PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Christian Bates (ranked 4570 p4p, 4614 weight class) and Islam Bayat (ranked 0 p4p, 494 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bates
vs
Bayat

157 cm
25
164
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
160
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Christian Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Islam Bayat!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Bates, as that shot connected.
Bates really is a fat lump.
Bayat is looking to clinch but Bates is avoiding it.

Bates closes the distance and clinches.
Bayat managing to block the knees to the body from Bates.
Bayat jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bates walks away with a smile on his face. Bayat gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Bates lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Bayat keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Bayat manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bates on his heels. He'll look to pass Bates's guard now, I'm sure.

Bates kicks Bayat off and gets to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Bayat closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Bates did well to prevent Bayat getting side control.
Bayat wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bates keeps working.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Bayat in particular looking to stall.
Bates is refusing to be controlled, as Bayat sits in half guard.
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.
Bates won't allow Bayat to pass to mount.

Bayat is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bates might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bayat trying to control from half guard but Bates is working away.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Bayat is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bates sees it coming and defends easily.
Bates really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bayat performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Bates is trying to stand up here but Bayat is controlling him well.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Bayat fails to land with a series of punches.
Bates throws a shot to the body.

Bates takes the fight into the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Bates.
Bates pushes Bayat back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Bates lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates lands a shot to the body.
Bayat looking for a takedown.
Bayat looks winded!
Bates prevents Bayat from breaking the clinch.
Bates tries a body shot but Bayat blocks it.
Bayat goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bates prevents it.
Christian Bates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Islam Bayat.
Bayat is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bates lands a body shot in the clinch.
Bates unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Bates lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short right from Bates.
Bates lands with a left to the head.
Bates softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bates working Bayat over with knees to the body.
A short body shot lands from Bates as the two fighters clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Bates creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short right from Bates.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Knees to the body from Bates.
A nice left hand lands by Bates.
Bates tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Bates takes a shot to the head.
Bates works on Bayat's body with a couple of short punches.
Bates scores with a nice hook to the head.
Bates swings wildly with an uppercut but Bayat uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bates using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bayat has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Bayat taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Bayat is trying to force a seperation but Bates has the dominant position.

Bayat breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Bates dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Bayat tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bates defends well and Bayat ends up having to push Bates into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Bayat swings for the body but Bates moves out of range.
Bayat shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bates as he avoids it easily.
Bayat shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bates pinned against the cage. Bates gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
It looked like Bates was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Bayat.
Christian Bates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Islam Bayat.
Bates digs a good body shot into Bayat's ribs.
Bates scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates works Bayat's body with a nice hook.
Bates scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Bates lands with an uppercut that bounces Bayat off the cage and back into range.
Bayat is breathing heavily.
Bates scores with a body shot.
Bayat drops his hands momentarily and Bates takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bayat cracks a nice hook into Bates's ribs.
Christian Bates seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bates lands a right hook to the body.

Bates gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bates utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Bates lands a left hand.
A right hook to the body lands for Bates.
Bates with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Bates lands a body shot.
Bates stops a takedown attempt from Bayat.
Bates throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A right hand to the body from Bates.
Bayat takes a knee to the side of the body.
Bayat jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bates walks away with a smile on his face. Bayat gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Islam Bayat is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bates lands a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bates gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bayat is trying to pull guard but Bates turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Bates softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bates utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Bates lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bayat or not.
Bayat is trying to pull guard but Bates turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Bates gets underhooks to prevent Bayat's takedown attempt.
Bates digs a right hand underneath Bayat's ribcage. Bayat let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Bates lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bayat tries to throw a body punch but Bates avoids it by throwing Bayat back against the cage.

Bayat pulls Bates into guard.
Bates sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates won't allow Bayat to sweep him here.
Bayat wants to get back to his feet but Bates is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bates is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bayat can do to turn this around?
Bayat wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Bates trying to control the position from guard on top but Bayat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Islam Bayat has got the better of the ground game so far.

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.
Bayat thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Bayat pulls Bates in to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Bayat darts in and clinches Bates up against the cage.
Bayat is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bates to keep the fight standing.
Christian Bates has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Bates tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The referee calls for Bayat to work.
Bayat can't break the clinch.
Bates misses with a punch to the body.
Bayat is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Bates dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bates doesn't manage to clinch there - Bayat circles away.
Bates moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bates looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A big left from Bates misses.
Bayat avoids the body shot from Bates.
Bayat takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Bates moves into the clinch successfully.
Bayat prevents a body shot from Bates.
Bates working Bayat over with knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Bates tries to land knees in the clinch but Bayat avoids the damage to the body.
Bates utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Bayat prevents a body shot from Bates.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates misses with a knee strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Bayat's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bates moves in looking to clinch but Bayat pushes him off.
Bates swings away with a body shot that misses

and Bayat counters by clinching up.
Bayat tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bates just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bates connects with a nasty looking knee right to Bayat's face.
Bayat can't break the clinch.
Bayat is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Bayat tries to score a body lock takedown but Bates shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Christian Bates has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Islam Bayat.

Bayat wants the takedown. Bates is fighting it off but Bayat persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Bates's guard against the cage.

Bates has his feet on Bayat's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Bates closes the distance and pushes Bayat back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bayat jumps guard but Bates stands there with Bayat around his waist. Bayat gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bayat jumps guard but Bates turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Bates lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bates lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Bayat tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bates just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bates landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Bates goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bayat misses with a punch to the body.
Bates misses with a body punch.
Bayat prevents a body shot from Bates.
Bayat tries to pull guard but Bates holds him up against the cage and eventually Bayat drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bayat fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Still in the clinch, Bates scores with a nice short uppercut.
Bayat takes a knee to the side of the body.
Bates misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bates tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bayat's elbow.

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

Bayat moves into the clinch.

Bayat successfully pulls guard.
Bates being controlled here momentarily.
Bayat is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bates knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bayat on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bayat throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Bayat is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Bayat 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Christian Bates showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christian Bates!
A relieved looking Christian Bates thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.