PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fish Hands (ranked 1098 p4p, 3119 weight class) and Brendan Schlaub (ranked 131 p4p, 339 weight class). Fish Hands has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Hands
vs
Schlaub

215 cm
23
269
11 - 3 - 0

195 cm
30
285
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
Finnish Elite Extreme Science

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 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Fish Hands!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Brendan Schlaub!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Schlaub tries to close the distance and clinch but Hands swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hands bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hands swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Hands avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hands went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Schlaub fails with the takedown
and Hands counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Brendan Schlaub has been cut.
Schlaub misses with a takedown
and Hands cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Schlaub pushes Hands up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch on the inside from Schlaub fails to land.
A shot in the inside from Schlaub.
Schlaub working aggressively here.
Schlaub goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hands prevents it.
Fish Hands has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brendan Schlaub.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schlaub misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Schlaub can't find room to land a body shot as Hands controls the action.
Schlaub misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A head punch on the inside from Schlaub fails to land.
Schlaub drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hands gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Schlaub.
Schlaub is looking to take this one to the mat.

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.
Hands wants to break the clinch but can't.
Schlaub misses with a punch on the inside.

Hands's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Schlaub tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hands paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fighters circling - Schlaub throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Schlaub shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Schlaub keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Hands is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hands wants to control but Schlaub is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schlaub content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Hands is looking to control Schlaub's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hands avoid being mounted?
Hands tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Schlaub has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Hands reaches up and holds on to Schlaub to control the position.
Schlaub tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Let's hope that Schlaub has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

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.
Hands tries to hold on but Schlaub postures up.
Hands on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hands tries to get out of the position.
Schlaub tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Schlaub prevents Hands from getting the reversal.
Hands tries to hold on but Schlaub pushes him away.
Schlaub sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hands is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hands is working hard here to advance position.
Hands tries to hold on but Schlaub pushes him away.
Schlaub takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A slow jab from Schlaub misses its intended target.
A counter left hand to the body from Hands misses its target.
Schlaub just misses with a punch to the body.
It looked like Hands wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Schlaub shoots in for a takedown but Hands shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hands takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Schlaub misses with an uppercut. Hands saw that one coming.
Schlaub has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Schlaub clinches with his opponent.
Hands is trying to push Schlaub away but Schlaub has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Schlaub throws a punch but it's blocked by Hands.
Hands blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nice body punch from Schlaub.
Hands stops a takedown attempt from Schlaub.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Schlaub gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Hands is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hands pushes Schlaub off looking to stand but Schlaub dives back in and keeps control.
Hands desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Schlaub not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hands has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Schlaub is working away from the top position though.
Schlaub performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hands desperately trying to maintain half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Schlaub is thwarting Hands's attempts to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Hands bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A little feinted left hand from Hands on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Schlaub tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hands paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schlaub throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hands was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Hands takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Schlaub tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Hands counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Fish Hands is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Schlaub closes the distance and clinches.
Schlaub tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hands's elbow.
Hands blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hands is looking to control Schlaub's arms but Schlaub gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hands has his back to the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hands blocks an uppercut.
Schlaub misses with a short punch on the inside.
Schlaub looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Schlaub drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hands pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fish Hands has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brendan Schlaub.
Hands needs to keep his hands up - Schlaub had a free shot at his head there.
A big left from Schlaub misses.
Hands swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Schlaub darts in and clinches Hands up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Schlaub scores with a shot to the side of Hands's head.
Schlaub is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hands gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A short right from Schlaub.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brendan Schlaub showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Brendan Schlaub's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Schlaub fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Schlaub scores with a shot to the body.
Hands uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Schlaub.
Hands swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Nice shot lands for Schlaub.

Schlaub shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Schlaub sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hands has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Schlaub is working away from the top position though.
Schlaub winds up and cracks Hands with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hands trying to control here.
Hands is trying to get back to full guard.
Schlaub content to control rather than advance.
Schlaub wants to free his trapped foot but Hands is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Fish Hands has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Hands is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hands has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Schlaub is working away from the top position though.
Schlaub looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Schlaub.
Hands is looking for a sweep. Schlaub is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Schlaub 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.
Hands slips a jab from Schlaub.
An attempted straight right counter from Hands misses the target.
Schlaub with a poor takedown
and Hands counters with a one-two to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Hands as Schlaub shoots in.
As Schlaub looks to move away, Hands throws a big counter combo but Schlaub just gets out of the way.
Fish Hands has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brendan Schlaub.

Hands tries to keep at a distance but Schlaub has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hands leaning his opponent against the cage.
Schlaub fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Brendan Schlaub is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hands is pushing Schlaub up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hands looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four 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.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hands.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hands is struggling to control the position.
Hands tries to stall but Schlaub uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brendan Schlaub comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Schlaub has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Josh West scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brendan Schlaub!
In his post fight interview, Brendan Schlaub started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.