PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Appleby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gary Larson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Appleby
vs
Larson

180 cm
22
196 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
190 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

[MMABR] Killer Bee Supplements

Juggernaut Fuel

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jake Appleby!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gary Larson!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Larson.
Appleby shoots in but Larson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Larson throws a shot from downtown. Appleby moves away and avoids it.
Larson misses with a takedown

and Appleby holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Appleby prevents a takedown attempt there.

Appleby tightens his grip and picks Larson up, before dumping him to the ground. Larson manages to land in guard.
Larson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Larson looking to control but Appleby is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Appleby wants to hold on but Larson pushes him away.

Larson is working for a guillotine from mount but Appleby frees his head quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Appleby holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Larson tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Appleby tries to reverse the position but Larson maintains control.
Appleby is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Appleby is in all sorts of trouble here.

Larson is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Appleby has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Appleby!
Appleby has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Larson is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Appleby content to stall in guard here.
Appleby trying to control but Larson is working from the bottom.
Appleby's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Appleby decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Larson looks gassed!
A punch combination from Larson misses.

Appleby pushes Larson up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Appleby avoiding damage as Larson throws knees to the body.
Appleby tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Larson smiles and moves away.
Appleby changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Larson tries to avoid it but Appleby manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Larson to the ground. Larson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Appleby. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Larson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Appleby swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Larson shoots in for a double leg but Appleby sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Larson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Appleby paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Appleby uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Larson has time to react.

Appleby closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Larson did well to prevent Appleby getting side control.

Appleby is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Appleby sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larson tries to get to full guard but Appleby has control of the leg.
Appleby scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Larson throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Appleby controlling the pace.
Appleby uses his free foot to push down on Larson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Larson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Appleby dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Larson misses with a takedown attempt

and Appleby counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Appleby throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Appleby postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Larson to stand up.
Appleby fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Larson as Appleby shoots in.

Larson drives through and clinches with Appleby against the cage.
Appleby tries for a takedown but Larson manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Appleby. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Larson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Appleby walks away with a smile on his face. Larson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Appleby shoots in and drives through. Larson sprawls well.
Larson is looking to clinch but Appleby is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson tries to clinch

and Appleby counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Appleby goes for a takedown in the clinch but Larson prevents it.
Appleby lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Larson or not.

Appleby decides to pull guard.
Larson is fighting to break Appleby's control of his arms but Appleby is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Larson trying to control but Appleby is working from the bottom.
Larson stops Appleby from standing up.
Appleby keeping moving, preventing Larson from controlling successfully.
Larson preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Larson trying to control but Appleby is working from the bottom.
Appleby controls Larson momentarily but Larson frees himself.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Larson defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Appleby.
Larson tries to clinch up but Appleby circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice sprawl there from Appleby as Larson shoots in.

Appleby moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larson is pressed up against the cage. Appleby has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Larson down to the mat. Larson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Appleby throws a nice looking combination but Larson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Appleby shoots in for a takedown but Larson shows good takedown defense.
Appleby misses with a double jab.
Appleby closes the distance and clinches up with Larson, looking for a takedown. Appleby pushes Larson against the cage but Larson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Jake Appleby is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Appleby scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Appleby is taking a breather. Larson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Larson is trying to get back to full guard.
Larson trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larson trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Appleby manages to pass to mount!
Appleby controlling from mount.
Appleby tries to control but Larson wriggling away.
Larson can't escape the position.
Larson tries to hold on but Appleby postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Appleby dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Appleby smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Appleby wants to clinch up but Larson keeps it at a distance.

Appleby throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Larson was covering up waiting for the punch and Appleby finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Larson will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Appleby showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Appleby postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Larson is working an open guard so Appleby takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Appleby checks a leg kick.
Appleby shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Larson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Appleby tries for a takedown but Larson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Appleby is trying hard to land a takedown here. Larson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Appleby. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Appleby tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Larson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Appleby misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Appleby is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Larson takes one on the button.
Appleby stuffs the takedown.

Appleby forces Larson back against the cage and clinches.

Appleby tightens his grip and picks Larson up, before dumping him to the ground. Larson manages to land in guard.
Appleby lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Larson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Appleby defends well.

Appleby avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Appleby looking to sit in guard and control but Larson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Larson wants to control from the top but Appleby keeps moving.
Jake Appleby overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Appleby bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Larson's guard.
Larson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Appleby controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Appleby makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Larson looking for a sweep. Not yet Larson, not yet.
Appleby sitting in guard here, content to control.

Larson is working an open guard so Appleby takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Appleby looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gary Larson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jake Appleby is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Appleby moves away from the strike by Larson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Appleby showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Appleby, 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Appleby!