PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jose Juarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armin Van Buyten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Juarez
vs
Van Buyten

170 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jose Juarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Armin Van Buyten!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Buyten slaps away a takedown attempt from Juarez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Van Buyten avoids the body shot from Juarez.
Juarez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Juarez looks to land a right hand but Van Buyten moved out of range.
Jose Juarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Buyten misses with a few strikes there.
Juarez loads up on a big right hand but Van Buyten slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Juarez lands with a hook. Van Buyten tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Juarez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Van Buyten defends it nicely.
Juarez shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Juarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Juarez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Juarez prevents Van Buyten from escaping the position.
Juarez creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Van Buyten sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Juarez misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Juarez creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Van Buyten really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Juarez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Juarez looks up at the clock and then as Van Buyten takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Juarez smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Van Buyten is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Juarez working the ground and pound but Van Buyten is defending the strikes.
Van Buyten seems a little lost for a moment, as Juarez dominates the positioning.
Juarez in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Juarez in side control lands a decent elbow.

Juarez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Juarez misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Buyten stops Juarez from passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Juarez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Juarez works to advance to full mount. Van Buyten defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Juarez throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Juarez scoring with strikes but Van Buyten is staying in there.
Juarez looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Buyten is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Juarez misses with a head shot.
Juarez controlling from mount.
Juarez landing punches.
Juarez postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Van Buyten looks a forlorn figure.
Juarez landing strikes from the mount and Van Buyten is in trouble!
Van Buyten's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Juarez cracks Van Buyten with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Juarez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Van Buyten takes one on the button.
Juarez looks to throw the jab but Van Buyten is out of range.
Van Buyten throws a head kick but Juarez moves out of range.
Juarez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Van Buyten sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Juarez scores with a punch to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Juarez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Armin Van Buyten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Juarez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Juarez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Van Buyten as he avoids it easily.
The fighters circling - Juarez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Juarez loads up on a big right hand but Van Buyten slips the punch.
Juarez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Van Buyten.

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.
Juarez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Van Buyten circles away.
Juarez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Van Buyten was well out of range. Poor timing from Juarez.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Juarez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Juarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Juarez throws a left and a right that both miss
and Van Buyten counters with a stiff right hand.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Some bone on bone action there as Juarez checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Buyten avoids the body shot from Juarez.
Juarez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Juarez misses with a wild body shot.
Juarez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Buyten moves away.
Van Buyten tries to bum rush Juarez with a series of wild strikes but Juarez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's four 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.
Some wild striking there from Van Buyten.
Van Buyten lands a nice looking body shot.
Juarez connects with the punch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Juarez misses the jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Armin Van Buyten will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Juarez throws a shot from downtown. Van Buyten moves away and avoids it.
Juarez has a takedown stuffed.
Juarez throws a shot from downtown. Van Buyten moves away and avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Juarez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Van Buyten sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Van Buyten looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Buyten uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Juarez.
Van Buyten uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Juarez.
Van Buyten takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Juarez looks to land a left hand but Van Buyten moved out of range nicely.
Juarez lands with a straight right. Van Buyten didn't see that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Juarez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Van Buyten stuffs the takedown.
Armin Van Buyten is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Juarez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Buyten.
Van Buyten misses with a double jab

and Juarez counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Juarez thows a huge punch but Van Buyten dodges it nicely.
Juarez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Van Buyten's head.
Van Buyten is trying to stand.
Juarez working the head and body with strikes.
Van Buyten taking some punishment here, with Juarez in his half guard.
Van Buyten is trying to stand.
Van Buyten blocking the ground and pound attempt from Juarez.
Juarez stalling.

Juarez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Juarez scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Juarez is keen to just control but Van Buyten is a slippery customer.
Juarez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Juarez content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Buyten is trying to stand back up but Juarez is controlling him
Juarez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Juarez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Juarez 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Juarez!