PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jim Fox (ranked 3176 p4p, 285 weight class) and Bear Claw (ranked 2970 p4p, 270 weight class). Fox comes into the arena with Ice Ice Baby, Vanilla Ice blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fox
vs
Claw

197 cm
21
227 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

203 cm
27
267 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Sportivité
Hot Spunk

Sportivité

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jim Fox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bear Claw!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Trevor Gratis and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A lazy body kick from Claw

and Fox moves into the clinch.
Fox is working Claw over against the cage.
Claw tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Claw misses with a hook to the ribs.
Claw is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Fox scores a nice knee to the body.
Fox jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Claw walks away with a smile on his face. Fox gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Fox sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Claw misses with the body kick
and Fox counters with a good, hard body kick but Claw shrugs it off.
Claw wants to land a leg kick but Fox is out of range.

Fox throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Claw was covering up waiting for the punch and Fox finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Fox is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fox makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fox with a flurry of punches that miss.
Fox is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Fox passes into half guard.
Fox lands with a punch from half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Fox in particular looking to stall.
Claw is trying to stand back up but Fox is controlling him
Well, if Fox is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Claw is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Fox scores with a couple of nice shots.
Fox 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.
Fox controlling the action here.
Claw is trying to stand up here but Fox is controlling him well.
Fox controlling the action here.
Claw wants to get back to his feet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fox is working for a submission of some sort.
Claw is trying to stand up here but Fox is controlling him well.
Nice strikes from Fox there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fox stops Claw from getting back to his feet.
Fox looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Bear Claw seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Claw throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

Fox tries to keep at a distance but Claw has taken the fight into the clinch.
Claw throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Fox misses with a hook to the ribs.
Claw gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Jim Fox has been cut.
Fox is working Claw over against the cage.

Fox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Claw moves into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fox is struggling to control the position.
Claw throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Claw tries to land knees in the clinch but Fox avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Fox dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jim Fox's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Claw pushes Fox up against the cage in a clinch.
Claw is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Fox is defending well for now.
Claw misses with a body punch.
Claw throws a knee to the head but misses.

Fox drags the fight down to the ground.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Fox holds on and takes a little breather.

Fox has his foot on Claw's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Claw works his way back into a safe position though.

Claw got a little sloppy there for a moment and Fox has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Claw has managed to get both his arms back between Fox's legs - danger averted.

Claw stands up and waves to Fox to follow him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Claw looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Fox misses with a body kick.
Fox bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Claw throws a low kick, looking for Fox's leg but Fox calmly moves out of range.
Fox is looking to counter punch.
Bear Claw is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Claw moves out of range of the strikes.
Claw uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fox.
Claw throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Fox.
Claw pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Claw throws a nice inside leg kick.
Claw pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Claw takes one on the button.
Some wild striking there from Claw.
Jim Fox is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Claw looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Fox swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Claw displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Fox throws out the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fox swinging wildly here.
Fox avoids the head kick by Claw.
Claw throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Fox.
A head kick from Claw lands but Fox takes it in his stride.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fox throws a series of strikes that have Claw backpedaling.

It looks like Bear Claw has been cut.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fox misses with a knee to the head.

Fox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Claw moves into the clinch.
Claw trying to land knees to the body.
Fox is leaning against Claw and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Claw misses with a punch to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Claw.
A head punch on the inside from Claw fails to land.
Fox blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fox lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Claw backwards.
Fox tries to work over Claw's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Claw tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Fox avoids it.

Fox breaks the clinch.

Claw tries to sprawl but Fox drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Claw wants to get back to his feet.

Fox is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Claw tries to kick Fox off but Fox keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fox seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Claw tries to kick Fox off but Fox keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Fox takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Fox landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Jim Fox overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Claw looks like he's trying to stand up.
Fox keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Claw is trying to stand.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
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 Jim Fox will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Claw takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Claw ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Fox moves away.
Claw with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Fox to score with a decent uppercut.
Good leg kick by Claw there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Fox takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Fox throws a sloppy head kick and Claw moves out of range easily.

Claw takes the fight into the clinch.
Fox lands a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Claw tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Fox avoids it.
Claw leaning his opponent against the cage.

Fox successfully pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fox had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Claw defends it easily.
Claw wants to stand but Fox has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Fox doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Fox working a defensive guard but Claw manages to pass into side control anyway.
Fox is trying to control Claw's posture but Claw avoids it.
Claw tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Claw working away.

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.
Claw wants to stand but Fox has his arm trapped.
Fox tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Fox manages to get back to half guard.
Claw really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Fox. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Claw stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Claw is looking to land body kicks.
Fox is looking to counter punch.
A head kick misses from Fox.
Claw throws a leg kick but Fox sees it coming and moves out of range.
Claw misses with the body kick
and Fox counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Claw thinking.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Fox here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fox moves out of range as Claw throws a body kick.
Fox uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Claw.
Fox shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Claw as he jumps to the side.
A head kick misses from Claw.
Fox seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Claw takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Jim Fox is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Fox shoots in and bounces Claw off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fox works over Claw with some ground and pound from guard.
Claw is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Claw can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Fox controls the pace.
Claw wants to stand and escape but Fox is having none of it.
Fox works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Fox controlling the action here.
Bear Claw has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Claw is trying to stand.

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 fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jim Fox.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Fox, 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jim Fox!
As Jim Fox got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: Pick yourself up and dust yourself off old chap!'.