PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Trill Savage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Bruce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Bruce is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Savage
vs
Bruce

195 cm
21
234 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
256 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Las Vegas, Trill Savage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Bruce!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Tiny Johnson and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Savage has taken the fight to the clinch.
Savage lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Bruce jumps guard but Savage stands there with Bruce around his waist. Bruce gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Savage wants to take the fight to the mat but Bruce manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Bruce drags the fight down to the ground.
Bruce is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Savage is concentrating on defense, preventing Bruce from advancing position.
Bruce stalling.
Bruce moves nicely into side control.
Savage is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce controls the position.
Bruce tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Bruce tries to advance to mount but can't.
Bruce trying to control the position but Savage is working away.
You can see the frustration on Savage's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bruce in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Bruce 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce is trying to move to mount but Savage reverses beautifully and ends up in Bruce's guard.
Savage trying to control the position from guard on top but Bruce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Bruce has eaten all the pies!
Bruce pulls Savage in to control the position.

Mike Bruce has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Bruce keeps the fight on the outside.
Savage fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bruce tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Savage counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce takes a swing at Savage's ribcage but misses.

Bruce closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Savage's guard.
Bruce is working Savage over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Savage keeping moving, preventing Bruce from controlling successfully.
Savage trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce trying to control the position from guard on top but Savage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mike Bruce was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Savage fails with the takedown

and Bruce counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bruce.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Trill Savage. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Savage is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bruce is keeping busy.
A knee to the head by Savage.

Bruce pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Savage wants to clinch.
Bruce defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Savage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bruce manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Savage on his heels. He'll look to pass Savage's guard now, I'm sure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Bruce dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Savage tries for a takedown but Bruce circles away easily

and Bruce holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Savage misses with a knee to the head.
Savage drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bruce gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Bruce has Savage pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Bruce pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Savage tumbling to the mat - Bruce dives into Savage's guard.
Bruce slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bruce trying to control the position from guard on top but Savage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bruce missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mike Bruce has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bruce works over Savage with some ground and pound from guard.
Bruce landing with the ground and pound.
Bruce working some strikes from top position.
Savage wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Bruce is now in half guard.
Savage manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bruce drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bruce jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bruce lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Bruce's corner is telling him to maintain position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bruce wants to pass the guard but Savage is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce controlling from the top position.

Savage throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Bruce escapes and throws Savage's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
You can see the frustration on Savage's face as Bruce controls the position.
Let's hope that Bruce has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Savage trying his best to control but Bruce has mounted him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bruce looking to secure an arm triangle but Savage defends it well.
Savage wants to control but Bruce is having none of it.
Bruce wants to control the pace but Savage is squirming around nicely.

Bruce stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bruce closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Bruce showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Bruce misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Some bone on bone action there as Savage checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Savage avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Bruce gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Savage looking to stall.
Bruce trying to control the position but instead, Savage has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bruce into the cage.
Bruce is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Savage is defending well for now.
Savage jumps guard but Bruce turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Savage tries to land a knee to the head but Bruce blocks with his arms.

Savage breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Savage swivels and escapes.
Bruce fails with a takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Savage.
Savage closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bruce circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Trill Savage. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bruce tries to close the distance and clinch but Savage swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bruce fails with a takedown attempt.
Savage swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Bruce counters with a straight right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Bruce gets the takedown into side control.

Bruce decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Savage lands a head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Savage shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Bruce counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Savage thinking.
Bruce looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bruce throws a sloppy head kick and Savage moves out of range easily.

Bruce closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Savage to the mat! Savage manages to get full guard.
Bruce pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Savage is keeping the position for now.

Savage escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bruce gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Savage working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Bruce has passed into half guard!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Savage looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bruce works his foot free and advances to mount.
Bruce landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Savage is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Savage tries to hold on but Bruce postures up.
Bruce lands a nice shot to the head.
Bruce fails to take his opponent's back.

Bruce working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Savage looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Bruce! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Mike Bruce!