PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sean Pottery (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocky Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balboa is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Gonna Fly Now. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pottery
vs
Balboa

168 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sean Pottery!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rocky Balboa !
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pottery shoots in but Balboa avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Balboa misses with a takedown attempt - Pottery sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Pottery misses with the combination.
Pottery is looking to clinch but Balboa is avoiding it.

Balboa shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Balboa showed some decent athleticism there.
Balboa tries to stand and escape but Pottery is controlling the position.

Balboa is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Pottery might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pottery is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pottery is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Pottery wants to get back to his feet.
Pottery is looking to improve his position.
Balboa wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pottery works Balboa 's body with a nice hook.
Balboa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pottery as he jumps to the side.
Nice sprawl there from Pottery as Balboa shoots in.
Sean Pottery has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Balboa .
Pottery stuffs the takedown attempt from Balboa . Balboa gets slowly back to his feet.
Balboa looks gassed!
Pottery shoots and misses
and Balboa counters with a stiff right hand.

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.

Balboa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pottery is trying to maintain the position but Balboa is very close to passing his half guard.
Pottery wants to get back to full guard.
Pottery is holding on to half guard well.
Balboa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Pottery works his way to full guard. Good work.

Pottery has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Balboa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pottery is on top in guard.
Balboa looking for a sweep. Not yet Balboa , not yet.
Pottery slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pottery slips nicely into half guard.
Pottery is nestled in close to Balboa , controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Pottery wants to lay and pray for a moment but Balboa keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pottery prevents Balboa from improving his position.
Pottery seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Balboa does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Balboa is defending against the submission attempts here by Pottery.

Pottery gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa moves in looking to clinch but Pottery pushes him off.
Pottery cracks Balboa with a right hand to the side of the head.
Pottery dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Balboa . That did some damage!
Pottery misses with a takedown attempt
and Balboa counters with a series of strikes. Pottery will be more careful next time no doubt.
No joy there for Pottery, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pottery tries to clinch there but Balboa circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pottery looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Balboa avoids a kick to the body.

Pottery feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balboa wants to sweep here but Pottery controlling him for the moment.
Pottery wanted to stand there but Balboa had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Pottery dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Balboa drives through with a takedown into guard.
Balboa trying to stand up but can't free himself from Pottery's guard.
Balboa sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Balboa 's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Balboa gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Balboa drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Balboa looks to throw a body kick
and Pottery counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Balboa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pottery's waist but Pottery gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Balboa off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pottery tries to clinch

and Balboa counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Balboa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Balboa wants to pass the guard but Pottery is keeping the position.
Balboa trying to control the position from guard on top but Pottery is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Balboa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pottery keeping full guard, as Balboa tries to pass.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Balboa 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa trying to control the position from guard on top but Pottery is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pottery circles away from the clinch attempt.
Balboa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pottery as he avoids it easily.
Pottery feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Balboa 's calf.
Balboa throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Balboa looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sean Pottery has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Balboa .

Pottery fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Balboa sprawls well initially but Pottery persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Balboa is doing well to control the position and prevent Pottery from advancing to side control.
Balboa tries to roll over but Pottery keeps him under control.
Balboa is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pottery trying to control the action but Balboa is working from the bottom.
Pottery wants to stand but Balboa has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Balboa has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pottery is working away from the top position though.
Pottery sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Balboa flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pottery gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Balboa counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Pottery has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Balboa is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Pottery is in trouble now - Balboa has advanced to mount!
Pottery is trying desperately to improve position.
Pottery tries to hold on but Balboa postures up.
Pottery is in all sorts of trouble here.
Balboa tries to control but Pottery wriggling away.
Balboa scoring with strikes but Pottery is staying in there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Balboa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Pottery's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Pottery gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Balboa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pottery. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Balboa controlling from the top position.
Balboa wants to control from the top but Pottery keeps moving.
Balboa tries to free his leg and advance position but Pottery is retaining full guard.
Pottery keeping moving, preventing Balboa from controlling successfully.
Pottery trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Balboa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pottery swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Balboa passes Pottery's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Rocky Balboa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Pottery desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Pottery is staying active underneath Balboa , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Balboa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pottery's head.
Balboa is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Balboa is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Pottery is staying active underneath Balboa , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pottery regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Balboa .

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.
Pottery keeping moving, preventing Balboa from controlling successfully.
Pottery looking to control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Balboa circles away from the clinch attempt

and Balboa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Balboa wants to get back to striking at distance but Pottery won't allow it.
Pottery drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A short uppercut from Balboa .

Balboa is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Pottery can't fight it off and eventually Balboa manages to take the fight to the floor. Pottery looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Pottery manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pottery pinned against the cage. Pottery gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sean Pottery is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pottery tries to clinch up

and Balboa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Pottery's guard now.
Balboa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Balboa slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Balboa postures up in Pottery's guard and throws a big left but Pottery blocks it.
Balboa passes Pottery's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Balboa tries to stand and escape but Pottery actually recovers to full guard.
Balboa not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa wanted to stand there but Pottery had control of the position.
Pottery is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Pottery is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Pottery wants to take a breather but Balboa is having none of it.
Balboa wants to control but Pottery is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Balboa wants to improve his position but Pottery is controlling well.
Balboa is trying to control but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocky Balboa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Balboa 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rocky Balboa !