PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Liger Justin (ranked 1238 p4p, 174 weight class) and Rene Lafayette (ranked 193 p4p, 26 weight class). Lafayette is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Erasure - Always. Rene Lafayette has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Justin
vs
Lafayette

185 cm
19
180
7 - 1 - 0

179 cm
20
170
9 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Liger Justin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rene Lafayette!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Santiago Holmes and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lafayette throws a lazy uppercut

and Justin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Lafayette is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Justin not doing much here.
Justin seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lafayette for as long as he can get away with.
Lafayette is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Justin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lafayette tries to get to full guard but Justin has control of the leg.
Justin is pressing down on Lafayette's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lafayette is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Justin sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Justin is just content to waste time from the top position. Lafayette takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Lafayette looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Justin working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Lafayette's head.
Lafayette can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Justin controls the pace.
Justin wants to control from the top but Lafayette keeps moving.

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.
Justin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Justin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lafayette is keeping the position for now.
Justin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Justin is working hard here to advance position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lafayette scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Justin doesn't seem bothered though.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Justin.
Justin is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Lafayette connects with a nice looking jab.
Justin on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Justin looks to land a combination but Lafayette avoids it well.
Lafayette dodges the punch combination from Justin.
Lafayette is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Justin with a body shot.
Liger Justin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lafayette slips a straight right by Justin.
Justin connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Lafayette momentarily.
Lafayette punishes Justin's body with a nice straight punch.
Lafayette lands with a right hand.
Justin shoots and misses
and Lafayette counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Lafayette keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Liger Justin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Justin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lafayette.
Lafayette moves in looking to clinch but Justin pushes him off.
Justin with a poor takedown
enabling Lafayette to counter with a crisp jab.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Lafayette, as that shot connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Donk. Lafayette catches Justin right on the button with a cross.
Justin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lafayette looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Justin fails to land the takedown.
Justin tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Lafayette defends well and Justin ends up having to push Lafayette into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Justin darts in looking for a takedown but Lafayette gets double underhooks and turns Justin into the cage.
Lafayette looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Justin moves out of range of the strikes.
Lafayette fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Justin manages to avoid it.
Justin tries to move into range but Lafayette moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

It looks like Liger Justin has been cut.
Lafayette lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Justin throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Lafayette tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Justin is in Lafayette's guard.

Lafayette escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Justin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lafayette keeping moving, preventing Justin from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rene Lafayette dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Liger Justin'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.

Justin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rene Lafayette seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Justin looks for a takedown but Lafayette sprawls well.
A little jabbing left from Lafayette on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Justin takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Justin shoots in for a takedown but Lafayette shows good takedown defense.
Nice shot lands for Lafayette.
Justin misses with a left hand
and Lafayette counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A swing and a miss from Lafayette.
Justin tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Lafayette defends well and Justin ends up having to push Lafayette into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lafayette swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Liger Justin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Justin misses with an uppercut
and Lafayette counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Justin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lafayette but Lafayette pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Lafayette throws out a counter right but Justin avoids it with no problem.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lafayette. Justin does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lafayette tests Justin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Lafayette dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lafayette fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Lafayette thuds a left hand into Justin's body.
Lafayette fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Justin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lafayette tries to avoid it but Justin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lafayette to the ground. Lafayette escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lafayette looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Justin tries to keep at a distance but Lafayette has taken the fight into the clinch.
Justin is trying to stall.
A short right from Lafayette.
Lafayette lands with a left to the head.
Lafayette lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lafayette blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Lafayette.
Still in the clinch, Lafayette scores with a nice short uppercut.
Lafayette misses with a hook to the ribs.
Justin looking to stall.
Lafayette digs a right hand into Justin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Justin's gas tank.
Lafayette scores with a shot to the side of Justin's head.
Lafayette lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Lafayette working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Lafayette softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Lafayette.
A short right from Lafayette.
Lafayette lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Justin.
Lafayette lands a right hand that snaps the head of Justin backwards.
Lafayette scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Justin trying to stall but Lafayette improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Justin.
Lafayette lands a body punch.
Lafayette lands a hook that snaps the head of Justin backwards.
Lafayette pushes Justin back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Justin stalling in the clinch but Lafayette improves position.
A right hook to the body lands for Lafayette.
Lafayette lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Justin or not.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Justin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Justin is pushing Lafayette up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Lafayette scores with a shoulder strike.
Lafayette stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Justin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lafayette scores with a shot to the side of Justin's head.
Lafayette working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Lafayette lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Justin is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A body shot lands from Lafayette.
Oh Justin is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rene Lafayette seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Lafayette lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Justin backwards.
Lafayette lands an uppercut.
Justin tries a body shot but Lafayette blocks it.
Justin wants to stall.
Lafayette lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Lafayette lands a right hand that snaps the head of Justin backwards.
Lafayette doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lafayette lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Lafayette lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Justin seems to have got his legs back now.
Justin is trying to push Lafayette away but Lafayette has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lafayette scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Lafayette lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lafayette lands a body shot in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rene Lafayette showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Liger Justin's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lafayette lands a right hook to the body.
Lafayette takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Justin shoots in looking for a takedown. Lafayette tries to sprawl out of it but Justin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lafayette manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Justin looks for a takedown but Lafayette sprawls well.
Lafayette comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Justin misses with a takedown
and Lafayette counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Liger Justin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Justin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lafayette.
Lafayette thows a left - swing and a miss!
Justin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Lafayette has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Justin misses with an uppercut. Lafayette saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lafayette works Justin's body with a nice hook.
Lafayette scores with a sloppy right hand. Justin should have avoided that one.
Lafayette connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Justin on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Lafayette lands a nice looking body shot.
Lafayette throws out a powerful jab.
Lafayette throws a body shot but no joy.
Justin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lafayette catches Justin with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Justin misses with a takedown
and Lafayette counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Justin takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Justin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lafayette tries to close the distance and clinch up but Justin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lafayette lands an uppercut out of nowhere! Justin falls backwards - clearly groggy! Lafayette dives in and finishes the fight with more strikes for a TKO finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:16 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rene Lafayette!
Rene Lafayette was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.