PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Augustus Long (ranked 5493 p4p, 0 weight class) and Canelo Avila (ranked 5054 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Long
vs
Avila

201 cm
24
162 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Augustus Long!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Canelo Avila!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Sano and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Avila closes the distance and clinches.
Long tries to break free but Avila pushes him back against the cage.
Long taking a breather.

Avila gets control of Long's arms and successfully pulls guard. Avila will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Long wants to get up but he can't break Avila's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Avila trying to control the position.

Long decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Avila throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Long's waist but Long gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Avila off to one side.
Avila with a poor takedown

and Long counters by moving into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Avila has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Long regains guard immediately.
Avila wants to control from the top but Long keeps moving.

Long is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Avila defends well.
Avila really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Long. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Long is controlling Avila's posture.
Long is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Avila is controlling him.
Avila controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Avila preventing the sweep.
Long is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Avila prevents Long from getting back to his feet.

Avila stands and steps away. Long gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Avila shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Long counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Augustus Long has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Canelo Avila.

Avila tightens his grip and picks Long up, before dumping him to the ground. Long manages to land in guard.

Long has his feet on Avila's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Avila fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Avila looks winded!

Avila gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Avila tries to pull guard but Long won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Avila wants to stall.
Long throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Avila breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No luck for Avila with that takedown attempt.
Long is looking to counter the offense by Avila and move into the clinch.

Avila has closed the distance and engaged Long in a clinch.
Long throws an elbow but it misses.
Long is trying to break free.
Avila blocks an elbow strike from Long.
Long lands an uppercut.
Long misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Avila keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Long's efforts to push away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Long is trying to break the clinch but Avila has him pressed against the cage.
Long really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Long misses with some punches.
Avila blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Long stalling in the clinch.
Avila slowing the pace effectively.
Long displaying some good clinch control by pressing Avila up against the cage.
Avila scores with a hook to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Avila.
Long looks to throw an elbow but misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Avila turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Avila manages to end up in side control.
Long sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Long moves into full guard.
Avila looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Augustus Long dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Long slips under a jab from Avila.

Avila moves into range and clinches up with Long.
Avila is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Long to keep the fight standing.
Long stops a takedown attempt from Avila.
Avila is trying to push Long away but Long has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Avila pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Avila moves into the clinch.
Long looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Long wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Long.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Avila jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Long walks away with a smile on his face. Avila gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Augustus Long has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Canelo Avila.

Long tries to keep at a distance but Avila has taken the fight into the clinch.
Avila is looking to control Long's arms but Long gets an underhook and turns him. Now Avila has his back to the cage.
Long just leaning against Avila, taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Avila pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Canelo Avila seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Long shoots in looking for a takedown but Avila manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Long's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Long defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Avila.
Avila misses with a takedown attempt

and Long counters by moving into the clinch.
Avila is breathing heavily.
Long is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Avila tries to pull guard but Long forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Long taking a breather.
Avila blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Long leaning his opponent against the cage.
Long pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Avila stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Long throws an elbow that misses.
Long is trying to force a seperation but Avila has the dominant position.

Avila manages to pull guard.

Long stands up and waves to Avila to follow him.

Avila drives through and clinches with Long against the cage.
Avila is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Long is defending well for now.

Long breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Avila gets a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Long connects with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Avila is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Long gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Long.
Avila dodges an elbow strike from Long.
Long lands an elbow inside.
Avila jumps guard but Long turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Avila tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Long can't break the clinch.
Avila takes an elbow to the forehead.
Long lands an elbow just above Avila 's eye.
Long is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Long breaks the clinch.

Long shoots in and bounces Avila off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Avila is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Long dives into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Avila tries to bench press Long off him but Long keeps the position.

Long wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Avila, who protects the arm well.

Long decides to stand back up. Long steps back and let's Avila get back to his feet.
Avila shoots for a double leg takedown but Long sprawls well. He's pushed Avila's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Avila shoots in for a double leg but Long sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Augustus Long dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Avila fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Avila tries for a takedown but Long circles away easily

and Long counters by clinching up.
Long is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Avila can do to turn this around?
Long misses with a body punch.
Long throws an elbow but it misses.
Avila is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Long is keeping busy.
Nice elbow from Avila.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Long stalling.
Avila has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Long after a bit of a struggle.
Augustus Long has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Canelo Avila.
Avila takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Avila tries to pull guard but Long forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Avila tries for a takedown but Long manages to get underhooks.

Long pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Avila.
Long throws a quick counter kick to the body but Avila avoids it.
Augustus Long is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Long is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Avila's half guard.
Avila tries to kick Long off in order to stand up. Long Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Long tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Avila is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A control attempt from Avila but he's now mounted!
Long controlling from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Long stands up from mount. Strange move.
Long slaps away a takedown attempt from Avila, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Long darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Avila wants to stand back up but Long manages to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Augustus Long overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Long lands a few punches from side control.

Long decides to stand up, so the ref orders Avila to his feet.
Avila avoids the head kick by Long.
Avila avoids the head kick by Long.
Danga de danga de dang - Long scores with a four punch combination!
Avila fails with the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Avila. Long does a little dance to reset his feet.
Long fails with a takedown attempt.
Avila unleashes a big counter combination but Long bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Avila instigates a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Long.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Avila is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Long to keep the fight standing.
Avila managing to block the knees to the body from Long.
Canelo Avila has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Augustus Long is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Avila scores with a shoulder strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Avila throws a punch but it's blocked by Long.

And that's the end of the fight!
Augustus Long showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Long has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Augustus Long!