PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Brightly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Bailey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Bailey is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Brightly
vs
Bailey

165 cm
22
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thomas Brightly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Bailey!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, William Peck and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bailey misses with a straight left.

Brightly fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bailey sprawls well initially but Brightly persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Brightly prevents Bailey from improving his position.
Bailey keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Bailey looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Bailey looking for submissions off his back.
Bailey makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Bailey.
Brightly trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Brightly postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Brightly closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bailey tries to get to full guard but Brightly has control of the leg.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bailey manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Brightly with a nice head shot there.
Brightly is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Brightly wants to control from the top but Bailey keeps moving.

Bailey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brightly gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Brightly has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Bailey had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Brightly is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Bailey Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Brightly's back instead.

Brightly defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Bailey's arms.
Bailey looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bailey is persistently looking for the submission but Brightly is defending it well.
Brightly trying to control the position but Bailey manages to sink in the hooks.

Bailey is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Brightly is defending well though. Bailey let's go of the attempt for now.
Bailey keeps control of the position as Brightly tries to break free.

Bailey is looking for the choke from the back position but Brightly is controlling his hands well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brightly turns into Bailey and is now in his guard.
Brightly landing some decent shots from guard.

Bailey throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Brightly is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Bailey throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Bailey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brightly gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brightly scoring with some ground and pound.
Brightly wants to control from the top but Bailey keeps moving.

Bailey looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Brightly pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bailey is keeping the position for now.

Bailey is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Brightly in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Bailey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brightly gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Brightly is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Brightly dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Brightly rushes Bailey and presses him up against the cage.
Brightly goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bailey prevents it.

Bailey jumps guard and drags Brightly to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Bailey keeping moving, preventing Brightly from controlling successfully.

Brightly avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Bailey has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Brightly can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bailey is on top in guard.

Bailey postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Brightly is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Bailey, into his guard.
Bailey is breathing heavily.
Brightly scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brightly is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Brightly connects with a couple of short punches.

Bailey looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Brightly with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Brightly is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Brightly's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Brightly tries to free his leg and advance position but Bailey is retaining full guard.

Bailey working for a triangle but Brightly defends it easily.

Bailey has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Brightly can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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.

Bailey looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Bailey is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Bailey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brightly gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bailey has momentary wrist control but Brightly slips an elbow through the middle.
Brightly wants to control from the top but Bailey keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brightly rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Bailey is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Brightly might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Brightly pushes Bailey off looking to stand but Bailey dives back in and keeps control.
Brightly moves into full guard.
Bailey works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Brightly trying to hold on to Bailey's head to control him but Bailey postures up.
Bailey passes to side control.
Brightly on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Brightly tries to get out of the position.

Bailey is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Brightly is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brightly is trying to get back to half guard.

Bailey thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Brightly tries to buck Bailey off but Bailey is having none of it.

Bailey is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Brightly knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Bailey goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Brightly has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Bailey but great work by Brightly.
Bailey stops Brightly from passing to mount.
Bailey is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Brightly off and has taken his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Bailey will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bailey with a poor takedown

and Brightly counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Bailey wants to get back to full guard.
Bailey is pressing down on Brightly's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Bailey has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Brightly can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Brightly with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Brightly preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Bailey.
Brightly wants to escape the position but for the time being he's just trying to control the pace.

Bailey has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brightly showing good submission defense here.

Bailey tightening his grip on Brightly, looking for the choke.

Bailey working for a choke but Brightly is defending well.

Bailey looking to break Brightly's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Brightly remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Bailey will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Brightly breaks Bailey's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bailey is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Bailey has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Brightly can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Bailey is looking for a triangle but Brightly pushes his legs off easily.

Bailey is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Brightly stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bailey swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Bailey working for a triangle but Brightly defends it easily.
Brightly trying to control the position from guard on top but Bailey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bailey is looking for a triangle but Brightly pushes his legs off easily.
Brightly tries to free his leg and advance position but Bailey is retaining full guard.

Bailey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brightly gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bailey working for submissions but it's allowed Brightly to get to half guard.

Brightly is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bailey doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Brightly.

Bailey looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Bailey wants to get back to full guard.
Bailey gets full guard.
Brightly stays in close to Bailey's body and controls the position.
Brightly is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Bailey keeping moving, preventing Brightly from controlling successfully.

Bailey is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Brightly working some strikes from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to James Bailey.
I think Bailey 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Bailey!