PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Master Bates (ranked 1600 p4p, 2724 weight class) and John Snake (ranked 213 p4p, 344 weight class). Master Bates has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Bates
vs
Snake

150 cm
25
170
7 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
181
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Heavy handed

Island Boys Nutrition
Fighters Connection

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, Master Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Snake!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Daniel Franklin and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Snake scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Snake uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Good shot there by Snake.
Nice uppercut lands for Snake. That snapped Bates's head back.
Snake lands with a hook. Bates tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Snake cracks Bates with an open hand slap.

Bates forces Snake back against the cage and clinches.

Bates jumps guard and drags Snake to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Snake wants to pass the guard but Bates is keeping the position.
Bates has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

Snake drops back, looking for a kneebar! Bates looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Bates looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Bates!

This has been an exciting period of action!
Bates slows the pace down.
Snake tries to bench press Bates off him but Bates keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snake regains half guard.

Snake actively working from the bottom here.
Snake moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Bates thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Snake working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bates doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Bates manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Snake looking for a guillotine here but Bates defends easily.
Bates stays in close to Snake's body and controls the position.

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.

Bates got a little sloppy there for a moment and Snake has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bates has managed to get both his arms back between Snake's legs - danger averted.
Bates lands a couple of elbows.
Bates engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Snake escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bates gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bates working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Snake's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bates sitting in guard here, content to control.

Snake looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Snake looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bates passes into side control.
Bates takes a little break here. Snake wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Bates tries to stand but Snake is controlling his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates landing a few strikes.
Snake is looking for a sweep.
Bates controls the position.
Bates is putting a hurting on Snake here, landing some big shots from side control.
Bates is working Snake over with some ground and pound from side control.
Snake struggling a bit here.
Bates advances to mount.
Bates lands a big shot there that rocks Snake but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Snake 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.
Bates prevents Snake from getting the reversal.
Snake regains half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Master Bates dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Snake moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Snake works Bates's body with a nice hook.
Bates fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Snake manages to avoid it.

Bates drives through with a takedown into Snake's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Bates not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Snake looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Snake swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bates preventing the sweep.
Bates controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bates is looking to stand up but Snake won't let him.
Bates lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Snake throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Bates escapes and throws Snake's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Bates wants to stand but Snake has his arm trapped.

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.
Bates tries to move into full mount but can't pass Snake's legs.
Snake is looking for a sweep.

Bates wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Snake, who protects the arm well.
Bates happy to just control the position for now.
Bates advances nicely into full mount.
Snake working to try and regain half guard.
Snake keeps trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates controlling from mount.
Snake sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Bates is controlling the pace.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bates lands a nice short elbow.
Bates frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bates scoring with strikes but Snake is staying in there.
Snake regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates stalling.
Bates working Snake over with strikes.

Bates is working for a submission of some sort.

Snake has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Bates escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Bates!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Snake tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bates wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Master Bates dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Snake's corner calls for a 1-2. Snake obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Snake swinging wildly here.
Nice shot by Snake.
Snake is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Snake lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Snake connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Bates gets a double leg takedown into Snake's guard.

Bates drops back looking for a leg! Snake is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Snake manages to kick Bates off! Bates jumps back into Snake's guard.
Bates 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.

Snake looking for a guillotine here but Bates defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Snake has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bates can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Snake takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Snake looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Bates content to stall in guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
John Snake 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.
Bates is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Bates is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Bates is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Bates controls from within his opponent's guard.
Bates has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Bates stopping the sweep attempt from Snake.
Bates 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Snake had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bates defends it easily.
Bates is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Snake can do to turn this around?
Bates is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Snake is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bates defends well.
Bates slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Snake cracks Bates with a right hand to the side of the head.

Bates shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates controls from within his opponent's guard.

Snake is looking for a triangle but Bates pushes his legs off easily.
Bates controlling from the top position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bates sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Snake's guard.

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 Master Bates.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bates, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Master Bates!