PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ayala Batistuta (ranked 4589 p4p, 6073 weight class) and Lydell Poag (ranked 529 p4p, 625 weight class). The key to victory for Ayala Batistuta has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Batistuta
vs
Poag

186 cm
25
200
1 - 1 - 0

191 cm
25
213
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ayala Batistuta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lydell Poag!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Batistuta moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Batistuta enables Poag to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Batistuta manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Batistuta on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Batistuta tries to get out of the position.
Poag throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Poag stops Batistuta from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Poag accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Poag lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Poag 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.
Batistuta is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Poag cracks Batistuta with a solid left hand.
Poag is working Batistuta over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Poag sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Batistuta's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poag perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
It looks like Poag might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Batistuta is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poag is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ground and pound from Poag.
Ground and pound from Poag.
Poag controlling the action here.
Poag has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Poag throwing shots but Batistuta is blocking nicely.
Poag controlling the action here.
Poag stops Batistuta from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poag performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Batistuta looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Poag not landing any meaningful shots this time.

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.
Poag looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Batistuta keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Poag looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Batistuta with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Poag content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Poag looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Batistuta pushes Poag off looking to stand but Poag dives back in and keeps control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Poag lands a nice short elbow.
Poag controlling the action here.
Poag is nestled in close to Batistuta, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Poag is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta blocking the ground and pound attempt from Poag.
Poag landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Poag content to control rather than advance.
Poag working Batistuta over with strikes.
Poag works his way into side control.
Batistuta wants to get back to his feet but Poag drags him back down.
Poag lands some shots froms side control.
Poag works to advance to full mount. Batistuta defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poag controlling his opponent.
Poag looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Poag pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Poag tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Batistuta knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Poag on the ground.
Poag landing strikes from the mount.
Poag sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
A nice elbow there by Poag.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Poag is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Batistuta can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Poag controlling his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lydell Poag dominated that round.
That's time! Batistuta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Batistuta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Poag swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Poag darts in looking for a takedown but Batistuta gets double underhooks and turns Poag into the cage.
Poag circles away from the clinch attempt.
Batistuta is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Batistuta moves in looking to clinch but Poag pushes him off.
Poag with the counter takedown but Batistuta avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Poag.
Batistuta tries to clinch but Poag is having none of it.
Poag is trying hard to land a takedown here. Batistuta sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ayala Batistuta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lydell Poag.
Poag with a lazy takedown attempt

and Batistuta counters by moving into the clinch.
Poag has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Batistuta is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Batistuta is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Batistuta lands an elbow that stopped Poag in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Lydell Poag has been cut.
Poag has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Batistuta lands an elbow that stopped Poag in his tracks for a moment.
Poag dodges an elbow strike from Batistuta.
Batistuta is pressed up against the cage. Poag has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Batistuta down to the mat. Batistuta avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batistuta fails in his attempt to clinch.
Batistuta defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Poag.
Batistuta is looking to clinch.
Poag scores with a shot to the body.
Batistuta tries to clinch up.
Poag fails with the takedown.
Poag shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Batistuta but Batistuta pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Poag fails with a takedown attempt.
Poag is breathing heavily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Batistuta stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poag jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Batistuta walks away with a smile on his face. Poag gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Batistuta drives through and clinches with Poag against the cage.
Batistuta blocks a body shot from Poag.
Poag blocks an elbow strike.
Batistuta misses with an elbow over the top.
Batistuta misses with an elbow over the top.
Nice elbow from Batistuta.
Poag drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Batistuta gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Batistuta pushes off an throws an elbow but Poag leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Poag tries a body shot but Batistuta blocks it.
Poag drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Batistuta gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Batistuta throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Poag pulls guard successfully.
Batistuta wants to stand and escape but instead Poag has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Poag won't allow Batistuta to get back to his feet.
Poag controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lydell Poag has got the better of the ground game so far.
Poag stops Batistuta from standing up.
Batistuta keeping full guard, as Poag tries to pass.
Poag is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poag prevents Batistuta from getting back to his feet.
Poag is looking to work some ground and pound but Batistuta has wrist control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Lydell Poag seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Batistuta tries to clinch up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Batistuta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Poag swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Poag throws a right hand that Batistuta ducks under and follows up with a left that Batistuta also avoids with ease.
Batistuta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Poag manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Poag looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Poag gets a takedown into half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ayala Batistuta dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Lydell Poag's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Batistuta tries to clinch up
and Poag counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Batistuta wants to clinch.
Poag shoots in looking for a takedown. Batistuta tries to sprawl out of it but Poag keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Batistuta manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Batistuta has Poag up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Batistuta throws an elbow but it misses.
Poag blocks an elbow strike.
Poag is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poag misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Batistuta gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Poag.
Ayala Batistuta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lydell Poag.
Poag takes an elbow to the forehead.
Poag misses with the head strike.
Batistuta throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Poag jumps guard but Batistuta turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Batistuta lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Batistuta lands an elbow inside.

Poag is trying to trip Batistuta. He has hold of a leg but Batistuta is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Poag persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Batistuta is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Poag is controlling him.
Poag sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Poag landing with the ground and pound.
Poag is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Poag advances to half guard.
Batistuta tries to kick Poag off but Poag keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Poag is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Poag stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poag passes to full mount!
Batistuta's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Poag controlling the position easily from mount.
Poag landing strikes, looking to finish!
Batistuta wants to get back to his feet.
Poag postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Batistuta looks a forlorn figure.
Poag breaks from Batistuta's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Poag is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Poag lands a nice shot to the head.
Poag controlling his opponent.
Poag has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Batistuta's face.
Poag scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Batistuta?
Batistuta taking shots to the head.
Poag lands a couple of good shots and Batistuta has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Batistuta is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Batistuta is trapped and Poag is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Oh Batistuta is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
I would not like to be Batistuta right now.
Poag is raining down hard shots and and Batistuta has had enough - he's tapped out due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Lydell Poag!