PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Ashton (ranked 920 p4p, 124 weight class) and Bill Newton (ranked 589 p4p, 84 weight class). Ashton comes to the cage accompanied by Zombie Nation. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Ashton
vs
Newton

182 cm
32
189 lbs
23 - 23 - 1

184 cm
27
197 lbs
16 - 11 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

KOMBAT KLOTHING
Sin City Allstars

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 23 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Eric Ashton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Bill Newton!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Jorge Garcia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Newton.
Ashton walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ashton throws an off balance right hand

and Newton counters with a shoot takedown. Ashton fights it but they end up in guard.

Ashton has his foot on Newton's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Newton works his way back into a safe position though.
Ashton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Newton is one step ahead there.
Newton wants to pass the guard but Ashton is keeping the position.
Ashton managing to control the position.
Ashton is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Ashton is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ashton is trying to control the action in half guard but Newton is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Newton trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newton wants to improve his position but Ashton is controlling well.
Newton gets back to full guard.
Ashton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Newton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ashton passes Newton's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Newton tries to get to full guard but Ashton has control of the leg.
The fighters are battling for position here. Newton manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Newton is looking for a triangle but Ashton pushes his legs off easily.
Newton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ashton is one step ahead there.
Ashton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Newton is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ashton wants to control from the top but Newton keeps moving.
Newton has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Newton wants to sweep here but Ashton controlling him for the moment.

Ashton 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.
Ashton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Newton not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Newton keeping moving, preventing Ashton from controlling successfully.
Ashton postures up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ashton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Newton is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newton is trying to control the position but Ashton postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Ashton drives through with a takedown into Newton's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Newton had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ashton defends it easily.
Ashton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Newton is keeping the position for now.
Newton is trying to keep Ashton in close.

Ashton drops back looking for a leg! Newton is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Newton manages to kick Ashton off! Ashton jumps back into Newton's guard.
Newton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ashton is one step ahead there.
Newton lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newton looking to pass the guard.
Newton is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Ashton manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Newton manages to get himself to full guard.

Ashton won't allow Newton to sweep him here.
Newton is adopting a defensive guard.
Ashton tries to free his leg and advance position but Newton is retaining full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ashton preventing the sweep.
Ashton is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
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.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ashton just misses with a punch to the body.
Newton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ashton.
A looping hook to the body misses from Newton. Ashton does a little dance to reset his feet.
A swing and a miss from Ashton.
Ashton dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Newton shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ashton appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
A looping hook to the body misses from Newton. Ashton does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ashton throws a looping overhand right but Newton ducks down to avoid it.
Ashton takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ashton scores with a body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ashton. Newton does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ashton swats away the attempt to clinch by Newton.
Ashton feinted with a counter takedown.
Eric Ashton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Ashton.
Ashton throws a hook but Newton avoids it easily.
Newton needs to keep his hands up - Ashton had a free shot at his head there.
Ashton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Newton.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Ashton misses.
Newton tries to clinch up but Ashton circles away and keeps his distance.
Ashton throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Newton tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Newton getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Newton loads up on a big right hand but Ashton slips the punch.
Ashton misses with a hook.
Newton drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Ashton defends it well.
Ashton drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Newton misses with a looping left.
Newton sizes up Ashton with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Newton takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Newton tries to close the distance and clinch but Ashton swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ashton misses with a straight right.
A looping hook to the body misses from Newton. Ashton does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ashton seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Ashton takes a swing at Newton's ribcage but misses.
A swing and a miss from Ashton.
Newton uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ashton.
Nice jab there from Ashton.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ashton blocks a jab.
Eric Ashton is winning the standup battle so far.
Ashton slips under a jab.
Ashton appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Decent striking displayed by Ashton there.
Newton shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Ashton misses the body punch

so Newton counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Ashton tries to land a sweep but no joy.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ashton holds on and takes a little breather.

Newton drops back looking for a leg! Ashton is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ashton manages to kick Newton off! Newton jumps back into Ashton's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Newton 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.
Ashton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Newton is one step ahead there.
Ashton lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ashton tries to free his leg and advance position but Newton is retaining full guard.
Newton pulls Ashton in close to prevent any damage.
Ashton tries to free his leg and advance position but Newton is retaining full guard.

Ashton drops back, looking for a kneebar! Newton looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Newton looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Newton!

Ashton tries to buck Newton off but Newton is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ashton gets back to half guard.

Newton wants to work for an arm triangle but Ashton is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Newton is working for a kimura but Ashton is defending it quite comfortably.
Newton trying to pass the guard but Ashton defending well.
Newton passes to full mount!
Ashton working to try and regain half guard.

Newton is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Ashton has managed to escape the submission attempt.

Newton is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ashton can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
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 Eric Ashton will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ashton keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Newton ducks under a wild hook from Ashton.
Newton drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Ashton defends it well.
Nice takedown defense from Newton. No joy for Ashton on that attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Newton or perhaps it was just good defense by Ashton, which made it look bad.

Ashton looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Newton!
Ashton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Newton keeps working.
Newton is trying to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ashton working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Newton is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ashton looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Ashton tries for a kimura but Newton is defending well.
Newton is looking for a sweep.
Newton manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Newton trying to mount his opponent but Ashton defends it.
Ashton has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Newton is working away from the top position though.
Ashton controlling the position for now.

Newton is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ashton has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ashton is looking for a sweep. Newton is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Newton is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ashton is just riding it out for now. Newton eventually gives up the hold.

Newton is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Eric Ashton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ashton is doing well to control the position and prevent Newton from advancing to side control.
Ashton tries to get to full guard but Newton has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Newton is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Newton wants to work for an arm triangle but Ashton is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Newton is looking for a kimura here.

Newton seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Ashton has recovered full guard.
Newton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Newton tries to free his leg and advance position but Ashton is retaining full guard.
Ashton pulls Newton in close to prevent any damage.
Newton works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Newton wants to free his trapped foot but Ashton is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ashton is trying to maintain the position but Newton is very close to passing his half guard.
Ashton is trying to get back to full guard.

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.
Newton wants to pass to mount but Ashton is defending the position.
Ashton wants to get back to full guard.
Ashton desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ashton wants to control but Newton is keeping busy.
Ashton wants to improve his position but Newton is controlling well.
Bill Newton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Newton is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ashton sees it coming and defends easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Newton is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ashton controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Eric Ashton.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ashton, 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Eric Ashton!
During a confident post fight interview, Eric Ashton thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.