzpatrick misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Fitzpatrick swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Fitzpatrick scores with a shoulder strike.
James blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Fitzpatrick throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Fitzpatrick lands a left hand that snaps the head of James backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Fitzpatrick.
James throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Fitzpatricks head.
James lands an uppercut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick pushes James back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
James lands a nice shot to the body.
James swings wildly with an uppercut but Fitzpatrick uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fitzpatrick lands a body shot in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fitzpatrick prevents a body shot from James.
Fitzpatrick blocks an uppercut.
James tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
James tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzpatrick tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Fitzpatrick misses with a punch to the body.
James lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Fitzpatrick throws a head punch that misses.
Fitzpatrick lands an elbow inside that James shrugs off.
Fitzpatrick lands a body shot.
Fitzpatrick lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Fitzpatrick dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A short uppercut from Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Fitzpatrick tries to work over James's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Fitzpatrick lands a shoulder strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch on the inside from James fails to land.
James is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Fitzpatrick is defending well for now.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Fitzpatrick.

The cut above Elmore James's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
James being controlled against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
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 Francis Fitzpatrick will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Elmore James's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

James misses with a straight right.
Fitzpatrick throwing a counter right hand but James manages to avoid it.
James looks to land a right hand but Fitzpatrick moved out of range.
Fitzpatrick connects with a looping right hand.
James slips a straight right by Fitzpatrick.
James looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Fitzpatrick clinches up against the cage.
James misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for James.
James lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Fitzpatrick.
James working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Fitzpatrick gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
James lands a left hand.
Fitzpatrick blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Fitzpatrick swings wildly with an uppercut but James uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fitzpatrick creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through James's defenses.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
James misses with some punches.
James swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Fitzpatrick misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James lands with a left to the head.
James misses with a short punch on the inside.
Fitzpatrick lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of James backwards.

Elmore James's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
James working aggressively here.
James swings wildly with an uppercut but Fitzpatrick uses good head movement to avoid it.
James working aggressively here.
Fitzpatrick tries to throw a body punch but James avoids it by throwing Fitzpatrick back against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Fitzpatrick throws an elbow but misses.
Francis Fitzpatrick has scored more points in the clinch so far.
James misses with a hook from the clinch.
Fitzpatrick lands a hook to the side of the head.
James throws a punch but it's blocked by Fitzpatrick.
James fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Fitzpatrick lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Fitzpatrick makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
James pushes Fitzpatrick back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick has a couple of punches blocked by James.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fitzpatrick taking a breather.
James takes an elbow to the temple.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Elmore James's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:09 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Francis Fitzpatrick!
Francis Fitzpatrick is the new lightweight champion!
A very excited looking Francis Fitzpatrick rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.