PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aristotle Christopher (ranked 2949 p4p, 2967 weight class) and Connor Royale (ranked 388 p4p, 392 weight class). Connor Royale has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Christopher
vs
Royale

185 cm
19
170
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
22
170
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Conquer
Hot Spunk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aristotle Christopher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Connor Royale!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Chris Edwards and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Royale looks to land a combination. Christopher sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Christopher throws a sloppy head kick and Royale moves out of range easily.
Danga de danga de dang - Royale scores with a four punch combination!
Royale tries to bum rush Christopher with a series of wild strikes but Christopher uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Christopher seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Royale is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Royale stuffs the takedown attempt from Christopher. Christopher gets slowly back to his feet.
Royale swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Royale takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Royale gets a clinch.

Christopher breaks the clinch.
Royale pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Royale throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Christopher.

Christopher gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Christopher.
Christopher gets through Royale's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Christopher breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royale misses with a straight right.

Christopher forces Royale back against the cage and clinches.
Christopher scores with a shoulder strike.

Christopher pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Christopher misses with a looping left.
Royale will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Christopher fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Royale is out of range.
A combination from Christopher does no damage.
Royale wants to counter with a clinch but Christopher pushes him away.

Christopher drives through and clinches with Royale against the cage.

Christopher's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Good standup being displayed there by Royale as he connects with a hook.
Christopher misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Christopher gets a clinch.

Christopher breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Royale tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Christopher is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Royale.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Royale ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Christopher misses with a low kick as Royale jumps back.
Christopher misses with a two punch combination.
Royale has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Aristotle Christopher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Royale misses with a two punch combination.
Nice defenses there by Christopher.
Christopher throws a solid leg kick but Royale takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Christopher.
Christopher fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sloppy strikes from Christopher. Those never looked like landing.
Christopher fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aristotle Christopher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Royale wants to clinch.
Christopher throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Christopher looks to land a combination but Royale avoids it well.
Christopher avoids the body shot from Royale.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Royale closes the distance and clinches.
Christopher wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Christopher breaks the clinch.
Royale misses with a jab, cross combination.
Royale misses with the combination.
A slapping leg kick lands for Christopher.
Royale is looking to clinch.
Christopher fails to land with a series of punches.
Royale now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
That kick from Christopher tenderised Royale's leg. Royale is trying to keep his angry face on.
Royale throws a low kick but Christopher moves out of range easily.
Christopher walks forward, straight into a front kick from Royale.
Royale throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Connor Royale is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Christopher avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Royale lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Royale throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Royale scores with a shot to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Royale misses with a wild body shot.
Royale is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Christopher.
Royale tries to clinch up but Christopher circles away and keeps his distance.
Christopher throws a leg kick but Royale sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Royale waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Christopher.
Christopher takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Christopher tries to counter with a takedown but Royale is quick to defend against it.
Christopher is looking to chop away at Royale's legs.
Royale tries to score with a low kick but Christopher moves his leg out of the way.

Royale rushes Christopher and presses him up against the cage.
Christopher lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Christopher pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Royale takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Royale on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Royale tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Christopher was well out of range. Poor timing from Royale.
Christopher throws the kick towards the body but Royale avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Aristotle Christopher will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Royale showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Christopher.
Connor Royale seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Royale lands a right hook to the body.
Royale connects with a body shot.
Christopher throws a series of punches but Royale avoids them all with ease.
A combination from Royale does no damage.
Christopher throws the kick towards the body but Royale avoids it.
Christopher avoids the body shot from Royale.
Royale is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Christopher rather than just go for the knockout.
Christopher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Royale tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Christopher manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Royale doesn't manage to clinch there - Christopher circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Royale blocks a head kick by Christopher.
Christopher throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Christopher throws a right and a left that Royale avoids nicely.
Royale unleashes a big counter combination but Christopher bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Royale looks to land a combination. Christopher sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Christopher misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Christopher throws a series of punches but Royale moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Christopher.
Royale tries to counter with a clinch but Christopher shakes him off and moves away.
Christopher walks into a straight right hand from Royale.

Royale gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Royale works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Christopher breaks the clinch.

Christopher tries to keep at a distance but Royale has taken the fight into the clinch.

