PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jonathan Boaler (ranked 1372 p4p, 186 weight class) and Ivan Izquierdo (ranked 1760 p4p, 224 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Boaler
vs
Izquierdo

190 cm
26
212 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

190 cm
26
216 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jonathan Boaler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ivan Izquierdo!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Boaler closes the distance and clinches.
Izquierdo gets through Boaler's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Izquierdo misses with a punch on the inside.
Izquierdo working hard to break the clinch.

Boaler gets control of Izquierdo's arms and successfully pulls guard. Boaler will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Boaler is looking for a triangle but Izquierdo pushes his legs off easily.

Boaler has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Izquierdo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Izquierdo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Izquierdo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Izquierdo passes into half guard.
Boaler has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boaler trying to control here.

Izquierdo seems to be working for a kimura but Boaler defends the submission attempt.
Izquierdo sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boaler trying to hold on to Izquierdo's head to control him but Izquierdo postures up.
Boaler is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Boaler actively working from the bottom here.

Izquierdo is working for a submission of some sort.

Boaler looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Izquierdo is trying to work for a kimura but Boaler is defending well.

That's two 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.
Izquierdo prevents Boaler from improving his position.

Izquierdo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Boaler is just riding it out for now. Izquierdo eventually gives up the hold.
Boaler is trying to maintain the position but Izquierdo is very close to passing his half guard.

Boaler looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Izquierdo trying to control from half guard but Boaler is working away.

Boaler looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Izquierdo is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Boaler defends it well.
Izquierdo is trying to control the action in half guard but Boaler is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Izquierdo is looking for a kimura but Boaler is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Izquierdo to get the leverage.
Boaler wants to get back to full guard.
Izquierdo is trying to control. Boaler wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Boaler looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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.
Boaler is not content to let Izquierdo control the position.

Boaler looking for submissions off his back.
Izquierdo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Boaler keeps working.
Boaler moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Boaler looking to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Izquierdo stopping the sweep attempt from Boaler.
Boaler keeping moving, preventing Izquierdo from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ivan Izquierdo will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Izquierdo lands a body shot.
Izquierdo looks to land a left hand but Boaler moved out of range nicely.
Izquierdo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice uppercut lands for Izquierdo. That snapped Boaler's head back.
Boaler fails with the takedown.
Boaler shoots for a takedown but Izquierdo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Boaler tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Izquierdo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Izquierdo digs a good body shot into Boaler's ribs.
Boaler goes for a double leg but Izquierdo avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Izquierdo continues to drive forward.
Izquierdo throws out a counter right but Boaler avoids it with no problem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jonathan Boaler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Boaler with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Izquierdo counter with a right hand.
Jonathan Boaler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Boaler looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boaler with a lazy takedown attempt
and Izquierdo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Boaler misses with a wild combination.
Jonathan Boaler is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Boaler fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Izquierdo! But no joy.
Boaler shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Boaler takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ivan Izquierdo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boaler takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Boaler showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Izquierdo.
Izquierdo cracks Boaler with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Izquierdo swings for the body but Boaler moves out of range.
Boaler shoots for a double leg takedown but Izquierdo sprawls well. He's pushed Boaler's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Izquierdo throws out a counter right but Boaler avoids it with no problem.

Boaler moves into the clinch.
Izquierdo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Boaler fails to pull guard.
Boaler fails to pull guard.

Izquierdo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Boaler tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Izquierdo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Boaler has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Boaler is rocked!
Boaler tries to clinch up but Izquierdo circles away and keeps his distance.
Izquierdo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Izquierdo throws out a loose jab but Boaler uses good head movement to avoid it.
Boaler misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Boaler fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Izquierdo drops Boaler with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Boaler looks back up at him and smiles so Izquierdo waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Oh Boaler is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Boaler is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Izquierdo's half guard.
Boaler seems to have got his legs back now.

Boaler is working for a kimura but Izquierdo is defending it quite comfortably.

Izquierdo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Boaler pulls his head out easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Izquierdo wants to control but Boaler is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Izquierdo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Boaler trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Izquierdo manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Izquierdo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Boaler is keeping the position for now.
Boaler keeping moving, preventing Izquierdo from controlling successfully.

Boaler had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Izquierdo defends it easily.

Izquierdo drops back looking for a leg! Boaler is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Boaler manages to kick Izquierdo off! Izquierdo jumps back into Boaler's guard.

Izquierdo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Boaler has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Izquierdo has managed to get both his arms back between Boaler's legs - danger averted.
Izquierdo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Izquierdo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Izquierdo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Boaler tries to close the distance and clinch but Izquierdo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Izquierdo looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Decent striking displayed by Izquierdo there.
Boaler throws a sloppy head kick
letting Izquierdo counter with a right hand.
Boaler misses with a kick to the body
and Izquierdo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Boaler misses with a takedown
and Izquierdo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Izquierdo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Boaler swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Boaler is defended easily by Izquierdo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Boaler darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Izquierdo actively working from the bottom here.
Izquierdo trying to hold on to Boaler's head to control him but Boaler postures up.
Izquierdo is looking for a sweep. Boaler is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Boaler wants to take a breather but Izquierdo is having none of it.
Izquierdo trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Boaler manages to pass to mount!

Boaler has control of Izquierdo's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Izquierdo regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Izquierdo manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boaler tries to pass to full mount but Izquierdo defends it.

Izquierdo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Still in half guard, Boaler seems content to control.

Boaler is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Boaler trying to control the action but Izquierdo is working from the bottom.
Boaler is looking to stall here but Izquierdo recovers full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Izquierdo has an active guard here but Boaler has managed to pass into half guard.

Izquierdo looking for submissions off his back.
Boaler trying to advance position but Izquierdo counters by regaining guard.

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

Izquierdo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Boaler doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Boaler manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Boaler wants to pass the guard but Izquierdo is keeping the position.

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.

Izquierdo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Boaler gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Izquierdo looking for a guillotine here but Boaler defends easily.
Izquierdo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Izquierdo working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Boaler has passed into half guard!
Izquierdo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Jonathan Boaler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ivan Izquierdo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Boaler is working for a submission of some sort.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ivan Izquierdo.
I've got Izquierdo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ivan Izquierdo!
A relieved looking Ivan Izquierdo thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.