PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Justin Anthony (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josef Urrah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Urrah has chosen Johnny Cash - Oney as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Anthony
vs
Urrah

184 cm
41
186 lbs
34 - 19 - 2

185 cm
29
173 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 34 - 19 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Justin Anthony!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Josef Urrah!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anthony throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Urrah.
Anthony throws a predictable looking body shot
and Urrah counters with a good low kick that Anthony was not able to check.
Urrah walks into a straight right hand from Anthony.
Anthony definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Anthony scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Urrah takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Urrah throws a sloppy head kick
and Anthony counters with a one-two to the body.
Anthony looks to score with a jab to the body but Urrah is just out of range.
Anthony misses with a body shot.
Urrah moves forwards but Anthony connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Justin Anthony seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Urrah tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Anthony swivels and escapes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Urrah dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Anthony moves out of range of the strikes.
Anthony avoids the head kick by Urrah.
Urrah misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anthony misses with a kick to the body
and Urrah counters with a nice uppercut.
A leg kick checked by Urrah.
Urrah lands with an uppercut that bounces Anthony off the ropes and back into range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Anthony.
Urrah misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Urrah moves out of range of the body kick.
Urrah looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Anthony swings for the body but Urrah moves out of range.
Urrah follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Urrah shoots for a double leg takedown but Anthony sprawls well. He's pushed Urrah's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Justin Anthony has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josef Urrah.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Urrah.
Anthony pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Urrah does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anthony throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Urrah sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Anthony will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Urrah bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Urrah is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Anthony has escaped the position, nice work there.
Anthony prevents Urrah from improving position.
Check out the look on Urrah's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Anthony is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Urrah asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Urrah fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urrah working away.
Urrah trying to control the action but Anthony is working from the bottom.
Urrah postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Urrah tries to move into full mount but can't pass Anthony's legs.
Urrah is looking to take a break and control but Anthony is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Urrah has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

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.
Anthony dodges the ground and pound from Urrah.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Urrah thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Urrah working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Urrah cracks Anthony with a big elbow.
Urrah trying to control the action but Anthony is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Justin Anthony will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Anthony walks forward, straight into a front kick from Urrah.
Anthony throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Urrah connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Urrah dodges the punch combination from Anthony.
Anthony misses with a wild body shot.
Anthony fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Anthony swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Urrah unleashes a big counter combination but Anthony bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Anthony crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Urrah - the referee stops the clock and Anthony gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Urrah. Anthony manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Justin Anthony is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Anthony looks to score with a jab to the body but Urrah is just out of range.
Anthony tries to clinch but Urrah moves away
and Urrah counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Urrah darts in looking for a takedown but Anthony gets double underhooks and turns Urrah into the ropes.
Anthony misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Urrah.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urrah pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Anthony looks to score with a jab to the body but Urrah is just out of range.
Urrah swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Anthony.
Anthony misses with a body kick.
Urrah replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Anthony blocks it well.
Anthony misses with a low kick as Urrah jumps back.
Anthony ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Urrah moves away.
Urrah misses with a takedown attempt - Anthony sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Urrah buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Urrah throws a head kick that misses
and Urrah takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Justin Anthony is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Anthony lands with an uppercut that bounces Urrah off the ropes and back into range.
Urrah throws a head kick that misses.
Anthony was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anthony misses with a leg kick.
Anthony throws a big shot that misses.

Urrah throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Anthony tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Urrah is in Anthony's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Anthony looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Anthony can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Urrah controls the pace.
Urrah pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Anthony is keeping the position for now.
Anthony is trying to keep Urrah in close.
Urrah postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anthony is trying to keep Urrah in close.

Anthony throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Urrah postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Anthony wants to stand up but Urrah is controlling him.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Urrah slips under a jab.
Anthony misses with a two punch combination.
Urrah throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Anthony connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Urrah's hands.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Anthony.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anthony looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Anthony looks to throw a body kick
and Urrah counters with a nice uppercut.
Anthony takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A looping hook to the body misses from Anthony. Urrah does a little dance to reset his feet.
Urrah throws a fast counter high kick but Anthony manages to duck under it in time.

Urrah shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Urrah tries to free his leg and advance position but Anthony is retaining full guard.
Urrah working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Anthony looking to control.
Anthony preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Urrah with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Josef Urrah will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Urrah takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Anthony avoids the head kick by Urrah.
Anthony was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Urrah.
Anthony fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Anthony is looking to wear down Urrah with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Urrah avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Urrah misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Anthony misses with a hook to the body
and Urrah counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Urrah shoots in looking for a takedown. Anthony tries to sprawl out of it but Urrah keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Anthony manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anthony throws a solid leg kick but Urrah takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Anthony.
Urrah ducks under a wild hook from Anthony.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urrah uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Anthony.
Anthony thows a leg kick but Urrah checks it
and Urrah counters with a right hand to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Anthony. Urrah does a little dance to reset his feet.
Anthony ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Urrah moves away.
Urrah closes the distance and clinches up with Anthony, looking for a takedown. Urrah pushes Anthony against the ropes but Anthony circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Justin Anthony has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josef Urrah.
Urrah on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Anthony forces Urrah back against the ropes and clinches.
Anthony taking a breather.
Urrah is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Anthony pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Anthony prevents a takedown attempt there.
Urrah is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Anthony pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Anthony lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Urrah tries a body shot but Anthony blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urrah wants a takedown but no success here.
Anthony swings wildly with an uppercut but Urrah uses good head movement to avoid it.
Urrah blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Anthony.
Urrah blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Urrah blocks an uppercut.
Anthony goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nice body punch from Anthony.

Urrah works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Anthony is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Anthony keeping moving, preventing Urrah from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urrah is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Urrah looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Urrah throws an elbow that misses. Anthony uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Urrah's guard. Nice move by Anthony!

Anthony preventing the sweep.
Josef Urrah has got the better of the ground game so far.
Urrah keeping full guard, as Anthony tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Urrah not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Anthony trying to control the position from guard on top but Urrah is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Urrah is trying to keep Anthony in close.

Urrah is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Anthony is aware though and is defending well.
Anthony looking to pass the guard.
Anthony wants to control from the top but Urrah keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Anthony wanted to stand there but Urrah had control of the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Anthony showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Anthony has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Justin Anthony!
An out of breath Justin Anthony thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
The defeated Josef Urrah had this to say: 'Man kan vara vinnare även om man förlorar.'.