PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ben Pole (ranked 6017 p4p, 5905 weight class) and Jihadi John (ranked 546 p4p, 540 weight class). Jihadi John acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Pole
vs
John

182 cm
20
165
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
18
167
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Pole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jihadi John!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Topper Green and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pole drives through and clinches with John against the cage.
John lands with a right to the head.
John managing to block the knees to the body from Pole.
John misses with a body punch.
John misses with the head strike.
John looking to slow down the pace here.
I was talking to Pole's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Pole obliges.
John managing to block the knees to the body from Pole.
John fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pole trying to land knees to the body.

Pole pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pole throws a left and a right that both miss
and John counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Pole throws a head kick that misses.
A countering left hand to the body from John misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

John gets tackled into the cage by Pole. Pole maintains the clinch.
John stalls.
John tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pole fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pole blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pole has John pressed against the cage.
John works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
John leaning against his opponent.
Pole tries a knee to the head but John blocks it.

Pole escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Pole clinches with his opponent.
John dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Pole tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
John blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
John on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for John.
Pole working hard to break the clinch.
Pole stalling the fight.
John lands an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Pole.
Pole lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Pole utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pole breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
John with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A head kick misses from Pole.
John jabs Pole to the body, keeping him at a distance.
John has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pole throws a head kick that misses
and Pole takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pole is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. John is defending well for now.
Pole tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Pole's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Pole clinches up against the cage.
Pole tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and John avoids it.
John lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Pole trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
John dodges an elbow strike from Pole.
Pole leaning against his opponent.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
John slowing the pace effectively.
Come on John - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
John on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Pole misses with a knee strike.
John lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Pole tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and John avoids it.
John has Pole pressed against the cage.
Pole tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and John avoids it.
John blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A head punch on the inside from John fails to land.
Nice body punch from John.
John has Pole pressed against the cage, preventing Pole from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pole has had enough of the clinch but John keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John lands a body punch.
Pole is breathing heavily.
Pole lands a nice shot to the body.
John is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Pole tries to land knees in the clinch but John avoids the damage to the body.
John tries to throw a body punch but Pole avoids it by throwing John back against the cage.
Pole tries to land a knee to the head but John blocks with his arms.
Pole is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. John is defending well for now.

Pole manages to break the clinch.
John connects with a right hand. Pole shakes it off.
Ben Pole seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pole clinches.
John digs a right hand into Pole's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Pole's gas tank.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
John lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Pole breaks the clinch.

John gets tackled into the cage by Pole. Pole maintains the clinch.
John lands a body shot.
John content to slow the pace in the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pole moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Pole clinches up against the cage.
John lands a hook to the side of the head.
Pole taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Pole missing with knees to the body.
Pole missing with knees to the body.
John stalling against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for John.
Pole missing with knees to the body.
Pole wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
John working aggressively here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pole misses with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A right hand to the body from John.
John blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A right hook to the body lands for John.
Pole misses with a hook to the ribs.
Pole tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and John avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John working some nice short punches in the clinch.
John stalling in the clinch.
John avoiding damage as Pole throws knees to the body.
John lands a shot to the body.
John is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Pole is keeping busy.
A short body shot lands from John as the two fighters clinch.
John lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Pole.
John is looking to control Pole's arms but Pole gets an underhook and turns him. Now John has his back to the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from John.
Pole tries to land knees in the clinch but John avoids the damage to the body.
John lands with a right to the head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
John digs a right hand underneath Pole's ribcage. Pole let out a lung full of air as it connected.
John scores with an uppercut up the middle.
John lands a hook that snaps the head of Pole backwards.
Pole misses with a knee strike.
A right hook to the body lands for John.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from John.
John lands an uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
John lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short right from John on the inside.
A short body shot lands from John as the two fighters clinch.
John lands a left hand that snaps the head of Pole backwards.
Pole's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
John pushes Pole back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
John goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
John lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Jihadi John seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
John lands an uppercut.
John struggles to land a body shot inside as Pole controls his hands.
John tries to throw a body punch but Pole avoids it by throwing John back against the cage.
Pole trying to land knees to the body.
Pole wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
John lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
John lands with a short shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
John prevents Pole from breaking the clinch.
John has Pole pushed against the cage.
Pole missing with knees to the body.
John pressing his opponent against the cage.
John looking to stall.
John managing to block the knees to the body from Pole.
John stalls.
A short right from John on the inside.

Pole manages to break the clinch.

Pole rushes John and presses him up against the cage.
Pole has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
John lands a right hand that snaps the head of Pole backwards.
John tries to throw a body punch but Pole avoids it by throwing John back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pole can't find room to land a body shot as John controls the action.
Pole is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. John is defending well for now.
Pole tries to land knees in the clinch but John avoids the damage to the body.
Pole being controlled against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, John creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
John looking to stall.
John throws a punch but it's blocked by Pole.
John misses with a hook from the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Pole as John tries to tie him up.
John goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
John lands a body shot in the clinch.
Pole unloads a knee to the mid-section.
John avoiding damage as Pole throws knees to the body.
Pole tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jihadi John showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Pole moves into the clinch successfully.
A short uppercut from John.

Pole breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Pole moves into the clinch successfully.
Pole trying to land knees to the body.
John fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pole missing with knees to the body.
John lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
John prevents a body shot from Pole.
John tries to work over Pole's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pole's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
John fails in his attempt to clinch.

Pole drives through and clinches with John against the cage.
John lands with a light punch inside.
A short left from John.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pole missing with knees to the body.
John swings wildly with an uppercut but Pole uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pole struggles to land a body shot inside as John controls his hands.
John working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Pole breaks the clinch.
Pole throws a sloppy head kick and John moves out of range easily.
John looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
John is looking to clinch.
John takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Pole walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
John swings away with an uppercut that misses.
John misses with some punches.

Pole breaks from the clinch.

Pole gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pole throws an elbow but it's blocked.
John tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Pole's elbow.
John blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
John avoiding damage as Pole throws knees to the body.
A hook to the body from John.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
John misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Pole misses with a punch to the body.
Pole missing with knees to the body.
John is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Pole obliges.
Pole tries to land knees in the clinch but John avoids the damage to the body.
Nice body punch from John - that landed with a thud.
A short body shot lands from John as the two fighters clinch.
John pushes Pole back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
John tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Pole's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pole tries to land knees in the clinch but John avoids the damage to the body.
John pushes Pole back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
John lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
John lands on the inside with an uppercut.
John lands a hook to the side of the head.
John lands a shoulder strike.
John lands a right hand.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from John.
John lands with a light punch inside.
John holding his opponent close, against the cage.
John lands on the inside with an uppercut.
John softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
John lands on the inside with an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pole blocking some punches.
John is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
John pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pole putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has John in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, John creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Pole breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pole tries to move into range but John moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Pole clinches up with John and pushes him back against the cage.
John lands a body punch in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Pole's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Pole breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
John connects with a crisp jab.
Pole shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Pole is rocked!
Pole takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Oh Pole is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Pole throws a combination that misses
and John scores with a counter punch that sends Pole to the canvas! John smells blood - he's punishing Pole with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Pole has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jihadi John!