PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Arona Lotus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pat O Brien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arona Lotus has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lotus
vs
O Brien

200 cm
22
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Arona Lotus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Pat O Brien!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Paul Tew and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Brien shoots in for a double leg but Lotus sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
O Brien looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Lotus scores with a takedown into O Brien's guard.
Lotus wants to pass the guard but O Brien is keeping the position.
Lotus is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Lotus gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Lotus looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Lotus not doing much here.
Lotus working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lotus controlling the action here.
Lotus landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lotus escapes and gets back to his feet.

Lotus shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Lotus showed some decent athleticism there.
Lotus drops an elbow to the side of O Brien's head.

O Brien is defending against the submission attempts here by Lotus.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Lotus in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lotus wants to work for an arm triangle but O Brien is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
O Brien has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lotus is working away from the top position though.
Lotus keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Lotus throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lotus performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lotus is thwarting O Brien's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lotus is stalling here. O Brien is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Lotus seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and O Brien has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Lotus is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
O Brien throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

O Brien is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
O Brien is looking to advance position but Lotus won't allow it.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lotus holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Lotus is looking to control O Brien's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lotus avoid being mounted?
Lotus is trying to stand up here but O Brien is controlling him well.

O Brien is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Lotus tries to regain full guard. Instead though, O Brien has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arona Lotus dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Lotus bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lotus controlling the position.

Lotus is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but O Brien is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
O Brien is trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
O Brien manages to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lotus blocks the strikes from O Brien.
Lotus takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
O Brien tries to get to full guard but Lotus has control of the leg.

O Brien actively working from the bottom here.
Lotus missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

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

O Brien looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lotus is pressing down on O Brien's thigh, looking to free his foot. O Brien is holding on for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lotus shoots in for a takedown but O Brien shows good takedown defense.
O Brien fails with the takedown

and Lotus counters with a takedown into side control.
Arona Lotus overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
O Brien is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Lotus has just dragged him back down to the mat.
O Brien is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Lotus off and has taken his back!
O Brien tries to get the hooks in deep but Lotus pushed the leg off.
O Brien not allowing Lotus to control his hands.
Lotus covering up well under a barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Brien tries to get the hooks in deep but Lotus pushed the leg off.
O Brien throwing strikes and Lotus squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.

O Brien goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Lotus is on top in guard.
O Brien is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Lotus is trying to control but can't.
O Brien thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lotus's head.
O Brien not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Lotus looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Brien trying to control from half guard but Lotus is working away.
Lotus moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
O Brien is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
O Brien missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

O Brien drops back looking for a leg! Lotus is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lotus manages to kick O Brien off! O Brien jumps back into Lotus's guard.
Lotus wants to stand but O Brien is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arona Lotus dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lotus tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Lotus clinches.

Lotus manages to break the clinch.
Lotus circles away from the clinch attempt

so Lotus counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Lotus postures up.

O Brien is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lotus passes O Brien's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
O Brien manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

O Brien looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Lotus passes into half guard.
Lotus works his way into side control.
O Brien gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Lotus controlling the action here.

O Brien looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Brien blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lotus.
O Brien is looking for a sweep. Lotus is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lotus tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Lotus wants to stand up but O Brien manages to regain full guard.
Lotus postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lotus would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lotus scores a takedown into full mount!
O Brien tries to lock up and control but Lotus gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
O Brien bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Lotus is trying to control the position but O Brien postures up.
Lotus wants to sweep here but O Brien controlling him for the moment.
O Brien looking to pass the guard.
Lotus is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pat O Brien has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Brien missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lotus keeping moving, preventing O Brien from controlling successfully.
O Brien looking to sit in guard and control but Lotus gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
O Brien looking for a sweep. Not yet O Brien, not yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lotus chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before O Brien can pounce on him.
O Brien lands with a slapping head kick.
Arona Lotus is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Lotus fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. O Brien sprawls well initially but Lotus persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arona Lotus showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lotus, 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Gold scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arona Lotus!