PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Isiah Monroe (ranked 3648 p4p, 5308 weight class) and Solly North (ranked 387 p4p, 461 weight class). Solly North has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Monroe
vs
North

177 cm
19
177
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
185
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Isiah Monroe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Solly North!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Micheangelo Fripello and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
North throws a jab but it's blocked by Monroe.

Monroe gets a takedown into half guard.
North looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Monroe trying to control the action but North is working from the bottom.

Monroe is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

North actively working from the bottom here.
Ground and pound from Monroe.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monroe seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

North is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Monroe pulls his head out easily.
Monroe stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monroe slips a nice elbow through North's hands, connecting with North's forehead.
North works his way to full guard. Good work.
Monroe sitting in guard, not really doing much.
North has momentary wrist control but Monroe slips an elbow through the middle.
Monroe with a nice head shot there.
North has momentary wrist control but Monroe slips an elbow through the middle.
Monroe wants to control from the top but North keeps moving.

Monroe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

North looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Monroe wants to control from the top but North keeps moving.
Monroe distracts North with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

North is working an open guard so Monroe takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Monroe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Monroe seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Monroe looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Monroe content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
North wants to control but Monroe is keeping busy and won't allow it.
North is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Monroe scores with a couple of nice shots.
Monroe trying to control the action but North is working from the bottom.
North is trying to get back to full guard.

North actively working from the bottom here.
Monroe working North over with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Monroe lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

North looking for submissions off his back.
Monroe working North over with strikes.
Monroe working the head and body with strikes.

North is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Monroe pulls his head out easily.

North is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Monroe pulls his head out easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Monroe is trying to control the action in half guard but North is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

North looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Monroe scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Isiah Monroe dominated that round.
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.

North closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Monroe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
North tries to get to full guard but Monroe has control of the leg.
North is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Monroe scores with a couple of nice shots.

North looking for submissions off his back.
Monroe seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

North is defending against the submission attempts here by Monroe.

North looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monroe lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Monroe is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
North moves into full guard.
Monroe cracks North with a solid left hand.
Monroe connects with a couple of short punches.
Monroe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Monroe keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of North's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monroe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

North throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Monroe makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Monroe decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on North, up you get!
A jab from North misses.
Monroe blocks a jab.

Monroe darts in and clinches North up against the cage.

North is fighting off a takedown attempt but Monroe is just too persistent for him and manages to trip North to the mat. North regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monroe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Monroe connects with a couple of short punches.
Monroe slips nicely into half guard.
North regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monroe working some strikes from top position.
Monroe is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Monroe got a little sloppy there for a moment and North has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Monroe has managed to get both his arms back between North's legs - danger averted.
Monroe trying to control the position from guard on top but North is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Monroe chips away with some ground and pound.
Monroe lands a couple of elbows.
Monroe with a nice head shot there.

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

North working for submissions but it's allowed Monroe to get to half guard.
Nice strikes from Monroe there.
Isiah Monroe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Monroe landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
North has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Monroe is working away from the top position though.
Monroe lands strikes from half guard.
North trying to control here.

Monroe is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. North doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Monroe.
North on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Monroe is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Monroe working over North with some ground and pound. North looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Isiah Monroe dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

North throws a hook to the side of Monroe's head but Monroe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Monroe looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for North!

Monroe stands up.
North feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Monroes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Monroe shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in North's guard.
North not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Monroe drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Monroe jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Monroe is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! North is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! North has escaped and now he's on top!

The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
North preventing the sweep.
Monroe on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Monroe tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
North trying to move into half guard but instead Monroe has managed to sweep!

Monroe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that North can do to turn this around?
Monroe landing with the ground and pound.
Monroe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Monroe lands a couple of digs.
Monroe is working North over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Monroe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
North is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Monroe makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monroe advances position into side control!
Monroe working the head with strikes.
North is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Monroe's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Monroe lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
North has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Monroe is working away from the top position though.
Monroe lands with a punch from half guard.
Monroe slips a nice elbow through North's hands, connecting with North's forehead.
Monroe 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Monroe trying to control the action but North is working from the bottom.

North is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Monroe pulls his head out easily.
North takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monroe is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Monroe lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Monroe not doing much here.

Monroe seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. North is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Isiah Monroe!