PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sterling Elliott (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phillip Arroyo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phillip Arroyo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Elliott
vs
Arroyo

172 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

186 cm
25
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sterling Elliott!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Phillip Arroyo!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Summer Carpenter and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arroyo thows a body shot but no joy.
Arroyo fails to land the takedown.
Elliott fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Elliott fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Elliott tries for a takedown but Arroyo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Arroyo clinches with his opponent.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Arroyo.
Arroyo prevents Elliott from breaking the clinch.
Elliott can't break the clinch.

Arroyo pulls guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Elliott wants to pass the guard but Arroyo is keeping the position.
Elliott stops Arroyo from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arroyo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Elliott might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Elliott wants to control from the top but Arroyo keeps moving.
Elliott is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Arroyo is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Arroyo is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Sterling Elliott.
Elliott misses with a takedown attempt - Arroyo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sterling Elliott. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arroyo shoots in looking for a takedown but Elliott manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Arroyo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arroyo misses with a head kick.
Elliott closes the distance and clinches up with Arroyo, looking for a takedown. Elliott pushes Arroyo against the cage but Arroyo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Arroyo shoots in and drives through. Elliott sprawls well.
Arroyo shoots in looking for a takedown but Elliott manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Arroyo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Elliott shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Arroyo defends it nicely.
Arroyo fails with the takedown.
Arroyo looks to land a combination but Elliott avoids it well.

Arroyo has Elliott up against the cage in a clinch.

Arroyo jumps guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elliott postures up in Arroyo's guard and throws a big left but Arroyo blocks it.
Elliott trying to control the position from guard on top but Arroyo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Arroyo is pulling down on Elliott's head to control his posture.
Arroyo wants to sweep here but Elliott controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Elliott trying to control but Arroyo is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Arroyo has an active guard here but Elliott has managed to pass into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elliott is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Elliott decides to stand and escape the position.
Arroyo leaves Elliott with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Arroyo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arroyo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Arroyo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Phillip Arroyo will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Arroyo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Arroyo throws a wild body kick that Elliott sees coming a mile off.
Elliott throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Arroyo's waist but Arroyo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Elliott off to one side.
Arroyo wants to clinch.
Arroyo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Elliott.
Arroyo dives in for a single leg takedown but Elliott sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Arroyo tries to score a body lock takedown but Elliott shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Sterling Elliott has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Phillip Arroyo.
Elliott doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Arroyo softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Elliott jumps guard but Arroyo stands there with Elliott around his waist. Elliott gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Arroyo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Elliott walks away with a smile on his face. Arroyo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elliott tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Arroyo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Arroyo throws a head kick that misses.
Arroyo leaves Elliott with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Elliott could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Elliott takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Elliott wants to clinch.
Arroyo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Elliott pinned against the cage. Elliott gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Elliott stuffs the takedown.
Arroyo is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elliott shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Arroyo defends it nicely.
Sterling Elliott is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A left and a right from Arroyo both land. Nice combination.
Elliott moves in looking to clinch but Arroyo pushes him off.
Arroyo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Arroyo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Elliott pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Elliott scores with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elliott avoids the head kick by Arroyo.
Arroyo keeps the fight on the outside.
Elliott stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Elliott wants it to stay on the feet.
Elliott misses with a jab, cross combination.
Elliott tries to clinch up but Arroyo circles away and keeps his distance.
Elliott fails with the takedown.
Elliott misses with a body shot.
Elliott looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Elliott shoots in for a double leg but Arroyo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Arroyo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elliott stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Elliott wants it to stay on the feet.

Arroyo clinches up against the cage.

Arroyo breaks the clinch.
Elliott throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Arroyo clinches.
Arroyo is looking to take this one to the mat.
Arroyo is trying to break the clinch but Elliott has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Elliott is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Arroyo is keeping busy.
Arroyo wants to take the fight to the mat but Elliott manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Phillip Arroyo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Elliott will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Arroyo tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Elliott defends well and Arroyo ends up having to push Elliott into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Arroyo decides to pull guard.
Arroyo looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Elliott is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Arroyo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elliott passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Arroyo prevents Elliott from improving position.
Elliott wants to lay and pray for a moment but Arroyo keeps working.

Elliott working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Arroyo tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arroyo manages to get back to half guard.
Elliott is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Elliott thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Arroyo's head.
Arroyo makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Arroyo.

Arroyo has his foot on Elliott's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Elliott works his way back into a safe position though.
Sterling Elliott overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Arroyo wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arroyo wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Elliott wants to control from the top but Arroyo keeps moving.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Elliott is really struggling to control Arroyo but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sterling Elliott wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Elliott throws a lazy head kick
and Arroyo counters with a head kick. That will keep Elliott thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Elliott swats away the attempt to clinch by Arroyo.
No luck for Arroyo with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Elliott.
Elliott tries to land a body kick
and Arroyo counters with a head kick. That will keep Elliott thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Elliott tries to clinch but Arroyo moves out of range.
Elliott keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sterling Elliott has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Phillip Arroyo.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Elliott closes the distance but Arroyo moves to the side
and Arroyo counters with a series of strikes. Elliott will be more careful next time no doubt.
Arroyo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Elliott.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Arroyo.
Sterling Elliott has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Phillip Arroyo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Elliott throws a nice looking combination but Arroyo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Phillip Arroyo.
I've got Arroyo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phillip Arroyo!