Royale breaks from the clinch.
Royale lands a nice shot to the body.
Christopher is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Royale.
Christopher swinging wildly here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head kick misses from Royale.
Christopher motions for Royale to come forward. Christopher throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Christopher tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Royale tries to clinch there but Christopher circles away.
Christopher keeps the fight on the outside.
Christopher is looking for a counter combo.
Royale throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Christopher stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Royale finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Royale. Christopher does a little dance to reset his feet.
Some wild striking there from Christopher.
A punch combination from Christopher misses.
Royale is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Christopher.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Royale tries to clinch but Christopher is having none of it.
Christopher avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Royale tries to close the distance and clinch up but Christopher swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Christopher seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Royale stuns Christopher with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Christopher looks to land a combination. Royale sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Royale fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royale tries to clinch up.
Christopher throws a series of punches but Royale moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Christopher. Those never looked like landing.
Royale has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Royale throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Royale wants to clinch.
Christopher keeps the fight on the outside.
Christopher misses with a low kick.
Christopher throws a low kick but Royale avoids it.
Royale misses with a wild combination.
Christopher checks a low kick from Royale.
A punch combination from Royale misses.
Christopher appears to be looking for a big counter.
Royale throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Christopher misses with a low kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Christopher looks to land a combination but Royale avoids it well.
Christopher throws a right and a left that Royale avoids nicely.
Royale tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Christopher lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Christopher.
Royale goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Royale tries to close the distance and clinch up but Christopher swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Christopher cracks Royale with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Christopher shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Christopher takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Christopher looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Royale is looking to clinch.
Royale tries to clinch up.
Christopher misses with a jab, cross combination.
Christopher fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Royale manages to avoid it.
As Christopher backs off Royale throws a huge counter combo but Christopher manages to avoid it all.
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 Aristotle Christopher will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Christopher throws a low kick but Royale avoids it.
Christopher showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Royale.
Christopher rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Royale moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Christopher misses with a body kick.
No joy there for Royale, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Royale rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Christopher moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Royale throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Christopher.
Christopher looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Royale is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
A head kick misses from Christopher.
Royale misses the shot to the body.
As Royale backs away, Christopher returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Royale punishes Christopher's body with a nice straight punch.
Christopher takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Royale is looking to clinch.
Christopher slips a jab and a cross from Royale.
Royale pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royale lands a nice shot to the body.
Christopher swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Christopher wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Christopher tries to clinch but Royale moves away
and Royale counters with a three punch combo that has Christopher backing up. Christopher nods at Royale to acknowledge the strikes.
Christopher looks to land a left hand but Royale moved out of range nicely.
Christopher misses with a body kick.
Royale moves out of range of the strikes.
Christopher misses with a two punch combination.
Despite the aggression on Royale's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fighters circle momentarily. Royale darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Royale misses with a few strikes there.
Royale blocks a leg kick.
Christopher tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Royale! But no joy.
Christopher throws a right and a left that Royale avoids nicely.
Royale misses with a jab, cross combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Royale misses with a body shot.
Royale wants to clinch up but Christopher keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Royale fails in his attempt to clinch.
Christopher tries to bum rush Royale with a series of wild strikes but Royale uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Royale misses with a low kick.
No joy there for Royale, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Christopher circles away from the clinch attempt.
Christopher rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Royale moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Royale moves out of range of the body kick from Christopher.
Christopher walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Royale checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Christopher on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Royale tries to bum rush Christopher with a series of wild strikes but Christopher uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Christopher tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Royale is able to avoid easily.
Christopher tries to bum rush Royale with a series of wild strikes but Royale uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Royale wants to counter with a clinch but Christopher pushes him away.
Royale uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Christopher.
Royale misses with a low kick.
Royale tries to bum rush Christopher with a series of wild strikes but Christopher uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Aristotle Christopher is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royale fails with an attempt to clinch.
A combination from Christopher does no damage.
Christopher blocks a head kick by Royale.
Royale swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Royale misses with a wild body shot.

Christopher darts in and clinches Royale up against the cage.

Christopher breaks from the clinch.
A punch combination from Christopher misses.
Royale is looking to clinch.
Christopher throws a nice looking combination but Royale bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Christopher rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Royale moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Royale misses with a body shot
and Christopher counters with a left and a right that stings Royale.
Royale finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Christopher lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Christopher.
Christopher sets himself, and Royale steps forward looking for the clinch! Christopher avoids it this time.
Royale works Christopher's body with a nice hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Christopher pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Christopher showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Royale.
Royale swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Christopher appears to be looking for a big counter.
Christopher fails to land with a series of punches.
Royale tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Christopher paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Christopher lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Christopher shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Royale eats them both and turns towards Christopher to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Royale is looking to clinch.
Royale tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Christopher swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Christopher uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Royale.
Connor Royale has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Christopher.

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 Aristotle Christopher.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Christopher, 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Connor Royale!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Connor Royale waved his t-shirt featuring Conquer's logo in front of the cameras.