PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tallulah Begaye (ranked 2307 p4p, 5806 weight class) and Jon Lodge (ranked 121 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Begaye
vs
Lodge

195 cm
26
279
4 - 1 - 0

186 cm
20
260
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tallulah Begaye!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jon Lodge!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Chris Dean and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good leg kick by Lodge.

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

Lodge makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Lodge closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Begaye is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Lodge's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Begaye looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Begaye moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Lodge avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lodge wants to stand but Begaye is controlling his posture from full guard.

Begaye working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lodge doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lodge manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Lodge must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lodge wants to control from the top but Begaye keeps moving.

Begaye has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lodge can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lodge loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Begaye is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Begaye looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lodge wants to control from the top but Begaye keeps moving.

Lodge avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Lodge is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Lodge wants to control from the top but Begaye keeps moving.
Lodge is working Begaye over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Begaye has momentary wrist control but Lodge slips an elbow through the middle.

Begaye throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Begaye doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Begaye has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lodge can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lodge working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Begaye's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lodge wants to control from the top but Begaye keeps moving.

Begaye is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Begaye looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Begaye had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lodge defends it easily.
Lodge landing with the ground and pound.

Begaye has his foot on Lodge's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lodge works his way back into a safe position though.

Lodge avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Begaye is breathing heavily.
Lodge not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Lodge trying to control but Begaye is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.

Lodge got a little sloppy there for a moment and Begaye has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lodge has managed to get both his arms back between Begaye's legs - danger averted.
Begaye has momentary wrist control but Lodge slips an elbow through the middle.
Lodge is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Lodge trying to control but Begaye is working from the bottom.
Begaye not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Begaye has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lodge can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lodge passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lodge is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Begaye sees it coming and defends easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Lodge dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lodge fails to land the takedown.
Nice sprawl there from Begaye as Lodge shoots in.
Lodge looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tallulah Begaye has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jon Lodge.
Lodge gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Begaye decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lodge's guard.
Begaye scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

It looks like Jon Lodge has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lodge preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Begaye throwing strikes but missing.
Begaye throws a strike but Lodge rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Begaye striking from his own guard.

Begaye looking for a guillotine here but Lodge defends easily.
Lodge working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Begaye's head.

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

Begaye is looking for a triangle here but Lodge uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Lodge in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Lodge is looking to take a break and control but Begaye is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lodge controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lodge scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Begaye to see if he's OK.
Begaye is looking to regain half guard here but Lodge keeps moving and retains side control.
Begaye is working hard here to advance position.
Jon Lodge has got the better of the ground game so far.
Begaye struggling a bit here.

Lodge tries for a kimura but Begaye is defending well.

Begaye bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Lodge tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Begaye swivels and escapes.
Begaye half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Lodge misses with a leg kick

and Begaye counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lodge trying to hold on to Begaye's head to control him but Begaye postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Begaye not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lodge trying to control but Begaye postures up.
Lodge felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Lodge is not content to let Begaye control the position.
Lodge is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Begaye scores with a couple of nice shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lodge wants to get back to his feet.
Begaye lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That has opened up Jon Lodge's cut even more.
Lodge gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lodge not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lodge is on top in guard.

Begaye trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Begaye on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Begaye tries to get out of the position.
Lodge trying to control the position from guard on top but Begaye is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Begaye tries to strike from the bottom.
Lodge connects with a couple of short punches.
Lodge keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Begaye's head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Begaye is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lodge defends well.

Begaye is looking for a triangle but Lodge pushes his legs off easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tallulah Begaye dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jon Lodge's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Begaye walks into a jab.
Lodge fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Tallulah Begaye is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lodge misses with a double jab

and Begaye counters by moving into the clinch.
Begaye can't get the takedown.
Lodge wants a takedown but no success here.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lodge - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Begaye pulls guard successfully.
Lodge is looking to stand up but Begaye won't let him.
Lodge landing some decent shots from guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lodge trying to control but Begaye is working from the bottom.

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

Begaye has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lodge can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Begaye trying to keep a closed guard but Lodge is proving a slippery customer.

Begaye is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Begaye wants to improve his position but instead Lodge has moved into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Begaye manages to get to full guard.
Lodge trying to control but Begaye is working from the bottom.
Begaye throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Begaye has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lodge can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lodge trying to control but Begaye is working from the bottom.

Begaye had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lodge defends it easily.
Lodge trying to control the position from guard on top but Begaye is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lodge scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Lodge postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Lodge content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lodge is working Begaye over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lodge is working Begaye over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lodge postures up and lands a big shot to Begaye's brow.
Begaye keeping full guard, as Lodge tries to pass.
Lodge lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Lodge works over Begaye with some ground and pound from guard.
Begaye keeping moving, preventing Lodge from controlling successfully.
Lodge lands a couple of elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Begaye has momentary wrist control but Lodge slips an elbow through the middle.

Begaye escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lodge gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Begaye is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lodge wants to control from the top but Begaye keeps moving.
Lodge controls from within his opponent's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Begaye lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jon Lodge comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lodge has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jon Lodge!