PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Edwin Billong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mick Spanner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Spanner has chosen Seven Drunken Nights - The Dubliners as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Mick Spanner is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Billong
vs
Spanner

186 cm
20
218 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
33
210 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Edwin Billong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mick Spanner!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spanner doesn't manage to clinch there - Billong circles away.
Horrible takedown by Spanner or perhaps it was just good defense by Billong which made him look bad.
Spanner tries to close the distance and clinch but Billong swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Billong lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Spanner circles away quickly and effectively.
Spanner tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Billong makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Billong forces Spanner back against the cage and clinches.
Spanner tries for a takedown but Billong manages to get underhooks.
Spanner tries for a takedown. No joy.
Edwin Billong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mick Spanner.
Billong is looking to control Spanner's arms but Spanner gets an underhook and turns him. Now Billong has his back to the cage.
Spanner pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Billong.
Billong lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Spanner manages to break the clinch.
Billong clobbers Spanner with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Spanner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Spanner tries to clinch
and Billong counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Spanner takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
No joy there for Spanner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spanner takes one to the chin there.

Billong takes the fight into the clinch.
Spanner is trying to break the clinch but Billong is controlling him.
A short body shot lands from Billong as the two fighters clinch.
Billong stalling against the cage.
Billong is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Spanner is defending well for now.

Billong breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Spanner shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Billong pinned against the cage. Billong gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Spanner tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Billong swivels and escapes.
Spanner on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Spanner takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Billong connects with a good right hand that stumbles Spanner. Spanner circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Mick Spanner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spanner tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Billong counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spanner shoots in but Billong avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Billong ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Spanner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Billong manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Spanner tries to score a power double leg takedown but Billong sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Spanner somewhat.
Spanner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Billong tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Spanner avoids it.
Spanner blocks a body shot from Billong.
Billong creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Spanner's defenses.
Spanner can't break the clinch.
Spanner is trying to drag Billong to the mat but Billong just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Spanner blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanner has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Billong avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Billong.
Spanner misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Billong.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Spanner as Billong tries to tie him up.
A right hand to the body from Billong.
Billong tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Spanner avoids it.
Billong lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Spanner backwards.
Spanner on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Spanner pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Billong blocks an elbow strike.
Billong content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Billong lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Spanner swings wildly with an uppercut but Billong uses good head movement to avoid it.
Billong lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Billong lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Billong tries a body shot but Spanner blocks it.
Billong blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Billong misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Billong.

Spanner is rocked!

It looks like Mick Spanner has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Spanner takes an elbow to the temple.
Spanner is still on wobbly legs! Can Billong finish him?
Billong creates some distance and fires off a vicious elbow that drops Spanner! He pounces and finishes the fight with more strikes! Nice KO for Billong.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:15 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Edwin Billong!
An out of breath Edwin Billong thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.