PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Louis Lake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Strong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lake
vs
Strong

184 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Louis Lake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jack Strong!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Hugh Johnson and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Lake misses the target.
Strong dives in and grabs Lake's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lake pushes down on Strong's head and hops out.
Lake fails to land with a series of punches.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Strong.
Louis Lake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strong leaves Lake with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lake with a poor takedown

and Strong counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lake!
Lake chipping away with body shots but they're not going to hurt Strong.
Lake is trying desperately to improve position.
Strong breaks from Lake's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Lake is squirming around, avoiding Strong's attempts to control the action.
Strong lands a big shot there that rocks Lake but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Lake is working to get back to half guard.
Lake 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lake is trying to stand up here but Strong is controlling him well.
Strong not doing much here.
Lake pushes Strong off looking to stand but Strong dives back in and keeps control.
Lake is breathing heavily.
Lake is trying to maintain the position but Strong is very close to passing his half guard.
Strong controlling the action here.
Strong landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Strong has managed to clinch.
Lake working hard to break the clinch.
Strong goes for a takedown attempt but Lake pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Louis Lake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Strong.
Lake swinging wilding here.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Strong is defended easily by Lake.

Strong pushes Lake up against the cage in a clinch.
Strong jumps guard but Lake stands there with Strong around his waist. Strong gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Lake can't break the clinch.
Strong stalling.
Lake throws an elbow but it misses.
Lake working hard to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lake smiles and moves away.
Lake misses with a combination

and Strong counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lake won't be happy with that.
Lake is not content to let Strong control the position.
Lake is looking for a sweep.
Strong has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lake is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Strong is controlling him well.
The ground and pound from Strong seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Strong taking a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strong trying to control the position but Lake is working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lake has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Strong finds it's way round the side to connect with Lake's head.
Lake throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Strong counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Strong scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Strong wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Lake, who protects the arm well.
Sloppy strikes there by Strong.

Strong is trying to get an arm triangle but Lake is defending well.
Lake regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Strong dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Strong ducks under a wild hook from Lake.
Strong will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Strong closes the distance and clinches.
Lake is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Strong is keeping busy.
Strong looking to slow down the pace here.
Strong blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Lake keeps control of Strong as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Strong.
Lake tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Strong smiles and moves away.
Strong shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lake falls off balance throwing a combination
and Strong counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Lake fails with a takedown attempt.
Strong stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Strong wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Louis Lake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strong shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lake but Lake pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Lake has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Strong is trying hard to land a takedown here. Lake sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Strong slaps away a takedown attempt from Lake, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Strong shoots in and bounces Lake off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Lake wants to stand up but Strong is controlling him.
Lake tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strong trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Strong trying to control the position from guard on top but Lake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lake wants to sweep here but Strong controlling him for the moment.
Lake is looking to stand up but Strong isn't so interested in that idea.
Strong trying to control the position from guard on top but Lake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Strong trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lake gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Strong counters with a single leg into guard. Lake didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lake keeping moving, preventing Strong from controlling successfully.
Lake keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.
Strong stays in close to Lake's body and controls the position.
Lake looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lake keeping moving, preventing Strong from controlling successfully.
Strong looking to sit in guard and control but Lake gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Jack Strong has got the better of the ground game so far.

Lake stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Louis Lake is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Lake tries to keep at a distance but Strong has taken the fight into the clinch.
Lake misses with a punch to the body.
Lake wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Strong tries to land knees in the clinch but Lake avoids the damage to the body.
Lake tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Strong just stands there and leans against the cage.
Strong scores with a nice hook to the head.

Strong drags the fight down to the ground.
Lake wants to control from the top but Strong keeps moving.
Strong is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lake thows a big elbow that misses.
Strong looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lake with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lake misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Strong is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Lake's half guard.
Strong trying to control the action but Lake is working from the bottom.
Strong is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Lake looks like he's trying to stand up.
Strong is trying to control the action in half guard but Lake is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Strong looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Lake pushes Strong off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Strong.
Lake with a lazy takedown attempt

and Strong counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Strong.
Lake looking for a takedown.
Lake can't find room to land a body shot as Strong controls the action.

Strong has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Lake regains guard immediately.
Lake wants to stand but Strong is controlling the position.
Strong wants to control from the top but Lake keeps moving.
Lake scores with a nice shot.
Lake is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Strong is controlling him.
Lake throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Strong stands and steps away. Lake gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Strong darts in and clinches Lake up against the cage.
Strong has Lake pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lake manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lake dodges an elbow strike from Strong.
Lake swings wildly with an uppercut but Strong uses good head movement to avoid it.
Strong blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Lake tries to circle away but Strong has him pinned against the cage.
Lake misses with a punch on the inside.
Strong wants to break the clinch but can't.
Strong wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lake misses with the head strike.

Strong manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Lake working some strikes from top position.
Strong looking to control.

Lake gets to his feet. Strong looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Lake, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lake wants to clinch but Strong slips to the side

and Strong counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Strong.
Strong dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Strong tries to break free but Lake pushes him back against the cage.
Strong tries to pull guard but Lake holds him up against the cage and eventually Strong drops back down to his feet.
Louis Lake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Strong.
A frustrated look appears on Lake's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Strong is trying to drag Lake to the mat but Lake just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Strong is trying to stall.
Lake looking to stall.

Strong decides to pull guard.
Lake postures up and lands a big shot to Strong's brow.
Lake loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lake stops Strong from standing up.
Lake lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Strong scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Lake has his takedown stuffed
and Strong counters with a left to the body.
Lake doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Strong counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lake thinking.
Lake scores with a one two! Strong had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Strong clinches up against the cage.
Strong tries to land a knee to the head but Lake blocks with his arms.
Lake fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Strong misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lake.
Lake tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Louis Lake has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jack Strong is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lake tries to land a knee to the head but Strong blocks with his arms.

Strong pulls guard successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Strong comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Strong winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Strong!