PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steven Work (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Melvin Butts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Work
vs
Butts

200 cm
25
275 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

225 cm
25
277 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Steven Work!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Melvin Butts!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Daniel Franklin and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Work tries for a takedown but Butts circles away easily

so Butts counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Butts slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Work has momentary wrist control but Butts slips an elbow through the middle.
Butts wants to control from the top but Work keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butts makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Butts is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Butts with a flurry of punches that miss.
Butts has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at The Hut - $50. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butts tries to free his leg and advance position but Work is retaining full guard.
Butts trying to control but Work is working from the bottom.
Butts controls from within his opponent's guard.
Work trying to strike off his back.
Work looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Work throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nice sprawl there from Butts as Work shoots in.
Work falls off balance throwing a combination

and Butts counters with a single leg into guard. Work didn't expect that.
Butts controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Work is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Butts defends well.
Butts distracts Work with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Butts lands a couple of elbows.

Butts drops back, looking for a kneebar! Work looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Work looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Work!
Butts can't do much from the bottom here.
Work throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Work wants to control but Butts is keeping him busy.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Butts can do anything to dispel that myth.
Butts is trying to work for a sweep but Work has mounted him!
Butts doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Butts tries to hold on but Work postures up.

Work is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Butts has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Butts can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Work has hold of Butts's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Butts manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Work wants to control but instead Butts manages to regain half guard.
Butts is doing well to control the position and prevent Work from advancing to side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Work is trying to control. Butts wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Butts is controlling Work's trapped leg to prevent Work from advancing to side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Butts dominated that round.
That's time! Work's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Butts fails to land the takedown.
Work throws a lazy head kick

and Butts counters with a single leg into guard. Work didn't expect that.
Butts stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Work swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Butts wants to stand but Work is controlling his posture from full guard.
Butts is looking to work some ground and pound but Work has wrist control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Work looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Butts trying to stand up but can't free himself from Work's guard.
Work preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Butts must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Butts drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Work dives on top into guard.
Butts keeping full guard, as Work tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Steven Work seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Work misses with a takedown attempt

and Butts counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Butts sitting in guard here, content to control.
Butts wants to control from the top but Work keeps moving.
Butts really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Work. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Butts distracts Work with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Butts postures up and lands a big shot to Work's brow.
Work looking to control but Butts passes into half guard.
Work is refusing to be controlled, as Butts sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Butts is working for a kimura but Work is defending it quite comfortably.
Melvin Butts has got the better of the ground game so far.
Butts wants to take a breather but Work is having none of it.

Butts wants to work for an arm triangle but Work is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Work is looking to control Butts's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Work avoid being mounted?
Butts is keen to just control but Work is a slippery customer.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Work might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Work is trying to control but can't.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butts slips a jab and a cross from Work.
Work shoots in for a takedown but Butts shows good takedown defense.
Butts tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Butts or perhaps it was just good defense by Work, which made it look bad.
Butts tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Work defends well and Butts ends up having to push Work into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Steven Work has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Melvin Butts.
Work is trying hard to land a takedown here. Butts sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Butts tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Work swivels and escapes.
Work fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Work has his takedown stuffed

and Butts counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butts wants to lay and pray for a moment but Work keeps working.
Butts happy to just control the position for now.
Work takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Butts thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Work is trying to control Butts's posture but Butts avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Butts showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Work's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Work looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Butts is fending him off so far but Work persists. Nope, Butts circles away and we're back to standing.
Butts dives in and grabs Work's left leg, looking for a takedown. Work pushes down on Butts's head and hops out.
Work goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Butts moves out of range of the leg kick from Work.
Butts with the counter takedown but Work avoids it easily.
Butts is trying hard to land a takedown here. Work sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Work misses with a hook to the body

and Butts counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Work kicks Butts off and gets back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good shot there by Work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Work wants to clinch up but Butts keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Work. No joy for Butts on that attempt.
Steven Work has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Melvin Butts.
Butts takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Work shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Butts as he jumps to the side.
Work fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Work wants to clinch

and Butts counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Work has hold of Butts's hands but Butts slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Butts is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Work tries to get to full guard but Butts has control of the leg.
Butts looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Butts is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Butts 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.
Butts has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Butts trying to advance position but Work counters by regaining guard.
Butts content to stall in guard here.
Butts forces his way into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butts stalling.
Butts stalling away here and it's allowed Work to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Butts tries to free his leg and advance position but Work is retaining full guard.
Butts with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Butts throws a strike but Work rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Butts utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Butts throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Work gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Butts to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Melvin Butts is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Butts drops back looking for a leg! Work is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Work manages to kick Butts off! Butts jumps back into Work's guard.
Butts is stalling in the full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Butts stopping the sweep attempt from Work.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Melvin Butts.
I've got Butts 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Melvin Butts!