PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rus Lancaster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anhel Batista (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lancaster
vs
Batista

195 cm
21
202 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
211 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rus Lancaster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anhel Batista!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Tiny Johnson and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lancaster connects with a single shot there.
Lancaster changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Batista tries to avoid it but Lancaster manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Batista to the ground. Batista escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lancaster tries for a takedown but Batista circles away easily

and Batista counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Lancaster is looking to escape.
Batista tries to stand and escape but Lancaster is controlling the position.
Lancaster avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Batista.
Batista tries to pass the half guard into mount. Lancaster knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Lancaster on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Batista controlling the action here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batista is keen to just control but Lancaster is a slippery customer.
Lancaster tries to get to full guard but Batista has control of the leg.
Batista throwing shots but Lancaster is blocking nicely.
It looks like Batista is going to stand back up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Anhel Batista hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Lancaster looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Batista shoots in for a takedown but Lancaster shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Lancaster scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Rus Lancaster seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Batista dodges the punch combination from Lancaster.
Lancaster throws a head kick but Batista moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Batista shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lancaster's guard.
Batista trying to control but Lancaster is working from the bottom.
Lancaster is breathing heavily.
Batista wants to get up but he can't break Lancaster's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Batista drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Lancaster dives on top into guard.
Lancaster throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Batista 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.

Batista looking for a guillotine here but Lancaster defends easily.
Lancaster throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Batista works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batista pulls Lancaster in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lancaster stopping the sweep attempt from Batista.
Lancaster trying to control but Batista is working from the bottom.

Batista has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lancaster can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batista working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lancaster.
Lancaster in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Batista is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Batista can do anything to dispel that myth.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Anhel Batista wasn't active enough on the ground.
A head kick misses from Batista.
Lancaster misses with a two punch combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Batista shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lancaster as he avoids it easily.
Lancaster tries to clinch but Batista moves out of range.
A left and a right from Lancaster both land. Nice combination.
Good standup being displayed there by Batista as he connects with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anhel Batista dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Lancaster will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Batista gets a double leg takedown into Lancaster's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Batista has gone for a leg lock! Lancaster slips out almost immediately though and dives into Batista's guard.
Anhel Batista has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lancaster cracks Batista with a solid left hand.
Lancaster in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lancaster stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Batista swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Batista has control of Lancaster's left arm, preventing Lancaster from doing any damage.
Lancaster wants to control from the top but Batista keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lancaster working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lancaster stands and throws Batista's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Batista is trying to control Lancaster's posture but Lancaster avoids it.
Lancaster trying to control the position but Batista is working away.
Lancaster working away.

Lancaster tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ground and pound from Lancaster seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batista wants to control but Lancaster postures up.
Lancaster is chipping away with strikes.
Lancaster in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Lancaster fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Lancaster is trying to get an arm triangle but Batista is defending well.
Lancaster 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.

Lancaster tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lancaster has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Batista tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lancaster wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Batista's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Batista is looking for a sweep.
Batista is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Batista is trying to control Lancaster's posture but Lancaster avoids it.
Batista is working to avoid the ground and pound but Lancaster connects with a decent elbow.
Batista avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Lancaster.
The ground and pound from Lancaster seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lancaster fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Lancaster throws an elbow but Batista slips to the side and avoids it well.
Lancaster working away.
Batista is trying to improve his position.
Lancaster landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Batista manages to get back to half guard.
Batista tries to get to full guard but Lancaster has control of the leg.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lancaster throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lancaster passes into side control, despite Batista's attempt to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rus Lancaster dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Lancaster misses with a wild combination.
Batista has a takedown stuffed.
Batista looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lancaster darts in trying to clinch

so Batista counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Batista throwing strikes but missing.
Lancaster is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Batista wants to stand but Lancaster is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batista missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lancaster can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Batista controls the pace.
Batista has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lancaster is proving hard to escape from.
Batista postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Batista wants to stand but Lancaster is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batista tries to free his leg and advance position but Lancaster is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Some wild striking there from Lancaster.

Lancaster tries to keep at a distance but Batista has taken the fight into the clinch.
Batista leaning against his opponent.
Batista tries to pull guard but Lancaster won't allow it.
Rus Lancaster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anhel Batista.

Batista pulls guard successfully.

Batista has his foot on Lancaster's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lancaster works his way back into a safe position though.
Lancaster throwing strikes from guard but Batista blocks nicely.
Lancaster postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Batista is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lancaster is aware though and is defending well.
Batista looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lancaster throws a big elbow that misses.
Lancaster postures up in Batista's guard and throws a big left but Batista blocks it.
Batista is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Batista is looking to sweep but instead, Lancaster has passed into half guard.
Batista is looking to improve his position.
Lancaster lands strikes from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lancaster is trying to control the action in half guard but Batista is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Batista is controlling Lancaster's trapped leg to prevent Lancaster from advancing to side control.
Batista is refusing to be controlled, as Lancaster sits in half guard.
Lancaster not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Lancaster is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Lancaster is thwarting Batista's attempts to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anhel Batista comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Batista 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anhel Batista!