PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Frank Lucas Iv (ranked 3914 p4p, 2658 weight class) and Ulysses Battleby (ranked 346 p4p, 250 weight class). Ulysses Battleby will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Lucas Iv
vs
Battleby

168 cm
28
148
9 - 13 - 0

179 cm
27
151
5 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Lucas Iv!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ulysses Battleby!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown attempt by Lucas Iv or perhaps it was just good defense by Battleby, which made it look bad.
Lucas Iv dives in for a single leg takedown but Battleby sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Battleby breaks from the clinch.
Lucas Iv shoots in looking for a takedown. Battleby tries to sprawl out of it but Lucas Iv keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Battleby manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Lucas Iv. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A left lands for Battleby.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Battleby misses the jab.

Lucas Iv shoots in and bounces Battleby off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Battleby keeping moving, preventing Lucas Iv from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battleby wants to sweep here but Lucas Iv controlling him for the moment.
Battleby wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Battleby utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Battleby holds on and takes a little breather.
Lucas Iv loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lucas Iv in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Battleby utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Battleby looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Lucas Iv throws a big elbow that misses.
Battleby looking for a sweep. Not yet Battleby, not yet.
Battleby looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Lucas Iv has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lucas Iv is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battleby looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lucas Iv postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lucas Iv stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Battleby swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lucas Iv looking to sit in guard and control but Battleby gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Battleby looking to pass the guard.
Lucas Iv pulls Battleby in close to his closed guard and prevents Battleby from doing any damage or advancing position.
Battleby slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Battleby in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Lucas Iv is pushing Battleby's head away, looking to escape. Battleby manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battleby staying calm.
Battleby advances to full mount.
Battleby looking to control and managing it successfully.
Lucas Iv is in all sorts of trouble here.
Battleby sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Lucas Iv working to try and regain half guard.

That's four 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.
Lucas Iv is controlling an arm, preventing Battleby from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Battleby controlling from mount.
Lucas Iv is trying to escape the mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Battleby fails to advance to Lucas Iv's back.
Lucas Iv might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Lucas Iv tries to lock up and control but Battleby gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Battleby controlling the pace for now.
Lucas Iv reaches up and holds on to Battleby to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ulysses Battleby dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lucas Iv gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling Battleby to counter with a crisp jab.
Lucas Iv will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lucas Iv shoots in for a takedown but Battleby shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Lucas Iv. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Battleby fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Lucas Iv slips a straight right by Battleby.

Lucas Iv drives through with a takedown into guard.
Battleby keeping moving, preventing Lucas Iv from controlling successfully.
Lucas Iv being controlled here momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Battleby keeping moving, preventing Lucas Iv from controlling successfully.
Battleby manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lucas Iv manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battleby showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Battleby looking to pass the guard.
Battleby is still trying to improve position.
Battleby slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

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.
Battleby trying to control the action but Lucas Iv is working from the bottom.
Lucas Iv seems a little lost for a moment, as Battleby dominates the positioning.
Lucas Iv is trying to get back to half guard.
Battleby controlling from side mount.
Lucas Iv is looking for a sweep.
Battleby working away.
Lucas Iv tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battleby taking a breather here.
Battleby's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Battleby working away.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Battleby stands up and beckons Lucas Iv to his feet.
Lucas Iv misses with a double jab.

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.
Lucas Iv misses with a jab, cross combination.
Battleby feints a counter leg kick.
Lucas Iv swings widly with a right hand
and Battleby counters with a right hand to the body.
Lucas Iv shoots and misses
and Battleby counters with a leg kick.
Battleby with a nice calf kick.
Lucas Iv tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Lucas Iv fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lucas Iv keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Battleby.
Nice defenses there by Lucas Iv.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lucas Iv closes the distance and clinches up with Battleby, looking for a takedown. Lucas Iv pushes Battleby against the cage but Battleby circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lucas Iv walks into a stiff left hand from Battleby.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lucas Iv.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ulysses Battleby showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Lucas Iv misses with a takedown
and Battleby counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Lucas Iv feints and as Battleby raises his hands in defense, Lucas Iv changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ulysses Battleby has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lucas Iv throws a big right hand that misses.
Lucas Iv working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lucas Iv postures up and lands a big shot to Battleby's brow.
Battleby pulls Lucas Iv in close to prevent any damage.
Lucas Iv throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Battleby works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Battleby has Lucas Iv pulled in close to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lucas Iv trying to control the position from guard on top but Battleby is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Battleby has Lucas Iv pulled in close to control his posture.
Battleby has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas Iv with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lucas Iv missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Battleby looking for a sweep. Not yet Battleby, not yet.
Lucas Iv landing with the ground and pound.
Lucas Iv is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lucas Iv keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Battleby's head.
Battleby lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Battleby tries to free his leg and advance position but Lucas Iv is retaining full guard.
Lucas Iv wants to sweep here but Battleby controlling him for the moment.
Battleby sitting in guard here, content to control.
Battleby stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lucas Iv swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lucas Iv wants to sweep here but Battleby controlling him for the moment.
Battleby slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lucas Iv manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Battleby manages to get himself to full guard.

Battleby is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Battleby looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
More stalling from Battleby.
Battleby trying to pass the guard but Lucas Iv defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Lucas Iv trying to control but Battleby postures up.
Battleby seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Let's hope that Battleby has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Battleby is looking to advance position but Lucas Iv won't allow it.
Ulysses Battleby is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Battleby wants to stand up but Lucas Iv has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Frank Lucas Iv has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lucas Iv moves into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ulysses Battleby.
Well Battleby 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ulysses Battleby!
An out of breath Ulysses Battleby thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.