PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jessup Pike (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and african bazzuka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). african bazzuka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pike
vs
bazzuka

184 cm
23
160 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

179 cm
22
167 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Jessup Pike!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, african bazzuka!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Chris Edwards and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pike will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Pike tries to clinch but bazzuka moves out of range.
Pike is looking to clinch.
Pike lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like african bazzuka has been cut.
Pike throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around bazzuka's waist but bazzuka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pike off to one side.
bazzuka wants to clinch

and Pike counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pike.
bazzuka fails to pull the fight into his guard.

bazzuka jumps guard and drags Pike to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Pike trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
bazzuka is looking to stand up but Pike isn't so interested in that idea.
bazzuka tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pike is breathing heavily.
bazzuka is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
bazzuka throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pike drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and bazzuka dives on top into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
bazzuka wants to control from the top but Pike keeps moving.
bazzuka stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pike swivels though and keeps the full guard.
bazzuka passes Pike's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Pike on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pike tries to get out of the position.
bazzuka sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Pike looking for submissions off his back.
bazzuka wants to pass to mount but Pike is defending the position.
bazzuka passes to side control.
bazzuka lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Pike down.
bazzuka trying to control the action but Pike is working from the bottom.
Pike gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
bazzuka looking to control and managing it successfully.
bazzuka pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
bazzuka trying to control but Pike is having none of it.
Pike is in a horrible position here. bazzuka smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

bazzuka looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
bazzuka scores with a couple of good head shots there.
bazzuka wants to control the pace but Pike is squirming around nicely.
Pike tries to improve his position but instead bazzuka has taken his back!
Pike can't escape the position.
bazzuka controlling from the back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

bazzuka working for a choke but Pike is defending well.
A bit of a pause in the action here. bazzuka controlling the positon.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

african bazzuka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on african bazzuka's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

bazzuka fails with the takedown

and Pike decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in bazzuka's guard.
bazzuka tries to strike from the bottom.
Pike trying to control the position from guard on top but bazzuka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pike stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. bazzuka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
bazzuka seems keen to control Pike's posture.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pike preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
bazzuka trying to control the position.
bazzuka might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Pike kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
bazzuka doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Pike counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pike.
Pike looking to sit in guard and control but bazzuka gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
bazzuka trying to control but Pike is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pike looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
bazzuka preventing the sweep.
Pike preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pike trying to control the position.
Pike 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.
bazzuka looking to pass the guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
bazzuka shoots for a takedown but Pike saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jessup Pike has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of african bazzuka.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pike stuffs the takedown.

Pike darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
bazzuka regains full guard. Nicely done.

bazzuka kicks Pike off and gets to his feet.
bazzuka with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pike counters with a nice double leg into guard.
bazzuka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pike trying to control but bazzuka is working from the bottom.
Pike with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pike looking to pass the guard.
Pike throwing strikes from guard but bazzuka blocks nicely.
bazzuka trying to keep a closed guard but Pike is proving a slippery customer.
Pike passes into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pike looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
bazzuka is trying to maintain the position but Pike is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jessup Pike dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on african bazzuka's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Pike closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
bazzuka is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
bazzuka trying to control but Pike postures up.
Pike is looking to stall here but bazzuka recovers full guard.
bazzuka bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pike's guard.
bazzuka stands and throws Pike's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pike tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but bazzuka presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
bazzuka prevents Pike from getting the reversal.
Pike is bucking up trying to escape but bazzuka cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Pike is wriggling around trying to escape.
Pike is squirming around, avoiding bazzuka's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Pike tries to control the position but bazzuka now has his back.
Pike breaks bazzuka's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
bazzuka working a defensive guard here.
Pike wants to pass the guard but bazzuka is keeping the position.

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

and bazzuka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pike won't be happy with that.
Pike tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Pike takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Pike's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
bazzuka is looking to take a break and control but Pike is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pike tries to control but bazzuka manages to take his back.
bazzuka keeps control of the position as Pike tries to break free.
bazzuka really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Pike.
bazzuka doesn't have the hooks in and Pike manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pike throws a big right hand that misses.
bazzuka is trying to control the position but Pike postures up.
Pike makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Pike looking to pass the guard.
bazzuka is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pike goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A left lands for bazzuka.

And that's the end of the fight!
african bazzuka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think bazzuka 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... african bazzuka!