PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Robert Lashley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Robinson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Lashley
vs
Robinson

198 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

172 cm
22
134 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Robert Lashley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Travis Robinson!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lashley rushes Robinson and presses him up against the cage.
Robinson looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Lashley tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Robinson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Lashley's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Robinson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Lashley is keeping busy.
Robinson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lashley is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Robinson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lashley scores a nice knee to the body.
Robinson is looking to break free of the clinch but Lashley has double underhooks.

Lashley breaks from the clinch.

Lashley has closed the distance and engaged Robinson in a clinch.
Lashley lands a shot to the body.
Robinson gets underhooks to prevent Lashley's takedown attempt.
Robinson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Lashley breaks the clinch.
Lashley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Lashley throws a nice inside leg kick.
Lashley looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Lashley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lashley punishes Robinson's body with a nice straight punch.
Horrible takedown by Lashley or perhaps it was just good defense by Robinson which made him look bad.
Robinson clinches but Lashley breaks the clinch
and Lashley counters with a straight right hand.
Robinson tries to clinch but Lashley moves away
and Lashley counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Robinson clinches.

Robinson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Lashley shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Lashley was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lashley tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Robinson tries to hold on but Lashley postures up.
Lashley landing strikes from the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lashley tries to control but Robinson wriggling away.
A nice elbow there by Lashley.
Robinson wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Robinson taking shots to the head.
Lashley landing strikes from the mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Robinson working to try and regain half guard.
Robinson wants to hold on but Lashley pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robinson flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Robinson wants to get back to his feet.
Lashley tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Lashley wants to control the pace but Robinson is squirming around nicely.

Lashley is working for a guillotine from mount but Robinson frees his head quite easily.
Lashley wants to control the pace but Robinson is squirming around nicely.
Lashley with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Lashley mounts Robinson! Really nice guard pass there!
Lashley controlling the pace for now.
Lashley looking to finish Robinson with some ground and pound. This is bad for Robinson!
Lashley trying to control but Robinson is having none of it.
Lashley working the ground and pound effectively.
Lashley in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Lashley scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Lashley dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nice sprawl there from Robinson as Lashley shoots in.
Lashley fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Lashley throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lashley circles away from the clinch attempt
and Lashley counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Lashley stuffs the takedown attempt from Robinson. Robinson gets slowly back to his feet.
Lashley fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Lashley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lashley pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lashley shoots in for a takedown but Robinson shows good takedown defense.

Lashley shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Robinson's guard.
Lashley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Robinson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lashley is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lashley looking to pass the guard.
Robinson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Robinson wants to get back to his feet but Lashley is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Lashley trying to control the position from guard on top but Robinson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Robinson keeping full guard, as Lashley tries to pass.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lashley shoots in but Robinson avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Robinson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lashley shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Robinson pinned against the cage. Robinson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lashley fails with the takedown.
Robert Lashley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lashley throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Robinson.
Robinson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lashley as he avoids it easily.
Robinson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Lashley shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Robinson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lashley's guard now.
Robinson postures up.
Robinson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Robinson prevents Lashley from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lashley controls Robinson momentarily but Robinson frees himself.

Lashley had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Robinson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Lashley Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Robinson's back instead.
Robinson tries to escape the position.
Lashley lands strikes to the head.

Lashley is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Lashley looking to hold on to the position here but Robinson rolls and ends up regaining guard.
Lashley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four 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.
Lashley trying to control the position from guard on top but Robinson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Robinson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Robinson has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Lashley has passed into side control.
Robinson takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Lashley is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Robinson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lashley cracks Robinson with a big right hand but Robinson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
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 Robert Lashley will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

No luck for Lashley with that takedown attempt.
Lashley with a lazy takedown attempt

and Robinson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Lashley looks like he's trying to stand up.
Lashley striking from the bottom.

Lashley kicks off Robinson and gets to his feet.

Robinson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Robinson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Robinson being controlled here, momentarily.

Lashley stands up from Robinson's guard - Lashley perhaps looking for a knockout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Robinson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lashley is looking to clinch but Robinson is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lashley looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lashley moves in looking to clinch but Robinson pushes him off.
Lashley tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Robinson swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Lashley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lashley throws a looping overhand right but Robinson ducks down to avoid it.
Lashley looks to clinch

and Robinson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lashley's guard.
Robinson won't allow Lashley to get back to his feet.
Robinson postures up.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robinson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Robinson preventing the sweep.
Lashley is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lashley looking for a sweep. Not yet Lashley, not yet.
Robinson wants to stand and escape but instead Lashley has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Robinson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Robinson keeping moving, preventing Lashley from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robinson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lashley lands a high kick!
Lashley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Robinson's waist but Robinson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lashley off to one side.
Lashley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lashley on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Lashley stuns Robinson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Lashley moves into range and clinches up with Robinson.
Robinson tries to pull guard but Lashley holds him up against the cage and eventually Robinson drops back down to his feet.
Lashley scores with a knee to the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Lashley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lashley wants to clinch up but Robinson keeps it at a distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lashley.
Lashley fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Robinson stuffs the takedown attempt from Lashley. Lashley gets slowly back to his feet.
Lashley with a lazy takedown attempt

and Robinson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lashley!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lashley wants to hold on but Robinson pushes him away.
Robinson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lashley gets back to half guard.
Robinson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lashley keeps working.
Lashley really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Robinson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Robinson stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Robinson throws a sloppy head kick
and Lashley counters with a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Robinson takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Lashley misses with a wild combination.
Robinson scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

And that's the end of the fight!
Travis Robinson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lashley has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Robert Lashley!