PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eddie Armstrong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Bird (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.

Armstrong
vs
Bird

185 cm
25
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
25
269 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Eddie Armstrong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chris Bird!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Nard Betker and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bird shoots for a takedown but Armstrong saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bird misses with a head kick.
Bird shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Armstrong sprawls well. Armstrong wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bird gets slowly back to his feet.

Bird closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Armstrong drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bird pulls his leg out and moves away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Armstrong.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Bird is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Armstrong is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Bird's shoulder. That is not cool.
Bird wants to control but Armstrong postures up.
The referee asks Armstrong politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Armstrong prefers to stall for the moment though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Armstrong wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bird keeps working.
Armstrong takes a little break here. Bird wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Eddie Armstrong wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Armstrong 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.

Bird has his foot on Armstrong's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Armstrong works his way back into a safe position though.
Armstrong stays in close to Bird's body and controls the position.
Armstrong seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Bird for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bird wants to stand up but Armstrong is controlling him.
Armstrong is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Eddie Armstrong wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bird misses with a head kick.
Armstrong tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bird sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Armstrong somewhat.
Bird misses with a takedown attempt - Armstrong sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Eddie Armstrong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Bird.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Armstrong darts in and clinches Bird up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Bird breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bird throws a series of punches but Armstrong moves out of range.
Bird leaves Armstrong with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Armstrong gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Bird counter with a right hand.
A head kick misses from Bird.
Armstrong shoots in for a double leg but Bird sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Armstrong tries for a takedown but Bird sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Armstrong is breathing heavily.

Bird shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Armstrong napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bird wants to stand but Armstrong is controlling his arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird blocks the strikes from Armstrong.

Bird looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Bird takes a little break here. Armstrong wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Bird trying to control the action but Armstrong is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bird blocks the strikes from Armstrong.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Eddie Armstrong will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Armstrong tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bird swivels and escapes.
Armstrong fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bird avoids it really well and circles away.
Bird tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Armstrong paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Bird closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Armstrong's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Bird jumps into guard, dragging Armstrong to the mat.
Bird wants to stand but Armstrong is controlling the position.
Bird not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Armstrong showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Bird really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Armstrong. 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 one minute gone in the round.
Bird looking to hit a scissor sweep but Armstrong is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nice sprawl there from Bird as Armstrong shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice takedown defense from Bird. No joy for Armstrong on that attempt.
Armstrong tries for a takedown but Bird sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Armstrong fails with the takedown.

Bird looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bird wants to control from the top but Armstrong keeps moving.
Bird pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Armstrong is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bird wants to stand and escape but instead Armstrong has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Bird keeping moving, preventing Armstrong from controlling successfully.
Eddie Armstrong overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Armstrong controlling from the top position.
Bird 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.
Armstrong trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong wants to control from the top but Bird keeps moving.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Armstrong got a little sloppy there for a moment and Bird has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Armstrong has managed to get both his arms back between Bird's legs - danger averted.
Bird wants to sweep here but Armstrong controlling him for the moment.
Armstrong advances to half guard.
Armstrong content to control rather than advance.
Armstrong thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bird is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Armstrong scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Armstrong looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bird can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bird is trying to maintain the position but Armstrong is very close to passing his half guard.
Bird wants to get back to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bird is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Armstrong looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chris Bird will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bird throws a chopping leg kick but Armstrong manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Eddie Armstrong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Armstrong tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bird fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Armstrong avoids it really well and circles away.
Bird tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Armstrong manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Armstrong keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Bird gets a takedown into half guard.
Armstrong wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bird is working for a submission of some sort.
Armstrong is not content to let Bird control the position.

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.
Bird is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Armstrong works his way to full guard. Good work.
Bird wants to pass the guard but Armstrong is keeping the position.
Bird being controlled here momentarily.
Armstrong wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Chris Bird wasn't active enough on the ground.
Armstrong tries for a takedown but Bird circles away easily

and Bird counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Armstrong's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bird trying to control but Armstrong is working from the bottom.
Bird tries to stand but Armstrong is controlling from the bottom.
Armstrong wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bird shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Armstrong pinned against the cage. Armstrong gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Armstrong defends it nicely.
Bird shoots in for a double leg but Armstrong sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bird takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Armstrong blocks a head kick by Bird.
Bird stuns Armstrong with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
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!

Armstrong throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Bird was covering up waiting for the punch and Armstrong finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Armstrong controls from within his opponent's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bird looking for a guillotine here but Armstrong defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Bird comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bird 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:29
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!