PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joad Cressbeckler (ranked 187 p4p, 819 weight class) and Armad Bates (ranked 27 p4p, 114 weight class). Cressbeckler comes to the cage accompanied by American Remains. Joad Cressbeckler has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cressbeckler
vs
Bates

177 cm
35
177
36 - 17 - 0

190 cm
35
183
18 - 15 - 3

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
World class MT
Powerful

Shadow Realm Apparel
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joad Cressbeckler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 3, fighting out of Montreal, Armad Bates!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Cressbeckler.

Cressbeckler tries to keep at a distance but Bates has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cressbeckler lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Cressbeckler misses with a punch to the body.
Bates tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cressbeckler is pressed up against the cage. Bates has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cressbeckler down to the mat. Cressbeckler avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bates tries to clinch but Cressbeckler is having none of it.
Bates tries for a takedown but Cressbeckler circles away easily
and Cressbeckler cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Joad Cressbeckler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Armad Bates.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cressbeckler.
Cressbeckler fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bates manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cressbeckler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bates moves away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bates! But no joy.
Bates closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cressbeckler connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Bates darts in and clinches Cressbeckler up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates looking for a takedown.
Bates is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Cressbeckler is defending well.
Cressbeckler lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cressbeckler presses Bates against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Cressbeckler's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Bates forces Cressbeckler back against the cage and clinches.
Cressbeckler lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bates backwards.
Bates tries for a takedown but Cressbeckler manages to get underhooks.
Cressbeckler misses with a punch to the body.
Cressbeckler struggles to land a body shot inside as Bates controls his hands.
Bates letting Cressbeckler take a breather here.
Bates lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cressbeckler backwards.
Bates is looking to take this one to the mat.
Bates tries for a takedown. No joy.

Cressbeckler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cressbeckler swinging wildly here.
Armad Bates seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bates is looking to clinch but Cressbeckler is avoiding it.
It looked like Cressbeckler wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bates is defended easily by Cressbeckler.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cressbeckler keeps the fight on the outside.
Bates tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cressbeckler manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice body punch from Cressbeckler.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bates closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cressbeckler counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bates thinking.

Bates has taken the fight to the clinch.

Bates pulls guard effortlessly.
Cressbeckler has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cressbeckler pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bates is keeping the position for now.
Bates is trying to keep Cressbeckler in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates wants to sweep but no luck.
Cressbeckler's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cressbeckler trying to control the position from guard on top but Bates is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bates looking for a sweep. Not yet Bates, not yet.
Bates trying to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Cressbeckler swats away the attempt to clinch by Bates.
Bates tries to clinch but Cressbeckler is having none of it.

That's four 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.
Cressbeckler just misses with a punch to the body.
Bates is looking to clinch but Cressbeckler is avoiding it.
Bates wants to clinch but Cressbeckler slips to the side
letting Cressbeckler counter with a right hand.

It looks like Armad Bates has been cut.
Cressbeckler swats away the attempt to clinch by Bates.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cressbeckler.
Bates moves in looking to clinch but Cressbeckler pushes him off.
Bates fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bates tries to clinch
and Cressbeckler counters with a right hand to the body.

Bates forces Cressbeckler back against the cage and clinches.

Cressbeckler breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cressbeckler circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bates uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cressbeckler throws a head kick that misses
letting Bates counter with a right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joad Cressbeckler dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Armad Bates's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Bates wants to clinch up but Cressbeckler keeps it at a distance.
Cressbeckler is looking to counter punch.
Bates tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cressbeckler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
It looked like Cressbeckler wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Bates tries to clinch up.
Cressbeckler fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Bates.

Bates moves into range and clinches up with Cressbeckler.

Bates works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Cressbeckler is looking to stand back up but Bates counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Cressbeckler.

Cressbeckler is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bates can do to turn this around?
Bates seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cressbeckler does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Cressbeckler knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bates on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cressbeckler tries to get to full guard but Bates has control of the leg.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Cressbeckler trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Bates manages to pass to mount!
Cressbeckler is looking to improve his position but Bates isn't that keen on the idea.
Cressbeckler 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bates is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cressbeckler wants to control the action here but instead Bates manages to pass to full mount!
Bates tries to control but Cressbeckler wriggling away.
Bates with good strikes from the mount here!
Bates looking to control but Cressbeckler is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cressbeckler tries to hold on but Bates pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cressbeckler wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Cressbeckler is trying to break free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cressbeckler defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Cressbeckler might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bates somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Cressbeckler's body.
Bates missing with strikes from the back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cressbeckler trying to control the hands but Bates breaks the grip.
Armad Bates has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bates thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Armad Bates showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Armad Bates's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Bates closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Bates is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cressbeckler controlling the position well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cressbeckler defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cressbeckler has a hand on Bates's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Bates takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Cressbeckler is desperately trying to improve his position but Bates has a good base and remains in mount.
Cressbeckler tries to hold on but Bates pushes him away.
Bates controlling the pace for now.
Poor strikes thrown by Bates there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Cressbeckler is looking to improve his position but Bates isn't that keen on the idea.
Bates controlling from the full mount.
Bates misses with a head shot.
Cressbeckler slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Bates missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cressbeckler tries to get to full guard but Bates has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cressbeckler holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Bates controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cressbeckler gets tackled into the cage by Bates. Bates maintains the clinch.

Bates successfully pulls guard.
Bates managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cressbeckler is one step ahead there.
Cressbeckler looking to sit in guard and control but Bates gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bates seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cressbeckler is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

And that's the end of the fight!
Armad Bates comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bates 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29

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