PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Micky Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Twardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Micky Ward has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ward
vs
Twardy

177 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Las Vegas, Micky Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dan Twardy!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Stewart Dunkirk and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

A big head kick from Twardy and Ward is sent sprawling to the canvas!

It looks like Micky Ward has been cut.
Twardy working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ward's head.

Ward is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Twardy thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Oh Ward is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Twardy must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Ward looking for a guillotine here but Twardy defends easily.
Twardy distracts Ward with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ward seems to have got his legs back now.

Ward looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Ward working for a triangle but Twardy defends it easily.
Twardy landing with the ground and pound.

Ward is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Twardy passes Ward's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Twardy working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Ward looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ward is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Twardy is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Twardy is looking for a kimura but Ward is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Twardy to get the leverage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ward actively working from the bottom here.

Ward is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Twardy pulls his head out easily.
Twardy scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Twardy passes to full mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Twardy cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Twardy has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ward's face.
Twardy fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Twardy in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Twardy looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Twardy raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Twardy with a couple of short strikes.
BOOM! Twardy connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The referee warns Ward that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Twardy is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Ward has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Twardy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ward. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ward is working to get back to half guard.
Ward manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Twardy seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Twardy pulls his head out easily.
Twardy is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Ward is trying desperately to improve position.
Ward 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.

Ward is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Twardy pulls his head out easily.

Ward looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Ward looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Ward looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ward makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ward.

Twardy is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Ward is looking for a triangle but Twardy pushes his legs off easily.

Twardy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Twardy is posturing up here but Ward has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Twardy tries to roll out but it's too tight and Twardy has to tap! Slick submission there by Ward!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Micky Ward!