PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alex Lowery (ranked 3637 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ed Erickson (ranked 25087 p4p, 0 weight class). Alex Lowery had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Lowery
vs
Erickson

178 cm
25
154 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

181 cm
25
154 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Lowery!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ed Erickson!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Erickson checks the leg kick.
Erickson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Lowery clinches.
Erickson misses with a knee to the head.
Lowery tries to break the clinch but Erickson is controlling the position.
Lowery tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Erickson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Lowery gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Erickson.
Lowery stops a takedown attempt from Erickson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Erickson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Lowery to keep the fight standing.
Alex Lowery has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ed Erickson.
Erickson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Lowery has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Lowery can't break the clinch.

Lowery pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lowery has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Lowery is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Erickson is aware though and is defending well.
Lowery manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Erickson manages to get himself to full guard.

Lowery controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Erickson wants to improve his position but instead Lowery has moved into half guard.
Lowery is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Erickson!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lowery looking to secure an arm triangle but Erickson defends it well.
Lowery tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Lowery unloads with some shots from mount but Erickson bucks and avoids them well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lowery controlling the pace for now.
Lowery seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Erickson for as long as he can get away with.

Lowery working for a guillotine from mount but Erickson is in no mood to give up.
Lowery throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Lowery takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Lowery throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lowery jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Erickson manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The ground and pound from Lowery seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Lowery is looking to take a break and control but Erickson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lowery misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Erickson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Lowery trying to control the action but Erickson is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Lowery dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Erickson avoids the head kick by Lowery.

Lowery moves into the clinch successfully.

Erickson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lowery is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Erickson can do to turn this around?
Lowery misses with a two punch combination.
Lowery fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lowery shoots in but Erickson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Erickson moves in looking to clinch but Lowery pushes him off.
Erickson shoots in but Lowery avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Erickson leaves Lowery with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Lowery. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lowery tries to clinch up.
Erickson scores with a three punch combo!

Lowery closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Erickson did well to prevent Lowery getting side control.
Erickson tries to kick Lowery off in order to stand up. Lowery Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lowery in side control, throwing shots but Erickson defends.

Lowery is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Erickson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lowery is looking to take a break and control but Erickson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Lowery decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Erickson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lowery as he jumps to the side.
Erickson misses with the combination.
Nice takedown defense from Erickson. No joy for Lowery on that attempt.
Erickson blocks a head kick by Lowery.
Erickson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lowery defends it nicely.
Lowery pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Despite the aggression on Erickson's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Lowery connects with a body shot that sends Erickson's belly button to the back.
Erickson lands a high kick!
The fight stays on the outside here - Lowery looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ed Erickson seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Erickson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lowery swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lowery shoots for a takedown but Erickson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Lowery gets tackled into the cage by Erickson. Erickson maintains the clinch.
Erickson has Lowery pressed against the cage, preventing Lowery from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lowery tries for a takedown. No joy.
Erickson looking to stall.
Lowery can't break the clinch.
Erickson keeps control of Lowery as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Erickson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lowery smiles and moves away.
Erickson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lowery but Lowery pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lowery with a poor takedown
and Erickson counters with a head kick.
Erickson defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lowery.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lowery looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Erickson is fending him off so far but Lowery persists. Nope, Erickson circles away and we're back to standing.
Erickson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lowery swivels and escapes.
Lowery shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Erickson sprawls well. Erickson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lowery gets slowly back to his feet.
Lowery shoots for a double leg takedown but Erickson sprawls well. He's pushed Lowery's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lowery tries to move into range but Erickson moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Lowery is rocked!
Erickson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lowery tries to avoid it but Erickson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lowery to the ground. Lowery escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Erickson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lowery's waist but Lowery gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Erickson off to one side.
Lowery takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Oh Lowery is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Erickson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lowery sprawls well. Lowery wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Erickson gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ed Erickson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Lowery shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Lowery showed some decent athleticism there.
Lowery stops Erickson from getting back to his feet.
Lowery thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Erickson's head.
Lowery seems to have got his legs back now.
Erickson is in trouble now - Lowery has advanced to mount!
Lowery has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Lowery looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lowery has control of Erickson's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Erickson regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Erickson is squirming around, avoiding Lowery's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Erickson is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Lowery controlling from the full mount.
Erickson looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

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

Lowery has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Lowery misses with an elbow to the head.
Lowery has the hooks in. Erickson is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Erickson is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Lowery gets his way!
Erickson covering up well and avoiding damage.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Lowery's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lowery misses with punches from the back.
Erickson is really stuck here.

Lowery is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Erickson is defending well though. Lowery let's go of the attempt for now.
Erickson wants to escape the position.
Erickson keeps trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lowery is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lowery controls the action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lowery looking for the RNC.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Lowery showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lowery 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Lowery!