PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Yates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Briggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Yates
vs
Briggs

190 cm
22
141 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

182 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Team S.W.A.T.

Broken Halo Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Johnny Yates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eric Briggs!
The judges for this bout are , and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yates shoots in but no luck this time.
Briggs looks to land a combination but Yates avoids it well.
Nice takedown defense from Briggs. No joy for Yates on that attempt.
Briggs misses with a wild body shot.
Briggs throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Yates uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Briggs.
Briggs throws a right and a left that both miss.
Yates throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Briggs's waist but Briggs gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Yates off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Yates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs throws a body punch but Yates moves out of range.

Yates drives through with a takedown into guard.
Yates trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yates postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yates is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Briggs is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Briggs has escaped and now he's on top!
Briggs slips nicely into half guard.
Yates misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Briggs controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Briggs tries to pass the half guard into mount. Yates knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Briggs seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yates does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Yates looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Briggs is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Briggs is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Yates striking from half guard on the bottom.

Yates actively working from the bottom here.
Yates is breathing heavily.
Briggs controlling the action here.
Yates 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.
Briggs lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Yates is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yates looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Briggs sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Yates is looking to improve his position.
Briggs controlling the pace.
Ground and pound from Briggs.
Briggs takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Yates is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Briggs jumps into side control!
Yates is looking to reverse the position.
Yates being controlled for a moment.
Briggs tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's four 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.
Yates tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Briggs wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Briggs in side control lands a decent elbow.
Yates is trying to work for a sweep but Briggs has mounted him!
Briggs controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Briggs with shots to the head and body - Yates looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yates looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Yates closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Briggs to the mat! Briggs manages to get full guard.
Briggs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yates is one step ahead there.
Briggs managing to control the position.
Briggs is trying to control the position but Yates postures up.

Despite being in the dominant position, Eric Briggs just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Briggs misses with an uppercut.
Yates moves out of range as Briggs strikes.
Briggs misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Briggs is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Yates or perhaps it was just good defense by Briggs which made him look bad.
Yates tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Briggs swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Yates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Briggs connects with a nice looking jab.
Yates shoots in for a takedown but Briggs shows good takedown defense.
Some wild striking there from Briggs.
Briggs misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yates fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Johnny Yates is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yates fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briggs throws a series of punches but Yates moves out of range.
Yates really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Yates shoots in and drives through. Briggs sprawls well.
Briggs keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Yates feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Yates postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Yates's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Briggs keeping full guard, as Yates tries to pass.
Yates with a flurry of punches that miss.
Briggs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yates is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yates cracks Briggs with a solid left hand.
Yates throwing strikes but missing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Yates fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Yates has a takedown stuffed.
Briggs misses with an uppercut.
Briggs throws a nice looking combination but Yates bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

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.

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

Yates working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Yates tries to move into full mount but can't pass Briggs's legs.
Yates is working hard here to advance position.
Yates in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Briggs gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Briggs makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Briggs.
Yates stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Briggs swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Johnny Yates will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Yates throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Briggs's waist but Briggs gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Yates off to one side.

Yates decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Yates scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Yates thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Briggs keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Yates trying to mount his opponent but Briggs defends it.
Yates is thwarting Briggs's attempts to control the position.
Briggs is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Yates scores with a couple of nice shots.
Yates wants to pass to mount but Briggs is defending the position.
Yates thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Briggs's head.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Yates will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Briggs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Briggs swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Yates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yates shoots in but Briggs avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Briggs throws the left hand but Yates avoids the punch easily.
Yates shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Briggs pinned against the cage. Briggs gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Briggs misses with a double jab.
Yates fails with a takedown attempt.
Briggs swinging wilding here.

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.
Briggs lands with a hook. Yates tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Briggs keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Briggs misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yates fails with a takedown attempt.
Briggs throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yates shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Briggs as he jumps to the side.
Briggs avoids the body shot from Yates.
Yates takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Briggs stuffs the takedown.
Yates changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Briggs tries to avoid it but Yates manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Briggs to the ground. Briggs escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Yates shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Briggs's guard.

Yates is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Briggs is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Briggs has escaped and now he's on top!
Johnny Yates overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yates throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yates keeping moving, preventing Briggs from controlling successfully.

Yates has his foot on Briggs's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Briggs works his way back into a safe position though.
Yates scores with a nice shot.
Briggs wants to control from the top but Yates keeps moving.
Briggs stays in close to Yates's body and controls the position.

Yates is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Yates wants to sweep but no luck.

Yates working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Briggs doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Briggs manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Yates tries to land a sweep but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Eric Briggs.
I think Briggs 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Briggs!