PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kao Toan (ranked 7050 p4p, 3835 weight class) and John Billips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Toan
vs
Billips

182 cm
25
215
0 - 2 - 0

194 cm
18
269
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kao Toan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Billips!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Peter Branson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Toan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Billips paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Billips tries to counter with a clinch but Toan shakes him off and moves away.
Billips should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Toan takes the fight into the clinch.
Billips is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Toan to keep the fight standing.
Billips is trying to break free.
Billips has had enough of the clinch but Toan keeps him there for the moment.
Toan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Billips is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Toan to keep the fight standing.
Billips working hard to break the clinch.

Billips escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Toan fails to land the takedown.
Billips wants to counter with a clinch but Toan pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toan tries to close the distance and clinch but Billips swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Toan doesn't manage to clinch there - Billips circles away.
Billips tries to counter with a clinch but Toan shakes him off and moves away.
Toan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Billips steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Toan.
Toan is breathing heavily.
Toan wants to clinch up but Billips keeps it at a distance.
Toan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The fight stays on the outside here - Toan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Billips steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Toan.
The fight stays on the outside here - Toan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Toan clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toan tries to land knees in the clinch but Billips avoids the damage to the body.
Billips tries to pull guard but Toan won't allow it.
Kao Toan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Billips.

Toan jumps into guard, dragging Billips to the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Toan manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Billips circles away from the clinch attempt.
Billips tries to counter by closing the distance.
Toan doesn't manage to clinch there - Billips circles away.
Billips wants to counter the offense by Toan and move into the clinch position.
Toan tries to close the distance and clinch but Billips swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Billips tries to counter with a clinch but Toan shakes him off and moves away.

Toan moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Billips takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like John Billips has been cut.
Billips is looking to break free of the clinch but Toan has double underhooks.
Billips wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Toan has him pressed against the cage.
Billips drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Billips missing with knees to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Toan tries to land a knee to the head but Billips blocks with his arms.
Billips stalling in the clinch but Toan improves position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kao Toan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Billips's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Toan tries to clinch up.
Billips is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Toan clinches up with Billips and pushes him back against the cage.
Billips tries to break the clinch but Toan is controlling the position.
Toan tries a knee to the head but Billips blocks it.
Toan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Billips can do to turn this around?
Toan throws an elbow that misses.
Billips tries for a takedown. No joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Toan jumps guard and drags Billips to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Toan here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Toan looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Billips passes into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Billips stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toan tries to clinch up.
Billips tries to counter by closing the distance.
Toan wants to clinch up but Billips keeps it at a distance.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Toan.
Billips tries to counter with a clinch but Toan shakes him off and moves away.

Toan clinches up with Billips and pushes him back against the cage.
Billips is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Toan is defending well for now.

That's two 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.
Billips jumps guard but Toan stands there with Billips around his waist. Billips gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Billips.
Toan misses with a knee to the head.
Billips is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Toan is defending well.
Kao Toan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Billips.
Toan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Billips blocks it with crossed arms.
Billips drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Toan misses with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Billips tries to pull guard but Toan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Billips is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Toan is defending well.

Toan breaks from the clinch.
Toan misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Toan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Billips is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

That's four 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.
Toan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Billips as he avoids it easily.
Billips is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Toan wants to clinch.
Billips wants to counter the offense by Toan and move into the clinch position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Toan tries to close the distance and clinch but Billips swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kao Toan dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Billips's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Toan tries to close the distance and clinch but Billips swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Billips wants to counter with a clinch but Toan pushes him away.
Toan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Toan sets himself, and Billips steps forward looking for the clinch! Toan avoids it this time.
Toan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fight stays on the outside here - Toan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toan is looking to clinch.
Billips tries to counter by closing the distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Billips avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Billips wants to counter with a clinch but Toan pushes him away.
Toan wants to clinch up but Billips keeps it at a distance.
Toan sets himself, and Billips steps forward looking for the clinch! Toan avoids it this time.

Toan moves into the clinch.
Billips manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Toan tries a knee to the head but Billips blocks it.

Toan breaks the clinch.
Toan wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toan tries to close the distance and clinch but Billips swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Toan tries a head kick but it misses.
Billips wants to counter with a clinch but Toan pushes him away.
Toan tries to clinch there but Billips circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Billips swats away the attempt to clinch by Toan.
Billips tries to counter by closing the distance.
Toan doesn't manage to clinch there - Billips circles away.
Billips wants to counter the offense by Toan and move into the clinch position.
Toan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Billips swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Billips tries to counter by closing the distance.
Toan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Billips wants to counter the offense by Toan and move into the clinch position.

Toan gets a clinch.

That's four 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.
Billips tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Billips is looking to take this one to the mat.
Toan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Billips blocks it with crossed arms.
Billips throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Good body shot from Billips.
Billips is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Billips wants to get back to striking at distance but Toan won't allow it.
Billips changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Toan fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Kao Toan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Billips.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Toan closes this distance looking for a takedown but Billips circles away.
Billips wants to counter with a clinch but Toan pushes him away.
John Billips has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kao Toan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Toan tries to close the distance and clinch but Billips swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Billips steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Toan.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Billips.
I think Toan has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kao Toan!