PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ulysses Battleby (ranked 303 p4p, 378 weight class) and Paul Eclaro (ranked 32 p4p, 42 weight class). Eclaro is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: I'm The Boy. Ulysses Battleby has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Battleby
vs
Eclaro

179 cm
35
151
18 - 10 - 0

168 cm
30
155
19 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Shadow Realm Apparel
30th Century Beer Store

Uncle Rufus Clothing .Co
30th Century Beer Store

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ulysses Battleby!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paul Eclaro!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Fujiwara and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Eclaro scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Battleby doesn't seem bothered though.
Eclaro darts in looking for a takedown but Battleby gets double underhooks and turns Eclaro into the cage.
Eclaro misses with a hook to the body
and Battleby counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Battleby uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Eclaro.
A little feinted left hand from Battleby on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Eclaro misses with a straight left.
A head kick misses from Battleby.
Battleby with a nice calf kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eclaro on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Eclaro has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Eclaro there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battleby misses with a hook

and Eclaro counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Battleby has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Eclaro off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Eclaro looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Battleby swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Eclaro avoids a punch combination nicely.
Eclaro changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Battleby works the jab nicely.

It looks like Paul Eclaro has been cut.
We've been told by Battleby's head coaches at FIGHT FOUNDERS (CA) that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eclaro closes the distance and pushes Battleby back into the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A shot in the inside from Eclaro.

Battleby breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Eclaro slips a jab from Battleby.
Eclaro with the counter takedown but Battleby avoids it easily.
Eclaro tries to clinch up but Battleby circles away and keeps his distance.
Eclaro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Battleby misses with a looping left.
Eclaro jabs Battleby to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Eclaro defending well as Battleby loads up on a big left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eclaro slips under a jab.
Battleby jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Battleby throws a body punch but Eclaro moves out of range.
Eclaro with a lazy takedown attempt
and Battleby counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ulysses Battleby has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Eclaro.
Battleby misses with a wild body shot.
Eclaro misses with a body shot
and Battleby counters with a nice uppercut.
Battleby misses with a kick to the body.
Eclaro feints the counter takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Battleby tries to bum rush Eclaro with a series of wild strikes but Eclaro uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Eclaro just misses with a punch to the body.
Eclaro throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ulysses Battleby is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Battleby pushes Eclaro away with a front kick.
Eclaro looks to land a left hand but Battleby moved out of range nicely.
Eclaro misses with a body punch
and Battleby connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
This has been an exciting period of action!
No joy there for Eclaro, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Eclaro closes the distance but Battleby moves to the side
and Battleby counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Eclaro thinking.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ulysses Battleby dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paul Eclaro's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Eclaro instigates a clinch.
Good body shot from Eclaro.
Eclaro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Battleby's elbow.
A right handed body shot lands from Eclaro.
Eclaro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Eclaro.
Eclaro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Eclaro leaning his opponent against the cage.

Battleby escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Battleby misses with a few strikes there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eclaro ducks under a wild hook from Battleby.
Eclaro swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eclaro slips a jab from Battleby.
Eclaro drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Battleby defends it well.
Battleby feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Eclaros jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Eclaro scores with a jab to the body.
A slow jab from Battleby misses its intended target.
Battleby is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Battleby throws a head kick that misses

and Eclaro counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Eclaro.

Battleby uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Eclaro throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Battleby to counter with a crisp jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Battleby keeps Eclaro at a distance using the push kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eclaro misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Battleby.
A low kick from Battleby is predictable there

and Eclaro counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Eclaro trying to control from half guard but Battleby is working away.
Battleby wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Battleby wants to get back to his feet.
Ulysses Battleby overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Eclaro is working for a kimura but Battleby is defending it quite comfortably.
Battleby tries to kick Eclaro off but Eclaro keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Eclaro thows a huge punch but Battleby dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battleby wants to improve his position but Eclaro is controlling well.
Battleby is working hard here to advance position.
Eclaro stops Battleby from getting back to his feet.
Eclaro missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Eclaro is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Eclaro tries to pass the half guard into mount. Battleby knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Battleby is trying to get back to full guard.
Eclaro not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Battleby is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Battleby won't allow Eclaro to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Battleby moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Battleby wants to sweep but no luck.
Battleby pulls Eclaro in close to prevent any damage.
Battleby keeping full guard, as Eclaro tries to pass.
Battleby looking for a sweep. Not yet Battleby, not yet.
Battleby keeping full guard, as Eclaro tries to pass.
Battleby lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Eclaro throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ulysses Battleby will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Paul Eclaro's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Eclaro misses with a body shot.
Paul Eclaro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eclaro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Battleby is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Eclaro can do to turn this around?
Eclaro takes a swing at Battleby's ribcage but misses.
A slow jab from Battleby misses its intended target.
Nice defenses there by Battleby.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Battleby throws a low kick but Eclaro moves out of range easily.
Eclaro misses the body punch
enabling Battleby to counter with a crisp jab.
Battleby throws a sloppy head kick and Eclaro moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eclaro takes one to the side of the head.
Eclaro cracks Battleby with a good jab.
Battleby keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Eclaro throws a predictable looking body shot
and Battleby counters with a thumping low kick.
Battleby throws an overhand right that lands on Eclaro's shoulder, as Eclaro tries to avoid the shot.
Eclaro with the counter takedown but Battleby avoids it easily.
Battleby cracks Eclaro with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battleby fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Eclaro manages to avoid it.
Battleby feints and then cracks Eclaro's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Eclaro down.
Eclaro looks to score with a jab to the body but Battleby is just out of range.
A jab from Battleby misses.
Battleby misses with a wild body shot.
Eclaro appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Battleby lands a body shot.
Eclaro swings for the body but Battleby moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battleby tries to bum rush Eclaro with a series of wild strikes but Eclaro uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Battleby throws a looping overhand right but Eclaro ducks down to avoid it.
Eclaro throws a body shot but no joy.
Decent striking displayed by Battleby there.

That has opened up Paul Eclaro's cut even more.
Eclaro throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Battleby has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Eclaro finds it's way round the side to connect with Battleby's head.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Battleby. Eclaro shrugs it off though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Battleby missing with a left hand there. Eclaro was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Eclaro changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Eclaro misses with a body shot.
Battleby swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Battleby avoids the body shot from Eclaro.
Battleby throws a jab but it's blocked by Eclaro.
Eclaro misses the body punch
and Battleby cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ulysses Battleby is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Battleby explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Eclaro tries to clinch
and Battleby counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ulysses Battleby showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Battleby, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ulysses Battleby!
A relieved looking Ulysses Battleby thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.