PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cole Orion (ranked 766 p4p, 340 weight class) and Jake Bird (ranked 118 p4p, 46 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Orion
vs
Bird

184 cm
28
186
9 - 3 - 0

170 cm
27
195
14 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Conviction
PWNAGE

HELLBENT
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cole Orion!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jake Bird!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Orion with the inside leg kick.
Bird slips a jab from Orion.
Orion is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bird moves out of range of the body kick.
Bird swats away the attempt to clinch by Orion.
Orion misses the shot to the body.
Orion throws a looping overhand right but Bird ducks down to avoid it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Orion looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Orion has been working on his boxing with his coaches at White Eagle in the buildup to the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Orion. Bird does a little dance to reset his feet.
Orion tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bird manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Orion connects with the punch.
Cole Orion seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Orion tries to clinch there but Bird circles away.
Bird is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orion tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bird swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bird throws a jab but it's blocked by Orion.
Bird bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Orion wants to clinch up but Bird keeps it at a distance.
Bird feints the counter takedown.
Bird misses with an uppercut.
An inside leg kick lands from Orion.
Orion throws a shot from downtown. Bird moves away and avoids it.
Bird changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Orion misses with a leg kick

and Bird counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Orion trying to control but Bird postures up.

Bird is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Orion doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bird.
Bird is looking to advance position but Orion won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Orion moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bird content to stall in guard here.
Orion has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Orion trying to keep a closed guard but Bird is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird tries to free his leg and advance position but Orion is retaining full guard.
Orion looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Orion is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Bird passes Orion's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Orion is looking to control Bird's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Orion avoid being mounted?

Bird seems to be working for a kimura but Orion defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bird is stalling here. Orion is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Bird seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Orion has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Orion is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bird has escaped the position, nice work there.
Bird has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Bird sneaks back into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Orion is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Bird reverses the position - he's now on top in Orion's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jake Bird will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Good standup being displayed there by Orion as he connects with a hook.
Cole Orion has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Orion motions for Bird to come forward. Orion throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Orion waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bird.
Orion misses with a right hand

and Bird counters with a single leg into guard. Orion didn't expect that.
Orion trying to control the position.

Bird avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bird trying to control but Orion is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Orion has his foot on Bird's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bird works his way back into a safe position though.
Bird pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Orion is keeping the position for now.
Orion seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Bird trying to control but Orion is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Orion takes one on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Orion tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bird was well out of range. Poor timing from Orion.
A punch combination from Bird misses.

Bird looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Bird sitting in guard here, content to control.

Orion escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bird gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Orion moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Orion looking for a sweep. Not yet Orion, not yet.
Orion is adopting a defensive guard.
Bird not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Orion isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Bird stacks Orion on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Bird!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird wants to control but Orion is keeping him busy.
Bird happy to just control the position for now.
Bird wants to control but Orion is keeping him busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Orion tries to bench press Bird off him but Bird keeps the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Bird showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Orion looks to land a left hand but Bird moved out of range nicely.
A nice leg kick from Orion, right into the meat of the thigh.
Bird has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Orion throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Orion fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Orion cracks Bird with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Orion tried to score with a low kick but Bird checks it.
Orion lands with an overhand left.
Orion looks to land a left hand but Bird moved out of range nicely.
Bird changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Orion moves in looking to clinch but Bird pushes him off.
And Bird tries to counter it with a takedown but Orion pushes his down on his head and steps out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Orion misses with a looping left.
Bird is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Nice shot by Orion.
Orion looks to clinch

and Bird counters with a nice double leg into side control. Orion won't be happy with that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bird trying to control the action but Orion is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Orion's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Orion looks to move to half guard but instead Bird has passed into mount! Damn!

Bird wants to finish this one by submission but Orion is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Bird.
Orion tries to hold on but Bird postures up.

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.
Bird looking to control but Orion is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Orion is trying desperately to improve position.
Bird looking to control but Orion is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Orion is wriggling around trying to escape.
Orion tries to hold on but Bird postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird trying to control but Orion is having none of it.
Orion keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Bird looking to control but Orion is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Orion is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

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.
Bird controlling his opponent.
Orion tries to hold on but Bird postures up.
Orion is squirming around, avoiding Bird's attempts to control the action.
Orion tries to hold on but Bird postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bird controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Bird comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bird winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Bird!
Jake Bird decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.