PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Julius Strom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Norris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Billy Norris has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Strom
vs
Norris

180 cm
19
188 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite 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, Julius Strom!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Billy Norris!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Norris rushes Strom and presses him up against the cage.
Strom looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Strom.

It looks like Billy Norris has been cut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Norris.

Strom gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Norris trying to keep a closed guard but Strom is proving a slippery customer.
Norris throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Strom postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Strom being controlled here momentarily.
Strom stopping the sweep attempt from Norris.
Strom controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Norris working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Strom doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Strom manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Norris wants to sweep but no luck.
Strom trying to control but Norris is working from the bottom.
Norris is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Strom is controlling him.
Norris can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Strom controls the pace.
Norris trying to keep a closed guard but Strom is proving a slippery customer.
Norris pulls Strom in close to his closed guard and prevents Strom from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Norris not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Norris is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Norris fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Strom doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Norris moves into the clinch.
Norris comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Norris manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Norris is trying to drag Strom to the mat but Strom just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Norris escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strom gets caught flat footed, as Norris shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Norris is looking to stand up but Strom won't let him.
Strom looking for a sweep. Not yet Strom, not yet.

Norris drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Strom dives on top into guard.
Norris keeping moving, preventing Strom from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norris is trying to keep Strom in close.
Strom looking to sit in guard and control but Norris gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Strom is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Norris is controlling him.

Norris stands up from Strom's guard - Norris perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Norris dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Billy Norris's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A decent looking body kick lands there for Norris.
Norris tries to close the distance and clinch but Strom swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Norris scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Norris drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Norris stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Norris misses with a jab, cross combination.
Strom displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Norris.

Norris bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Strom's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Strom tries to escape but Norris is in control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strom is looking to reverse the position.
Strom defending against the ground and pound.

Norris wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Strom, who protects the arm well.
Strom regains half guard there - taking advantage of Norris's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Norris is looking to take a break and control but Strom is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Strom pushes Norris off looking to stand but Norris dives back in and keeps control.

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

Norris has closed the distance and engaged Strom in a clinch.

Norris manages to break the clinch.
Norris tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Norris wants to clinch up but Strom keeps it at a distance.
Strom takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Norris forces Strom back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Norris pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Norris shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Strom blocking the ground and pound.
Norris tries to control but Strom wriggling away.
Strom in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Strom wants to control but Norris is having none of it.
The referee warns Strom that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strom tries to hold on but Norris postures up.
Norris won't let Strom get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Norris cracks Strom with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Norris lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Norris dominating with strikes here.
Norris tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Norris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Billy Norris's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Norris looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Norris wants to take a breather but Strom is having none of it.

Norris is working for a submission of some sort.
Norris working the head and body with strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strom is trying to control but can't.

Norris gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Strom with a lazy takedown attempt
and Norris counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Strom is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Norris wants to clinch up but Strom keeps it at a distance.

Norris closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Norris lands in his opponent's guard.
Norris postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Norris with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norris trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Strom is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Strom is working an open guard so Norris takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Strom clinches but Norris breaks the clinch
and Norris counters with a nice uppercut.

Norris drives through with a takedown into guard.
Norris is looking to work some ground and pound but Strom has wrist control.

Strom pushes Norris off and gets back to his feet.
Julius Strom seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strom throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Norris counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strom doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Norris counters with a slapping leg kick.
A head kick misses from Norris.
Norris falls off balance throwing a combination

and Strom counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Strom.
Strom looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Strom advances position into side control!
Billy Norris has got the better of the ground game so far.
Strom trying to control the action but Norris is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norris tries to improve position but can't.
Julius Strom has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Billy Norris is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Strom laying and praying for a moment but Norris takes advantage and regains half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy Norris comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Norris has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Billy Norris!