PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kruger Vance (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vance is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Michaels
vs
Vance

178 cm
21
190 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

190 cm
22
201 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joseph Michaels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kruger Vance!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Alyssa Summers and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels looks to score with a jab to the body but Vance is just out of range.
Michaels misses with a double jab
enabling Vance to counter with a crisp jab.

Vance gets tackled into the cage by Michaels. Michaels maintains the clinch.
Michaels blocks the elbow strike.
Vance throws a punch but it's blocked by Michaels.
Vance lands a shot to the body.
Vance lands with a left to the head.
Michaels has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Vance after a bit of a struggle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vance lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Michaels gets control of Vance's arms and successfully pulls guard. Michaels will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Michaels looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Michaels keeping moving, preventing Vance from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vance got a little sloppy there for a moment and Michaels has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vance has managed to get both his arms back between Michaels's legs - danger averted.
Vance stays in close to Michaels's body and controls the position.
Vance trying to control but Michaels is working from the bottom.
Michaels bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vance's guard.

Michaels throws a big elbow that misses.
Michaels loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Michaels throws a big right hand that misses.
Michaels trying to control the position from guard on top but Vance is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Michaels is pushing down on Vance's leg trying to pass to half guard. Vance is fighting to maintain full guard but Michaels has managed to sneak the leg through.
Vance wants to get back to his feet.
Michaels wants to take a breather but Vance is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels stops Vance from getting back to his feet.
Michaels wants to free his trapped foot but Vance is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Vance is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vance can do anything to dispel that myth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Michaels is nestled in close to Vance, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Michaels seems to be working for a kimura but Vance defends the submission attempt.
Michaels is nestled in close to Vance, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Michaels is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Michaels has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Michaels thows a huge punch but Vance dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Michaels connects with a nice short shot to Vance's temple.

Michaels is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Vance is just riding it out for now. Michaels eventually gives up the hold.
Michaels has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Vance is refusing to be controlled, as Michaels sits in half guard.
Vance is trying to stand.

Michaels is trying to work for a kimura but Vance is defending well.
Michaels wants to take a breather but Vance is having none of it.
Vance works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels forces his way into half guard.
Vance wants to improve his position but Michaels is controlling well.
Vance is refusing to be controlled, as Michaels sits in half guard.
Michaels prevents Vance from improving his position.
Michaels wants to take a breather but Vance is having none of it.
Vance really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Michaels. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Michaels is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Michaels 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joseph Michaels dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Vance keeps the fight on the outside.

Michaels has taken the fight to the clinch.
Vance tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Michaels's elbow.
Michaels blocks an uppercut.
Vance scores with a hook to the body.
Michaels blocks a body shot from Vance.
Michaels goes for a takedown attempt but Vance pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Michaels misses with a takedown
and Vance counters with a lovely shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michaels gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Vance cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Michaels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Michaels shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Vance to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Vance counters with a left and a right that stings Michaels.
Michaels throws out a loose jab but Vance uses good head movement to avoid it.

Michaels gets a clinch.
Michaels tries to pull guard but Vance holds him up against the cage and eventually Michaels drops back down to his feet.
Vance misses with the head strike.
Vance lands an elbow that stopped Michaels in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Joseph Michaels has been cut.
Michaels blocks an elbow strike.
Vance lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Vance fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Vance working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vance lands a body shot.
Vance lands with a short shot to the head.
Vance tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Vance working aggressively here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Michaels blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vance lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Michaels blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Michaels tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vance smiles and moves away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Michaels.
Michaels trying to control the position but Vance is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Michaels working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Michaels is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Vance knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Vance wants to control but Michaels postures up.
Vance stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Vance is trying to control Michaels's posture but Michaels avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Vance tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Michaels wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Michaels creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Michaels has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Michaels tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Michaels connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Michaels looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Vance is working to get back to half guard.

Vance wants to get back to his feet but in bucking up he's left an arm hanging out! Michaels has locked onto it and has pulled off a slick armbar! Vance taps furiously! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Joseph Michaels!
Joseph Michaels managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Voodoo Nutrition, into his post fight interview.
Kruger Vance was interviewed post fight and said 'Shite ! ! ! '.