PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Luke Muller (ranked 3251 p4p, 5720 weight class) and Shufoji Lomas (ranked 179 p4p, 0 weight class). Luke Muller looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Muller
vs
Lomas

173 cm
25
140
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
136
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luke Muller !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shufoji Lomas!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lomas looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Muller pushes Lomas off and gets back to his feet.
Lomas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Muller .
Lomas fails to land the takedown.
Lomas shoots for a double leg takedown but Muller sprawls well. He's pushed Lomas's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
We've been hearing reports that Muller has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Muller misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Muller shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Lomas is trying to defend but Muller finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Muller is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lomas is looking to control Muller 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lomas avoid being mounted?
Lomas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muller takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Muller seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lomas does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Muller is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Lomas works his way to full guard. Good work.

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

Muller got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lomas has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Muller has managed to get both his arms back between Lomas's legs - danger averted.

Muller stands and steps away. Lomas gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Muller throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Lomas.
Lomas misses with an uppercut. Muller saw that one coming.
Muller half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Nice cross by Muller .
Lomas uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Muller .

Muller shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lomas manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lomas trying to keep a closed guard but Muller is proving a slippery customer.
Our spies down at at Cozad MMA St Petersburg inform us that Lomas has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Muller might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Lomas can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Muller controls the pace.
Muller trying to control the position from guard on top but Lomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lomas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Muller accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Muller controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Lomas looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Lomas trying to keep a closed guard but Muller is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Muller passes Lomas's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Muller perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Lomas missing with punches from the bottom.
Lomas is trying to control but can't.
Lomas taking some punishment here, with Muller in his half guard.
Muller slows the pace down in half guard.
Nice strikes from Muller there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Muller lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lomas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Luke Muller is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Lomas dives in and scores a takedown into Muller 's guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Muller manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

Lomas manages to break the clinch.
Lomas shoots for a takedown but Muller saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
As Lomas tries to get set, Muller tries to push him back and clinch up but Lomas manages to avoid the attempt.
Lomas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Muller pinned against the cage. Muller gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Lomas gets caught napping as Muller dives in and scores a takedown. Lomas manages to retain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muller sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Luke Muller overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Lomas had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Muller defends it easily.
Muller working some strikes from top position.
Muller wants to stand but Lomas has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Muller pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lomas is keeping the position for now.
Lomas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Lomas keeping moving, preventing Muller from controlling successfully.

That's two 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.

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

Lomas is looking for a triangle but Muller pushes his legs off easily.
Muller wants to pass the guard but Lomas is keeping the position.
Lomas lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Lomas wants to stand but Muller has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lomas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lomas trying to control the position from guard on top but Muller is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lomas tries to free his leg and advance position but Muller is retaining full guard.
Lomas is looking to stand up but Muller won't let him.
Muller is pulling down on Lomas's head. It's preventing any offense from Lomas, at least for the moment.
Lomas postures up.

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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Muller is on top in guard.

Muller controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Muller looking to pass the guard.
Lomas keeping moving, preventing Muller from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Muller won't allow Lomas to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Muller checks the leg kick.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lomas enables Muller to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lomas manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Muller dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Muller misses with a wild body shot.

Muller gets a clinch.
Muller fails to pull guard.
Muller wants to break free but Lomas has control.
Lomas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Lomas has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Muller uses from the top position.
Lomas tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Muller gets to his feet. Lomas looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lomas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Muller is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lomas can do to turn this around?
Lomas tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Muller counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nice sprawl there from Muller as Lomas shoots in.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lomas shoots and misses
and Muller counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Muller . Lomas does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lomas shoots in for a takedown but Muller shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Luke Muller has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shufoji Lomas.

Muller closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lomas to the mat! Lomas manages to get full guard.
Muller trying to control the position from guard on top but Lomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lomas looking for a sweep. Not yet Lomas, not yet.
Muller not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Muller wants to stand but Lomas is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lomas working for a triangle but Muller defends it easily.
Muller lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Muller connects with a couple of short punches.
Lomas being controlled here, momentarily.
Muller pushes down on Lomas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Muller looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muller tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Lomas.
Lomas is pressing down on Muller 's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Muller controls from within his opponent's guard.
Muller trying to control but Lomas is working from the bottom.
Lomas trying to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Muller bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Muller tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Lomas takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
You can see the frustration on Lomas's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Lomas is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Muller decides to stand back up.
Shufoji Lomas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luke Muller is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Muller .

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Muller showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Muller has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Muller !