PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Urijah Favier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ashy Larry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Urijah Favier could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Ashy Larry's chin.

Favier
vs
Larry

164 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

174 cm
22
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Urijah Favier!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ashy Larry!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Favier throws a leg kick that misses.
Favier misses the shot to the body.
Favier throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Favier wants to land a leg kick but Larry is out of range.
Favier throws a series of punches but Larry avoids them all with ease.
Favier tries to clinch up but Larry circles away and keeps his distance.
Favier misses with a jab, cross combination.
Urijah Favier seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Favier shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Larry's guard.
Larry is trying to control the position but Favier postures up.
Larry bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Favier's guard.
Favier has Larry pulled in close to control his posture.
Favier is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Larry is controlling him.
Larry slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Favier stops Larry from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Favier tries to escape but Larry is in control.

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

Larry tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Larry has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

Larry is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Favier has escaped the position, nice work there.
Larry looks gassed!
Larry moves into full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Favier is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Favier somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Favier fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Favier.
Favier throws a combination. Larry tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Larry fails with the takedown

and Favier counters with a shoot takedown. Larry fights it but they end up in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Larry is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Larry tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larry wants to stand up but Favier is controlling him.

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

Larry looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Favier knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Larry on the ground.
Favier trying to control the position from guard on top but Larry is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Larry looking for a guillotine here but Favier defends easily.
Favier content to stall in guard here.
Favier wants to get up but he can't break Larry's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Larry throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Favier is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Favier trying to control but Larry is working from the bottom.

Favier gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Favier shoots in and bounces Larry off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Favier passes into half guard.
Favier stops Larry from getting back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Favier is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Larry taking some punishment here, with Favier in his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Urijah Favier will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A head kick misses from Favier.
Favier lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Favier.

Larry is rocked!

Larry bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Favier sneaks back into half guard.

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

Favier kicks Larry off and gets back to his feet.

Favier drives through with a takedown into guard.

Favier decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Larry, up you get!
Larry gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Favier counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Larry!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larry is wriggling around trying to escape.
Favier lands a heavy elbow.
Larry is still in real trouble! Can Favier finish him?
Larry really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Larry seems to have recovered his senses.
Larry manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Urijah Favier overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Favier wants to control but Larry is keeping him busy.
Larry wants to control but Favier is keeping busy.

Larry looking for submissions off his back.

Favier stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Larry gets caught flat footed, as Favier shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Favier trying to control the position from guard on top but Larry is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Favier gets to his feet. Larry looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Favier.
Favier scores with punches from side control.
Larry tries to improve position but can't.
Larry is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Favier's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Larry is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Larry trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Larry looking for submissions off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Favier misses with a two punch combination.
Urijah Favier is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Larry scores with a takedown into Favier's guard.
Larry would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Larry pushes down on Favier's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Favier pushes Larry off looking to stand but Larry dives back in and keeps control.
Larry wants to stand up but Favier manages to regain full guard.
Favier wants to stand up but Larry is controlling him.
Larry is pushing down on Favier's leg trying to pass to half guard. Favier is fighting to maintain full guard but Larry has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Larry is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Favier is just riding it out for now. Larry eventually gives up the hold.
Larry wants to free his trapped foot but Favier is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Favier keeping control of the position.
Favier misses with some strikes from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Favier trying to control from the bottom.
Larry works his foot free and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urijah Favier dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Favier tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Favier scores with a takedown into Larry's guard.

Larry has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Favier can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Favier preventing the sweep.

Favier decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Larry, up you get!
Some wild striking there from Favier.

Favier drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
You can see the frustration on Larry's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Favier has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Favier tries to bum rush Larry with a series of wild strikes but Larry uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Favier drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Larry is on top in guard.
Favier is trying to control the position from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Favier holds on and takes a little breather.
Larry stands and throws Favier's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Larry tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Larry has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Larry with the ground and pound but Favier regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Favier is looking to control Larry's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Favier avoid being mounted?

Larry is working for a submission of some sort.

Larry wants to work for an arm triangle but Favier is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Favier is defending against the submission attempts here by Larry.

Larry is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Favier trying to control here.

Larry is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Favier has managed to free his arm - good work.

Larry seems to be looking for submissions.

Larry is looking for a kimura here.
Larry thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Favier's head.
Larry works his way into full mount!

Larry working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Ashy Larry has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larry punching from mount but Favier doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Larry throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Favier because Larry loaded up on that one.
Poor strikes thrown by Larry there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Favier is wriggling around trying to escape.
Larry wants to take his opponent's back but Favier doesn't allow it.

Larry moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Favier has worked his arm free - good work by Favier!
Larry prevents Favier from escaping the position.

Larry thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Urijah Favier.
Well Favier has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Urijah Favier!
Urijah Favier is the new bantamweight champion!