PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Combat Jack (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apollo Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jack kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Die for Metal. Jackson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: LIVING IN AMERICA BY JAMES BROWN. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Jack
vs
Jackson

186 cm
29
215 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

179 cm
31
217 lbs
20 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

SP Ultimate Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Combat Jack!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Apollo Jackson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jack lands with a good body shot.
Jackson misses with a double jab.
Jack half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Jackson avoids the body shot from Jack.

Jackson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Jackson working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Jackson is trying to ground and pound but Jack uses the momentary lack of control by Jackson to regain half guard.
Jackson is looking to take a break and control but Jack is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jackson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Jackson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Jackson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Jackson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jack wants to get back to full guard.
Jack keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Jack is trying to get back to full guard.
Jackson moves nicely into side control.
Jackson misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Jack is looking for a sweep.
Jack is working hard here to advance position.
Jackson cracks Jack with a big elbow.

It looks like Combat Jack has been cut.
Jack parries the strikes from Jackson easily there. Jackson is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Jack to escape.
Jackson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Jackson goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Jack has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Jackson but great work by Jack.
Jack happy to just control the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jack trying to control the position but Jackson is working away.
Jack throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Jack trying to control the position but Jackson is working away.
Jackson manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Jackson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Jack gets full guard.

Jack looking for subs off his back but Jackson has passed one foot through into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Jack looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jack is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Jackson pulls his head out easily.
Jackson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Jackson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Jack slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Jackson tries to pass to full mount but Jack defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jackson is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Jack as he works his way to full guard.
Jackson slips nicely into half guard.
Jack gets full guard.
Jackson is looking to advance position but Jack has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Jackson wants to hold on but Jack pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poor strikes thrown by Jack there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Jack throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Apollo Jackson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Combat Jack's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Jack works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Jack lands a nice leg kick that just misses Jackson's sensitive parts.
Jack fakes the leg kick and cracks Jackson in the body.
Jackson on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Jack closes the distance and clinches.
Jack can't find room to land a body shot as Jackson controls the action.
Jackson tries to work over Jack's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A right hook to the body lands for Jackson.
I was talking to Jack's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Jackson.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Jackson.
Jack gets through Jackson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A knee to the head by Jack.

Jackson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jackson throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Jack stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Jack throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Jackson stalks Jack and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Jack's face. Jack staggers backwards, shaken.
Jackson throws a head kick that half lands.

Combat Jack's cut is getting worse.
Jackson gets in close and tags Jack with a short punch that almost sends Jack to the mat! Oh Jack is in big trouble! He turns his back on Jackson, trying to create some distance but Jackson rushes him, striking wildly and Jack goes down! The referee tackles Jackson into the cage to end the fight! Jackson is one violent man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Apollo Jackson!
An out of breath Apollo Jackson thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.