PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Grappling Panda (ranked 4722 p4p, 4122 weight class) and Joseph Conner (ranked 478 p4p, 442 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Grappling Panda has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Grappling Panda seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Panda
vs
Conner

150 cm
19
155
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
155
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Grappling Panda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joseph Conner!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Conner tries to clinch but Panda is having none of it.
Conner lands a really nice looking cross but Panda seems unphased.
Nice shot by Conner.

Conner closes the distance and pushes Panda back into the cage.
Panda tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Panda manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Conner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda has Conner pulled in close to control his posture.
Conner looking to sit in guard and control but Panda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Conner working for submissions but it's allowed Panda to get to half guard.
Conner is looking for a sweep. Panda is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Panda is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Conner has a hand on Panda's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Panda takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Conner wants to hold on but Panda pushes him away.
Panda content just to control the position here.
Panda seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Conner for as long as he can get away with.
Panda avoids the attempt from Conner to control.
Panda sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conner manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Conner is looking to improve his position.
Panda is pressing down on Conner's thigh, looking to free his foot. Conner is holding on for now.
Panda stalling.

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.

Conner looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Panda is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Panda's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Conner misses with a looping left.
Panda is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Conner.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Grappling Panda dominated that round.
That's time! Panda's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Conner tries to clinch but Panda is having none of it.
Panda tries to counter by clinching up but Conner breaks away and moves out of range.
Panda tries to clinch up
and Conner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Panda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Conner tries to clinch there but Panda circles away.
Panda seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda shoots in and drives through. Conner sprawls well.

Conner gets a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Panda is trying to pull guard but Conner turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Conner landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Conner lands a good knee to the midsection. Panda won't want to take too many of those.
Panda tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grappling Panda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conner crunches a lovely knee into Panda's ribcage.
Panda tries to stall but Conner uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Panda tries to pull guard but Conner won't allow it.
Panda jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Conner walks away with a smile on his face. Panda gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Conner closes this distance looking for a takedown but Panda circles away.
Panda is looking to counter the offense by Conner and move into the clinch.
Conner wants to clinch up but Panda keeps it at a distance.
Nice uppercut lands for Conner. That snapped Panda's head back.
Joseph Conner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Panda fails in his attempt to clinch.
Conner tries to counter by closing the distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Panda chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Conner can pounce on him.
Conner's corner calls for a 1-2. Conner obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Jab from Conner.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Conner dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Panda. That did some damage!
Conner will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Panda tries to counter by clinching up but Conner breaks away and moves out of range.
Panda's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Conner connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Panda scrambles back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Panda tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Conner counters with a stiff right hand.
A big left from Conner misses.

Conner has closed the distance and engaged Panda in a clinch.
Conner landing knees to the head.

It looks like Grappling Panda has been cut.
Conner connects with a nasty looking knee right to Panda's face.
Panda tries to pull guard but Conner forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Conner lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Conner lands a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panda tries to pull guard but Conner holds him up against the cage and eventually Panda drops back down to his feet.
Conner unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Conner using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Joseph Conner seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Panda pulls guard effortlessly.
Conner tries to free his leg and advance position but Panda is retaining full guard.
Conner trying to control but Panda is working from the bottom.
Conner is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Panda keeping full guard, as Conner tries to pass.
Conner has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Conner postures up in Panda's guard and throws a big left but Panda blocks it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Panda tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Conner clobbers Panda with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Conner pivots, looking for a leg kick but Panda is out of range and Conner settles back down.

Panda rushes Conner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Conner connects with a nasty looking knee right to Panda's face.
Conner lands a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Conner walks away with a smile on his face. Panda gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Conner closes the distance and clinches up with Panda, looking for a takedown. Conner pushes Panda against the cage but Panda circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Panda is looking to counter the offense by Conner and move into the clinch.

Conner pushes Panda up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conner lands a nice knee to the body.
Conner has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Conner is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Conner lands a knee to the head.
Panda takes a knee right on the jaw!
Conner lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Panda is pressed up against the cage. Conner has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Panda down to the mat. Panda avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Grappling Panda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Conner.
Conner misses with a low kick.
Panda is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Conner.
Panda swats away the attempt to clinch by Conner.
Panda seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Conner misses with a low kick.
Conner tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner tried to score with a low kick but Panda checks it.
Panda is looking to clinch but Conner is avoiding it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Conner! But no joy.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Panda checks a leg kick.

Panda takes the fight into the clinch.

Panda jumps into guard, dragging Conner to the mat.
Conner trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Panda manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Panda sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conner can't keep his opponent in guard - Panda advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four 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.

Panda is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Conner doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Panda.
Conner tries to roll over but Panda keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Panda stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Conner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Conner 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joseph Conner!