PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Christipher Armstrong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Orton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Christipher Armstrong has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Armstrong
vs
Orton

185 cm
25
270 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

193 cm
22
240 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Christipher Armstrong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Randy Orton!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Bruno Lombardi and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Orton moves into the clinch successfully.
Orton tries to pull guard but Armstrong won't allow it.

Orton's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Orton moves in looking to clinch but Armstrong pushes him off.
Orton gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Armstrong.
Armstrong tries a head kick but it misses.
Orton moves in looking to clinch but Armstrong pushes him off.
Armstrong changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice defenses there by Orton.
Orton connects with a body shot.
Orton tries to clinch there but Armstrong circles away.
Orton tries to clinch up.
Orton is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Orton misses with a wild combination.
Armstrong misses with a looping left.
Orton fails in his attempt to clinch.
Orton takes one to the side of the head.

It looks like Randy Orton has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Orton wants to clinch up but Armstrong keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donk. Armstrong catches Orton right on the button with a cross.

Orton closes the distance and clinches.
Armstrong wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Orton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Armstrong throws a shot from downtown. Orton moves away and avoids it.
Armstrong tries to clinch up
and Orton counters with a good low kick that Armstrong was not able to check.

Orton closes the distance and clinches.

Orton's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Orton gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Orton is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Orton lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Christipher Armstrong has been cut.

Orton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Orton lands with a nice body kick.
Orton uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Armstrong.
Orton tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Armstrong counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Christipher Armstrong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong cracks a nice hook into Orton's ribs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Armstrong misses with the body kick
and Orton counters with a left to the body.
Armstrong tries to clinch
and Orton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Armstrong throws a sloppy head kick

and Orton counters by clinching up.
Orton tries to pull guard but Armstrong holds him up against the cage and eventually Orton drops back down to his feet.
Orton prevents Armstrong from breaking the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Orton.
Orton missing with knees to the body.
Orton scores with a shot to the side of Armstrong's head.
Armstrong tries to circle away but Orton has him pinned against the cage.

Orton breaks from the clinch.
Armstrong throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Orton holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Armstrong is breathing heavily.
Armstrong working hard to break the clinch.
Orton stalling the fight.
Orton fails to pull guard.
Christipher Armstrong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randy Orton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orton stalling against the cage.
Orton keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Armstrong's efforts to push away.
Armstrong prevents the takedown attempt.

Orton pulls guard successfully.
Orton avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Orton has his feet on Armstrong's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
A head kick by Armstrong misses

and Orton counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Armstrong is looking to get back to full guard here but Orton has managed to pass to side control instead.
Orton controlling his opponent.
I looks like Orton might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong tries to hold on but Orton pushes him away.
Orton tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Orton trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Orton controlling his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Orton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Armstrong is looking to escape.
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 Christipher Armstrong will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

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

Orton decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Armstrong, up you get!
Orton wants to clinch.

Orton has closed the distance and engaged Armstrong in a clinch.
Orton misses with a knee to the head.

Orton manages to break the clinch.
Armstrong waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Orton.
Orton darts in trying to clinch
and Armstrong counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Orton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Armstrong. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Armstrong.
Orton thows a body shot but no joy.
Orton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Armstrong.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Orton clinches up with Armstrong and pushes him back against the cage.
Orton stalling against the cage.
Armstrong tries to break free but Orton pushes him back against the cage.
Orton will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Armstrong up against the cage.
Orton swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Orton drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Orton breaks from the clinch.
Orton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Orton tries to clinch but Armstrong moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong lands with a nice body punch.

Orton closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Orton lands in his opponent's guard.
Orton trying to control the position from guard on top but Armstrong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Orton has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Armstrong is proving hard to escape from.
Armstrong is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Armstrong wants to sweep here but Orton controlling him for the moment.

Orton stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orton wants to clinch but Armstrong slips to the side
and Armstrong counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Armstrong circles away from the clinch attempt
and Armstrong counters with a left to the body.
Armstrong rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Orton moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Orton lands a body shot.

Orton pushes Armstrong up against the cage in a clinch.
Orton is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Armstrong pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Orton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Orton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Orton clinches.

Orton pulls guard.
Orton is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Orton decides to stand and escape the position.
A head kick by Armstrong misses

and Orton counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Armstrong is trying to get back to full guard.
Armstrong pushes Orton off looking to stand but Orton dives back in and keeps control.
Armstrong is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Orton trying to control the action but Armstrong is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Armstrong is trying to get back to full guard.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Orton. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Orton decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Orton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Orton moves into the clinch successfully.
Orton unloads a knee to the mid-section. Armstrong lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Armstrong is trying to break the clinch but Orton has him pressed against the cage.
Orton fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Armstrong is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Armstrong pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Orton.

Orton clinches up with Armstrong and pushes him back against the cage.
The referee calls for Orton to work.
Orton lands a left hand.

Orton breaks from the clinch.
Orton tries to clinch but Armstrong moves away
and Armstrong counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Orton rushes Armstrong and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short uppercut from Orton.
Orton tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Orton.

Orton manages to pull guard.
Armstrong looking to sit in guard and control but Orton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Armstrong knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Orton on the ground.

Armstrong is working an open guard so Orton takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Orton closes this distance looking for a takedown but Armstrong circles away.
Christipher Armstrong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randy Orton.
The fighters circle momentarily. Orton darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Orton comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Orton gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Orton can't get the takedown.
Orton is working for takedown but Armstrong is calmly controlling the position for now.

Orton manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Armstrong stopping the sweep attempt from Orton.
Armstrong looking to pass the guard.
Armstrong has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong prevents Orton from getting back to his feet.
Armstrong tries to free his leg and advance position but Orton is retaining full guard.
Armstrong is fighting to break Orton's control of his arms but Orton is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Armstrong trying to control the position from guard on top but Orton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Armstrong is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Orton is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Orton tries to clinch but Armstrong moves out of range.
Orton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Armstrong swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Orton tries to clinch up but Armstrong circles away and keeps his distance.
Orton tries to clinch but Armstrong is having none of it.
Armstrong misses with a looping left.
Orton shoots in but Armstrong avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A slow jab from Armstrong misses its intended target.

Orton fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Armstrong, pushing him back against the cage.
Orton avoiding damage.
A shot in the inside from Orton.
Orton tries to pull guard but Armstrong won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Orton slows down the pace here.
Orton stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Armstrong is pressed up against the cage. Orton has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Armstrong down to the mat. Armstrong avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Orton on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Orton takes a swing at Armstrong's ribcage but misses.
No joy there for Armstrong, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Orton doesn't manage to clinch there - Armstrong circles away.
Armstrong keeps the fight on the outside.

Orton rushes Armstrong and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Orton lands with a left to the head.

Orton breaks from the clinch.
Orton misses with a takedown
and Armstrong cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Orton shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Armstrong pinned against the cage. Armstrong gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy Orton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Orton has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randy Orton!