PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Colt Bragg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brendan Whitaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bragg comes to the cage accompanied by My My Misfire - The Sinatra. 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.

Bragg
vs
Whitaker

191 cm
27
270 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

195 cm
20
280 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Colt Bragg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brendan Whitaker!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Mauricio Rocha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bragg walks into a jab.
Bragg throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bragg misses with a jab to the body
and Bragg takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Whitaker should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Whitaker darts in trying to clinch

and Bragg counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Whitaker's guard now.
Whitaker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Whitaker trying to keep a closed guard but Bragg is proving a slippery customer.
Whitaker can't keep his opponent in guard - Bragg advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Bragg takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bragg slows the pace down in half guard.
Bragg seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Whitaker for as long as he can get away with.
Bragg 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.
Bragg missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Bragg content to control rather than advance.

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.

Colt Bragg has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Whitaker gets caught flat footed, as Bragg shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Bragg postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Bragg slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bragg looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bragg working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Whitaker's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bragg accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bragg showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bragg accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bragg looking to sit in guard and control but Whitaker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Bragg pulls Whitaker in close to his closed guard and prevents Whitaker from doing any damage or advancing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Colt Bragg dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bragg connects with a body shot that sends Whitaker's belly button to the back.
Bragg throws a series of strikes that have Whitaker backpedaling.
Bragg misses with a wild body shot.
A swing and a miss from Bragg.
Bragg takes a swing at Whitaker's ribcage but misses.
Whitaker looks to clinch

and Bragg counters with a nice double leg into side control. Whitaker won't be happy with that.
Bragg in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bragg in side control, throwing shots but Whitaker defends.
Bragg tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Check out the look on Bragg's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Whitaker regains half guard there - taking advantage of Bragg's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bragg passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Whitaker!
Bragg controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bragg lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
BOOM! Bragg connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Bragg controlling the pace for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bragg throwing strikes here but Whitaker is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Whitaker really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bragg. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bragg controlling his opponent.
Bragg cracks Whitaker with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bragg landing shots from mount.
Bragg looking to control and managing it successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Colt Bragg dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Bragg misses with a body punch
and Whitaker counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Whitaker tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Bragg counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Whitaker closes the distance but Bragg moves to the side

and Bragg decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Whitaker's guard.
Bragg controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bragg's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Whitaker can't keep his opponent in guard - Bragg advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Bragg content to control rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bragg trying to pass the guard but Whitaker defending well.
Bragg is controlling the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Colt Bragg.
Bragg misses with an uppercut. Whitaker saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bragg scores with a jab.
Bragg throws a big shot that misses.
Whitaker tries to clinch
and Bragg counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Whitaker thinking.
Bragg jabs Whitaker to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Bragg misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Whitaker.
Bragg lands a body shot.
Bragg misses with a jab to the body

and Whitaker moves into the clinch.
Bragg tries to throw a body punch but Whitaker avoids it by throwing Bragg back against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Whitaker as Bragg tries to tie him up.
Bragg dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Whitaker working aggressively here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bragg trying to control the position but instead, Whitaker has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bragg into the cage.
Bragg blocks an uppercut.
Bragg blocks a body shot from Whitaker.
Whitaker pressing his opponent against the cage.
Good body shot from Bragg.

Bragg breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Whitaker stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Whitaker wants it to stay on the feet.
Colt Bragg is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Whitaker moves to clinch but Bragg breaks away
and Whitaker takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bragg thuds his right hand into Whitaker's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Whitaker closes the distance but Bragg moves to the side

and Bragg counters with a takedown into side control.
Bragg moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Bragg working the ground and pound but Whitaker is defending the strikes.
Brendan Whitaker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bragg tries to advance to mount but Whitaker denies him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Colt Bragg showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bragg, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:26
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:26
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Colt Bragg!