PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Carlos Berkman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tobias Spencer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Berkman
vs
Spencer

186 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
203 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Carlos Berkman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tobias Spencer!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Ian Loll and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spencer blocks a head kick by Berkman.
Spencer throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Berkman's waist but Berkman gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Spencer off to one side.
Berkman fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Spencer throws a head kick but Berkman moves out of range.
Spencer moves in looking to clinch but Berkman pushes him off.
Berkman throws a push kick but Spencer slaps the foot to one side.
Berkman fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Spencer shoots in and drives through. Berkman sprawls well.
Spencer shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Berkman but Berkman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Carlos Berkman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tobias Spencer.
Berkman tries for a takedown but Spencer circles away easily

so Spencer counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Spencer seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Spencer thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berkman controls Spencer momentarily but Spencer frees himself.
Spencer stands up over Berkman, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Berkman controls Spencer momentarily but Spencer frees himself.
Spencer scoring with some ground and pound.
Spencer pushing down on Berkman's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Berkman wants to control but Spencer is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Berkman is not content to let Spencer control the position.
Berkman on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Berkman is trying to stand back up but Spencer is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berkman is refusing to be controlled, as Spencer sits in half guard.
Spencer is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Berkman is looking for a sweep. Spencer is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Berkman is trying to control but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Berkman tries for a takedown but Spencer circles away easily

and Spencer counters with a single leg into guard. Berkman didn't expect that.
Berkman is breathing heavily.
Berkman keeping full guard, as Spencer tries to pass.
Berkman 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Spencer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spencer trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Spencer thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Berkman wants to sweep here but Spencer controlling him for the moment.
Spencer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Berkman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Spencer is pushing down on Berkman's leg trying to pass to half guard. Berkman is fighting to maintain full guard but Spencer has managed to sneak the leg through.
Spencer not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Berkman swats away the attempt to clinch by Spencer.
Berkman lands the left hand.
Spencer changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Berkman tries to avoid it but Spencer manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Berkman to the ground. Berkman escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Spencer.
Spencer tries to clinch up but Berkman circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck for Berkman with that takedown attempt.
Berkman fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Berkman shoots in for a double leg but Spencer sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Berkman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Spencer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Spencer will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Horrible takedown by Spencer or perhaps it was just good defense by Berkman which made him look bad.
Tobias Spencer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spencer moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Berkman throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Spencer's waist but Spencer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Berkman off to one side.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Spencer scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tobias Spencer dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Spencer gets a clinch.
Spencer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Berkman blocks it with crossed arms.
Spencer slowing the pace effectively.

Berkman gets control of Spencer's arms and successfully pulls guard. Berkman will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Berkman controls Spencer momentarily but Spencer frees himself.
Spencer connects with a couple of short punches.
Spencer controlling from the top position.
Berkman controls Spencer momentarily but Spencer frees himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Berkman 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spencer forces his way into half guard.
Berkman looks like he's trying to stand up.
Berkman tries to kick Spencer off in order to stand up. Spencer Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Spencer controlling the position.
Berkman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Berkman taking a bit of punishment here - Spencer scoring with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spencer trying to control the action but Berkman is working from the bottom.
Spencer has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Spencer lands some shots froms side control.
Spencer is looking to take a break and control but Berkman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Berkman taking a bit of punishment here - Spencer scoring with strikes.
Berkman seems a little lost for a moment, as Spencer dominates the positioning.
Spencer throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Spencer trying to control the action but Berkman is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spencer controlling the position.
Spencer is chipping away with strikes.
Spencer gets to mount! Berkman was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Spencer content just to control the position here.
Berkman is squirming around, avoiding Spencer's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Berkman is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Spencer looking to finish Berkman with some ground and pound. This is bad for Berkman!
Spencer scoring with strikes but Berkman is staying in there.
Spencer with shots to the head and body - Berkman looks very uncomfortable down there.
Berkman wants to control but Spencer is having none of it.
Spencer landing shots from mount.
Berkman throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tobias Spencer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Spencer has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Berkman finds it's way round the side to connect with Spencer's head.
Spencer tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Spencer moves in looking to clinch but Berkman pushes him off.

Spencer connects with a vicious head kick that knocks Berkman to the floor! Spencer dives in looking for the finish!

It looks like Carlos Berkman has been cut.
Berkman gets back to full guard.
Spencer trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Spencer throws a big right hand that misses.
Tobias Spencer has got the better of the ground game so far.
Spencer works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Spencer missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Berkman taking some punishment here, with Spencer in his half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Berkman scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Spencer manages to mount him!
Berkman can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spencer working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Spencer scoring with strikes but Berkman is staying in there.
Berkman takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Spencer scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Berkman?
Berkman is bucking up trying to escape but Spencer cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Spencer punishing his opponent with strikes.
Berkman working to try and regain half guard.
Spencer has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Berkman is squirming around, avoiding Spencer's attempts to control the action.
Spencer content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berkman is squirming around, avoiding Spencer's attempts to control the action.
Spencer tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Spencer connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Spencer putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Spencer lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Berkman hang on?
Spencer lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Berkman tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spencer working the ground and pound effectively.
Spencer trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Spencer cracks Berkman with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Spencer controlling the pace for now.
Spencer lands a big shot there that rocks Berkman but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Spencer lands a heavy elbow.
Spencer scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Berkman?

Carlos Berkman's cut is getting worse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Spencer is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Berkman is surviving well by controlling Spencer's body position as best he can.
Spencer lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Berkman hang on?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Spencer lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Spencer can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Berkman is looking to escape.
Berkman is working to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spencer with a couple of short strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tobias Spencer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Spencer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 William Peck scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 26:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tobias Spencer!