PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Will Connor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Connor's entrance music is 50 Cents- Many Men. A fine choice. 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.

Connor
vs
Belfort

175 cm
26
165 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

175 cm
27
165 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

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 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Will Connor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marco Belfort!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Frank Dennis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Belfort shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Belfort is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Connor to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Connor shrugs it off.
Connor is wriggling around trying to escape.
Connor slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Connor tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Belfort working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Connor's thigh. Connor counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Belfort looking to pass the guard.
Connor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Belfort stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Connor swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Belfort preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connor trying to control the position here.
Belfort must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Connor staying out of range there.
Belfort misses with a straight left.
Belfort walks into a left hand.
Belfort looks to score with a jab to the body but Connor is just out of range.
Connor misses with a head kick.

Connor shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Belfort keeping full guard, as Connor tries to pass.
Connor scoring with some ground and pound.
Belfort wants to sweep here but Connor controlling him for the moment.
Connor throwing strikes from guard but Belfort blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connor preventing the sweep.
Belfort is trying to control the position but Connor postures up.
Connor is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Belfort wants to stand and escape but Connor is having none of it.
Connor working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Belfort has momentary wrist control but Connor slips an elbow through the middle.
Connor working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Belfort's head.
Connor is working Belfort over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Connor stands and throws Belfort's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Connor working the ground and pound.
Connor working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort is looking to regain half guard here but Connor keeps moving and retains side control.
Connor has control of an arm but Belfort manages to advance to Connor's back!
Connor trying to control the action but Belfort just sinks the hooks in.
Belfort tries to get the hooks in deep but Connor pushed the leg off.

Belfort is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Connor is defending well though. Belfort let's go of the attempt for now.
Belfort looks gassed!
Connor rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Connor is pressing down on Belfort's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Connor wants to sweep here but Belfort controlling him for the moment.

Connor looking for a guillotine here but Belfort defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Belfort avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Belfort pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Connor is keeping the position for now.
Belfort works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Belfort wants to pass to mount but Connor is defending the position.

Belfort is working for a submission of some sort.
Connor trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Belfort manages to pass to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Connor dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Connor rushes Belfort and presses him up against the cage.
Connor missing with knees to the body.
Connor works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Connor keeps control of Belfort as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Belfort wants a takedown.
Connor missing with knees to the body.
Connor softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Belfort misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Belfort.
Connor blocks a body shot from Belfort.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Connor is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Belfort on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Connor landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Connor scores with a hook to the body.
Connor is stalling here.
Belfort is breathing heavily.
Connor lands a body punch.
Connor putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Belfort in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Connor crunches a lovely knee into Belfort's ribcage.
Connor scores with a shot to the side of Belfort's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Belfort wants a takedown.
Connor scores with a knee to the head.
Connor digs a right hand underneath Belfort's ribcage. Belfort let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Connor lands an uppercut.
Connor lands a knee to the body.
Connor lands a shot to the body.
Connor displaying some good clinch control by pressing Belfort up against the cage.
A body shot lands from Connor.
Connor scores with a hook to the body.
Connor lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Belfort backwards.
Belfort letting Connor take a breather here.
Belfort tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Connor just stands there and leans against the cage.
Will Connor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Belfort.
Belfort drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Connor is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Connor lands a body shot.
Connor working Belfort over with knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Connor obliges.
Connor using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Connor using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Connor works on Belfort's body with a couple of short punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A short uppercut from Connor.
Connor throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Connor lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Belfort.
Connor pushes Belfort back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Connor putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Belfort in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Connor will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Belfort up against the cage.
Connor lands a hook to the side of the head.
Connor throws a knee to the head but misses.
Connor lands a good knee to the midsection. Belfort won't want to take too many of those.
Connor pushes Belfort back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort tries to circle away but Connor has him pinned against the cage.
A short right from Connor on the inside.
Connor lands a shot to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Connor.
A short left from Connor.
Connor landing knees to the head.
Belfort fails to pull guard.
A right hand to the body from Connor.
Belfort's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Connor scores with a hook to the body.
Connor digs a right hand into Belfort's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Belfort's gas tank.
Connor lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Will Connor has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Connor lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Connor is leaning against Belfort and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Connor scores a nice knee to the body.
Connor controlling the action here for a moment.
Connor lands a knee to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Connor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Connor connects with a nasty looking knee right to Belfort's face.
Connor lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short body shot lands from Connor as the two fighters clinch.
Connor with a knee to the head.

Belfort is rocked!
Connor lands a nice shot to the body.
Connor lands a knee to the body.
Belfort is trying to break the clinch but Connor has him pressed against the cage.
Connor lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A knee to the head by Connor.
Belfort goes for a takedown attempt but Connor pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Belfort takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Connor shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Connor seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Connor dominated that second round.
That's time! Connor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Belfort.
Connor slips a straight right by Belfort.
Connor moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Connor goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Belfort misses with a looping right.
Connor stuns Belfort with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Connor fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Belfort avoids it really well and circles away.
Connor fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Connor blocks a jab.
Belfort takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Belfort throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Connor closes the distance and pushes Belfort back into the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Connor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Connor.
Connor with a knee to the head.
Connor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Belfort is still on wobbly legs! Can Connor finish him?
Connor connects with a nasty looking knee right to Belfort's face.
Connor has Belfort pressed up against the cage in a tight Thai clinch. Belfort is arching his back, trying to avoid the knees but a big one sneaks through from Connor - that's hurt Belfort badly! Oh, another knee lands and Belfort is covering up! The referee steps in to save him - possibly a bit early but Belfort doesn't seem to be complaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Will Connor!