PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ula Cleo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Brinker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cleo
vs
Brinker

160 cm
21
145 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

170 cm
19
142 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ula Cleo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, David Brinker!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brinker scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Brinker feints a jab promting Cleo to slip. Brinker then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Cleo slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Cleo takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Brinker cracks Cleo with a good jab.
Brinker jabs Cleo right on the nose. Cleo blinks but takes it well.
Cleo misses with a takedown attempt - Brinker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Brinker comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Brinker clinches with his opponent.

Brinker drags the fight down to the ground.

Cleo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cleo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Brinker controls Cleo momentarily but Cleo frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by David Brinker.
Cleo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Brinker sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Cleo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cleo showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brinker is looking to improve his position.

Cleo looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Brinker gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brinker wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Brinker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Brinker looking to control.
Brinker wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Cleo is now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cleo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Brinker sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cleo somewhat.
Brinker works over Cleo's head and body with a nice combination.
Brinker goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Cleo could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Cleo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Brinker as he jumps to the side.
Nice takedown defense from Brinker. No joy for Cleo on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ula Cleo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice uppercut lands for Brinker. That snapped Cleo's head back.
Cleo takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Brinker!
Brinker pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Cleo back to the cage. Brinker follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cleo shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Brinker manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Brinker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Brinker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cleo is one step ahead there.
Brinker trying to keep a closed guard but Cleo is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brinker tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Cleo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cleo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Brinker not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. David Brinker wasn't active enough on the ground.
Cleo doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Brinker counters with a three punch combo that has Cleo backing up. Cleo nods at Brinker to acknowledge the strikes.
Brinker scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Brinker jabs Cleo to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Brinker scores with a three punch combo!
Cleo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Brinker avoids it really well and circles away.
Brinker throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Brinker has Cleo up against the cage in a clinch.
Brinker stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Brinker tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cleo avoids it.
Brinker tries to break free but Cleo pushes him back against the cage.
Brinker wants to take the fight to the mat but Cleo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Brinker has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cleo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Brinker manages to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Brinker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Brinker throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
A nice combination there by Brinker.
Brinker dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Brinker as Cleo shoots in.
Brinker cracks Cleo with a good jab.
Brinker has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Brinker closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Cleo shoots in for a takedown but Brinker shows good takedown defense.
Brinker moves in looking to clinch but Cleo pushes him off.
Cleo takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Brinker throws a shot to the body.
Brinker punishes Cleo's body with a nice straight punch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cleo takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cleo on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Brinker moves into range and clinches up with Cleo.
Brinker just leaning against Cleo, taking a breather.
Brinker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Brinker stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Brinker is trying to pull guard but Cleo has him pressed against the cage.

Brinker decides to pull guard.

Cleo is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Brinker is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Brinker has escaped and now he's on top!
Brinker throws a strike but Cleo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
David Brinker is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cleo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Brinker controls Cleo momentarily but Cleo frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cleo stopping the sweep attempt from Brinker.
Brinker wants to improve his position but instead Cleo has moved into half guard.

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.
Brinker is looking for a sweep. Cleo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Brinker trying to control here.
Brinker is trying to get back to full guard.
Ula Cleo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Brinker is looking to regain full guard. He's left an arm up in the air though and Cleo has latched onto it... Big trouble! Cleo pivots for an armbar - it's in tight and it Brinker is tapping in no time flat! Great counter grappling there from Cleo!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ula Cleo!