PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Franco Valdez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and William Bethea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Valdez
vs
Bethea

188 cm
22
160 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
152 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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, Franco Valdez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, William Bethea!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Yves DeLean and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bethea avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Valdez is looking to slow Bethea down with leg kicks.
Nice sprawl there from Valdez as Bethea shoots in.
Valdez scoring well with a low kick there.
Valdez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bethea misses with a body shot.
Bethea blocks a head kick by Valdez.
Valdez with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bethea chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Valdez can pounce on him.
Bethea throws a series of punches but Valdez avoids them all with ease.
Bethea tries to clinch up

and Valdez moves into the clinch.
A short uppercut from Valdez.
Valdez manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Bethea digs a right hand into Valdez's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Valdez's gas tank.
Valdez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bethea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valdez lands a body punch.
Valdez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bethea avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

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

Valdez instigates a clinch.
Valdez has had enough of the clinch but Bethea keeps him there for the moment.
Bethea is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Valdez is keeping busy.
Valdez working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bethea goes for a takedown in the clinch but Valdez prevents it.

Valdez breaks from the clinch.
Bethea avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Valdez scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Valdez drives through and clinches with Bethea against the cage.
Valdez has Bethea pressed against the cage.
Bethea goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Valdez.
Bethea misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Bethea fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Franco Valdez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of William Bethea.
Valdez is leaning against Bethea and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Bethea looks gassed!
Nice body punch from Valdez - that landed with a thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bethea is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bethea is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Valdez is keeping busy.
Valdez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Valdez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bethea misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Valdez.
Valdez tries a knee to the head but Bethea blocks it.
Valdez pressing his opponent against the cage.
Valdez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bethea is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Valdez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bethea backwards.
A short right from Valdez.
A nice right hand lands inside from Valdez.
Valdez controlling the action here for a moment.

Valdez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Valdez smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Valdez closes the distance and clinches.

Valdez lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Valdez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Valdez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bethea with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Valdez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Valdez passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bethea is squirming around, avoiding Valdez's attempts to control the action.
Valdez landing shots from mount.
Valdez lands a big shot there that rocks Bethea but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Bethea is in all sorts of trouble here.
Valdez punishing his opponent with strikes.
Bethea tries to hold on but Valdez postures up.
Bethea is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bethea bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Bethea wants to control from the top but Valdez keeps moving.
Bethea is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Bethea working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Valdez's head.
Bethea chips away with some ground and pound.

Valdez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bethea chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Valdez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bethea cracks Valdez with a solid left hand.
Valdez wants to sweep here but Bethea controlling him for the moment.
Valdez is working hard here to advance position.
Bethea postures up.
Bethea distracts Valdez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bethea trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bethea postures up.
Valdez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bethea on the ground.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Valdez misses with a combination

so Bethea counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bethea wants to get up but he can't break Valdez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bethea postures up.
Bethea trying to control the position from guard on top but Valdez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bethea slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Valdez clinches but Bethea breaks the clinch
and Bethea counters with a right hand to the body.
Bethea closes the distance but Valdez moves to the side

and Valdez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bethea can't get the takedown.
Bethea struggles to land a body shot inside as Valdez controls his hands.

Valdez decides to pull guard.

Valdez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bethea wants to control from the top but Valdez keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Valdez had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bethea is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Valdez Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bethea's back instead.
Bethea trying to control but not successfully.

Valdez looking to break Bethea's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Bethea remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Valdez will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Valdez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bethea defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Valdez's arms.
Valdez doesn't have the hooks in and Bethea manages to turn into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bethea passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Valdez is being controlled here.
Valdez tries to buck Bethea off but Bethea is having none of it.
Bethea working the body and head with strikes.
Valdez is trying to control Bethea's posture but Bethea avoids it.

Bethea working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Bethea wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Valdez, who protects the arm well.
Bethea in side control lands a decent elbow.
Check out the look on Bethea's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Valdez is letting Bethea control him for a moment.
Valdez is not content to let Bethea control the position.
Bethea has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valdez being controlled for a moment.

Bethea tries for a kimura but Valdez is defending well.
Bethea advances to mount.
Bethea wants to control the pace but Valdez is squirming around nicely.
Valdez is wriggling around trying to escape.

Bethea looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Valdez is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bethea cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bethea punishing his opponent with strikes.
Valdez is trying desperately to improve position.

Bethea working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Valdez tries to reverse the position but Bethea maintains control.
Valdez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bethea trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Valdez flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Bethea scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Valdez?
Valdez tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Bethea is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Valdez is surviving well by controlling Bethea's body position as best he can.
Valdez slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Valdez is looking to control Bethea's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Valdez avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bethea looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Valdez trying to control from the bottom.
Valdez wants to get back to full guard.
Bethea is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Bethea trying to mount his opponent but Valdez defends it.

Bethea is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
William Bethea has got the better of the ground game so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bethea is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bethea tries to clinch there but Valdez circles away.

Valdez clinches up against the cage.

Valdez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bethea doesn't manage to clinch there - Valdez circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

William Bethea showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Bethea tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Valdez has managed to clinch.
Bethea missing with knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Bethea wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Valdez has him pressed against the cage.
Valdez lands an uppercut.
Valdez is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Valdez tries to pull guard but Bethea holds him up against the cage and eventually Valdez drops back down to his feet.
Valdez lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bethea backwards.
Bethea tries to break the clinch but Valdez is controlling the position.
Valdez stalling against the cage.
Bethea leaning his opponent against the cage.
Valdez stalling the fight.

Valdez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fighters circle momentarily. Valdez darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Valdez feints and then cracks Bethea's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bethea down.
Valdez smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A right-left combo lands from Valdez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valdez throws a low kick but Bethea avoids it.
Valdez lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Valdez lands a two punch combo.
Valdez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bethea paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Valdez shoots in for a takedown but Bethea shows good takedown defense.
Bethea showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Valdez.
Bethea tries to clinch

so Valdez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Bethea manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Valdez manages to get himself to full guard.
Valdez wants to sweep but no luck.
Bethea trying to control the position from guard on top but Valdez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Valdez working for a triangle but Bethea defends it easily.
Bethea with a flurry of punches that miss.

Bethea thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bethea trying to control but Valdez is working from the bottom.
Bethea might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Valdez kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Valdez with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Valdez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Valdez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bethea throws a series of punches but Valdez avoids them all with ease.
Valdez finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Valdez slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Valdez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franco Valdez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Valdez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Valdez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Valdez lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valdez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Valdez goes for a takedown attempt but Bethea pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Valdez cracks the inside of Bethea's front leg.
Valdez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bethea.
Valdez connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bethea dodges the punch combination from Valdez.
Valdez misses with a body shot.
Bethea fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bethea tries to clinch there but Valdez circles away.
Bethea's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Valdez throws a leg kick but Bethea sees it coming and moves out of range.
Bethea takes one to the side of the head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bethea looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A choreographed right hand from Bethea misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Bethea fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Valdez manages to avoid it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bethea looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A nice leg kick lands there from Valdez.
Bethea throws a sloppy head kick
letting Valdez counter with a right hand.
Bethea takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Valdez misses with a double jab.
Valdez throws a series of punches but Bethea moves out of range.
Valdez with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Valdez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bethea swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Valdez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bethea circles away from the clinch attempt
and Bethea counters with a series of strikes. Valdez will be more careful next time no doubt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Valdez.
Bethea dodges the punch combination from Valdez.

And that's the end of the fight!
Franco Valdez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Valdez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franco Valdez!