PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lenny Bruce (ranked 2444 p4p, 3089 weight class) and Aaron Sparrow (ranked 346 p4p, 416 weight class). Lenny Bruce could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Aaron Sparrow's chin.

Bruce
vs
Sparrow

179 cm
26
183
3 - 2 - 0

179 cm
25
178
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lenny Bruce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aaron Sparrow!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Felipe Paraventi and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bruce tries a head kick but it misses.

Sparrow gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Bruce breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bruce looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Bruce closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sparrow's guard.
Sparrow is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bruce is looking to stand up but Sparrow won't let him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sparrow has Bruce pulled in close to control his posture.
Sparrow tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparrow is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sparrow stands up and beckons Bruce to join him on the feet.

Sparrow moves into the clinch.

Bruce breaks the clinch.
Sparrow ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Bruce shoots in for a double leg but Sparrow sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sparrow looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Sparrow takes the fight into the clinch.

Sparrow jumps guard and drags Bruce to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Bruce works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sparrow gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bruce stands up and waves to Sparrow to follow him.
Bruce fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lenny Bruce. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bruce fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sparrow to the ground. Bruce is now in Sparrow's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sparrow trying to control the position.
Sparrow keeping moving, preventing Bruce from controlling successfully.

Sparrow is working an open guard so Bruce takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Sparrow closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bruce breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bruce displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sparrow.
Sparrow tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sparrow throws a sloppy head kick and Bruce moves out of range easily.
Bruce shoots in looking for a takedown but Sparrow manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bruce's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
As Bruce backs off Sparrow throws a huge counter combo but Bruce manages to avoid it all.
Bruce tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sparrow tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bruce swivels and escapes.

Sparrow rushes Bruce and presses him up against the cage.

Bruce's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bruce dives in for a single leg takedown but Sparrow sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Bruce breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Sparrow with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparrow shoots in looking for a takedown. Bruce tries to sprawl out of it but Sparrow keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bruce manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sparrow tries to clinch up but Bruce circles away and keeps his distance.
Sparrow keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Sparrow has Bruce up against the cage in a clinch.
Sparrow is pressed up against the cage. Bruce has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sparrow down to the mat. Sparrow avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Bruce instigates a clinch.

Sparrow breaks from the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Sparrow dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sparrow lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Bruce looks to throw the jab but Sparrow is out of range.
Sparrow fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bruce avoids it really well and circles away.
Sparrow throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Bruce drives through with a takedown into Sparrow's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Sparrow had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bruce defends it easily.

Bruce has gone for a leg lock! Sparrow slips out almost immediately though and dives into Bruce's guard.

Bruce throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bruce is looking to stand back up but Sparrow counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Bruce.
Well, if Sparrow is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Sparrow slips a nice elbow through Bruce's hands, connecting with Bruce's forehead.
Sparrow looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bruce with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
My spies in GinÃ¡sio Guerreiro inform me that Sparrow has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Bruce tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's two 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.
Sparrow trying to control the action but Bruce is working from the bottom.
Bruce is positioning himself well to prevent Sparrow advancing to mount.
Bruce is pressing down on Sparrow's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Bruce seems keen to control Sparrow's posture.
Bruce is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sparrow seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparrow passes Bruce's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Bruce works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sparrow scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bruce looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sparrow's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sparrow trying to control the position from guard on top but Bruce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sparrow decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Sparrow shoots in for a double leg but Bruce sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bruce tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Sparrow manages to circle out of the way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sparrow throws a sloppy head kick and Bruce moves out of range easily.

Sparrow fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bruce, pushing him back against the cage.
Sparrow jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bruce walks away with a smile on his face. Sparrow gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Lenny Bruce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aaron Sparrow.
Sparrow tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bruce manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sparrow is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bruce sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sparrow fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bruce avoids it really well and circles away.
Lenny Bruce is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bruce closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Sparrow showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Bruce shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sparrow pinned against the cage. Sparrow gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bruce avoids a kick to the body.
Aaron Sparrow seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sparrow slips under a jab.
Sparrow tries a head kick but it misses.
Sparrow looks for a takedown but Bruce sprawls well.
Sparrow fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bruce rushes Sparrow and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sparrow tries to score a body lock takedown but Bruce shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Lenny Bruce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aaron Sparrow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce is trying to push Sparrow away but Sparrow has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Bruce has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sparrow regains guard immediately.

Sparrow pushes Bruce off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Bruce will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sparrow throws a chopping leg kick but Bruce manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Sparrow slips a jab and a cross from Bruce.
Bruce tries to clinch there but Sparrow circles away.
Bruce tries to clinch up but Sparrow circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice sprawl there from Bruce as Sparrow shoots in.
Bruce is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce tries to land a body kick

and Sparrow counters with a shoot takedown. Bruce fights it but they end up in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sparrow trying to control the position from guard on top but Bruce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sparrow slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sparrow trying to control but Bruce is working from the bottom.
Sparrow in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sparrow looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bruce is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce works his way into side control.
Sparrow struggling a bit here.
Aaron Sparrow has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bruce scoring with punches and elbows.

That's four 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.
Sparrow is trying to control Bruce's posture but Bruce avoids it.
We've been hearing good reports from Bruce's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Bruce tries for a kimura but Sparrow is defending well.
Sparrow is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Lenny Bruce has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aaron Sparrow is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bruce throws an elbow but Sparrow slips to the side and avoids it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lenny Bruce.
Well Sparrow 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Sparrow!