PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rolland Foley (ranked 24892 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Cantona (ranked 4762 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Cantona has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Rolland Foley's chin.

Foley
vs
Cantona

173 cm
18
278 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

187 cm
25
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rolland Foley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Eric Cantona!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Colin Fray and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cantona closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Cantona stops Foley from getting back to his feet.
Cantona thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Foley's head.
Cantona not doing much here.
Cantona blocks the strikes from Foley.
Foley slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cantona won't allow Foley to get back to his feet.
Foley really is a fat lump.
Cantona showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cantona moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantona misses with a punch to the body.
Foley can't find room to land a body shot as Cantona controls the action.
Cantona has Foley pressed against the cage.
Cantona looking for a takedown.

Cantona has picked Foley up - he's going for a ride! Cantona dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Foley tries to roll over but Cantona keeps him under control.
Cantona trying to control from Foley's half guard. Foley has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Cantona with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cantona got a little sloppy there for a moment and Foley has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cantona has managed to get both his arms back between Foley's legs - danger averted.
Foley can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cantona controls the pace.
Cantona slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Foley wants to get back to his feet but Cantona drags him back down.
Cantona trying to control the action but Foley is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cantona trying to control the position but Foley is working away.

Cantona thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cantona controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cantona misses with the ground and pound.
Cantona wants to control but Foley is keeping him busy.

Cantona tries for a kimura but Foley is defending well.
Cantona wants to control but Foley is keeping him busy.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Cantona dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cantona tries to clinch but Foley moves out of range.

Cantona closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Cantona working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cantona trying to control the position but Foley is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cantona has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantona sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Foley is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Cantona working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Foley is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Cantona is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Foley looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Cantona goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Foley escapes and is now in half guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Foley is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Cantona. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Cantona keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Foley seems to be looking for submissions.
Cantona wants to get back to his feet.

Foley looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantona avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Foley.
Foley is looking to take a break and control but Cantona is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cantona trying to control but Foley postures up.
Foley is looking to take a break and control but Cantona is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cantona controlling the position well.
Foley trying to control the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cantona moves into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Foley accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cantona is trying to keep Foley in close.
Foley wants to control from the top but Cantona keeps moving.
Foley is really struggling to control Cantona but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Cantona fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Cantona looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cantona is breathing heavily.
Cantona wants to control from the top but Foley keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eric Cantona will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cantona.
Foley changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Cantona moves in looking to clinch but Foley pushes him off.
Foley wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Cantona darts in looking for a takedown but Foley gets double underhooks and turns Cantona into the cage.

Cantona gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Cantona manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foley tries to pull guard but Cantona forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Cantona.
Stalling in the clinch from Foley.
Knees to the body from Cantona.
Cantona tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rolland Foley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eric Cantona.
Cantona takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantona taking a breather.
Cantona keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Foley's efforts to push away.
Foley tries to break the clinch but Cantona is controlling the position.
Cantona tries to pull guard but Foley won't allow it.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Foley has had enough of the clinch but Cantona keeps him there for the moment.
Foley leaning against his opponent.
Foley tries to stall but Cantona uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Foley gets underhooks to prevent Cantona's takedown attempt.
Foley jumps guard but Cantona stands there with Foley around his waist. Foley gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Foley ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Foley no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Cantona trying to control but Foley is working from the bottom.
Cantona engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Foley is looking to stand up but Cantona isn't so interested in that idea.
Cantona trying to control but Foley is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantona stays in close to Foley's body and controls the position.
Cantona wants to control from the top but Foley keeps moving.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Cantona showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Cantona takes the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cantona is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Foley is trying to break the clinch but Cantona is controlling him.

Cantona wants the takedown. Foley is fighting it off but Cantona persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Foley's guard against the cage.
Cantona trying to control the position from guard on top but Foley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cantona looking to sit in guard and control but Foley gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Foley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cantona preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Foley working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cantona's head.
Rolland Foley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eric Cantona is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Foley is working Cantona over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

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 Rolland Foley.
I think Cantona has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Eric Cantona!