PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mike McLaughlin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elijah Judah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

McLaughlin
vs
Judah

178 cm
22
139 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

175 cm
23
147 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mike McLaughlin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Elijah Judah!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Judah cracks a nice hook into McLaughlin's ribs.
McLaughlin misses with a lunging right hand
and Judah counters with a straight right hand.
Judah throws a nice looking combination but McLaughlin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Judah wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
We've been informed that Judah has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.

McLaughlin has taken the fight to the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from McLaughlin fails to land.
Judah prevents a body shot from McLaughlin.
McLaughlin blocks an uppercut.

Judah breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Judah connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
McLaughlin looks to throw the jab but Judah is out of range.
McLaughlin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
McLaughlin definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Judah uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from McLaughlin.
McLaughlin missing with a left hand there. Judah was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A left lands for Judah.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McLaughlin misses with a series of wild punches.
McLaughlin tries a low kick but Judah avoids it.
Judah shapes to counter with a head kick.
McLaughlin throws a lazy uppercut
and Judah counters with a stiff right hand.
Judah with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Judah bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Judah lands the left hand.
A lazy left from McLaughlin finds it's target.
Judah lands with a straight right. McLaughlin didn't see that one coming.
Judah throws out a loose jab but McLaughlin uses good head movement to avoid it.
McLaughlin is looking to counter punch.
McLaughlin bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Judah's head.
Judah stalks McLaughlin and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into McLaughlin's face. McLaughlin staggers backwards, shaken.
McLaughlin throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Judah throws a body shot but no joy.
Judah is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Judah momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A jab from Judah misses.
McLaughlin shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Judah eats them both and turns towards McLaughlin to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
McLaughlin throws a hook but Judah blocks it.
Judah changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A slow jab from McLaughlin misses its intended target.
Judah connects with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McLaughlin throws a push kick but Judah slaps the foot to one side.
Judah tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
McLaughlin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
McLaughlin lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Judah scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. McLaughlin doesn't seem bothered though.
Judah uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from McLaughlin.
McLaughlin scores with a jab. Judah acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
McLaughlin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Judah throws a series of punches but McLaughlin moves out of range.
Judah lands a body shot.
McLaughlin misses with a straight right.
McLaughlin takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Judah tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but McLaughlin was well out of range. Poor timing from Judah.
McLaughlin misses with an uppercut.
McLaughlin connects with a jab.
Crunch! Judah slams his shin into McLaughlin's torso.
Judah misses with a straight right.
An attempted straight right counter from McLaughlin misses the target.
Judah waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract McLaughlin.
McLaughlin wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McLaughlin misses with a series of wild punches.
Judah looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Judah feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to McLaughlin's calf.
Judah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
It looked like McLaughlin wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
McLaughlin defending well as Judah loads up on a big left hand.

McLaughlin moves into the clinch.
Judah has a couple of punches blocked by McLaughlin.
A nice left hand lands by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin lands a right hand.
Judah tries to throw a body punch but McLaughlin avoids it by throwing Judah back against the ropes.
McLaughlin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Judah blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Judah lands a body punch in the clinch.

Judah breaks from the clinch.
Mike McLaughlin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A punch combination from Judah misses.
An inside leg kick lands from McLaughlin.
McLaughlin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Judah manages to avoid it.
Judah slips a jab from McLaughlin.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Judah! But no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Judah tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Judah throws a lazy uppercut
letting McLaughlin counter with a right hand.
Judah ducks under a wild hook from McLaughlin.
McLaughlin throws a shot from downtown. Judah moves away and avoids it.
McLaughlin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Judah.
Judah misses with a series of wild punches.
Judah blocks a jab.
Judah misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McLaughlin.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Judah checks a leg kick.
Judah throws the left hand but McLaughlin avoids the punch easily.
Judah changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McLaughlin avoids the head kick by Judah.
McLaughlin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Judah is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! McLaughlin had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
McLaughlin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Judah blocks a jab.
A jab from Judah misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Elijah Judah will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

McLaughlin misses with a straight right.

McLaughlin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
A short right hand to the side of the head by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin lands with a right to the head.
McLaughlin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Judah working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
McLaughlin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
McLaughlin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Judah's elbow.
McLaughlin lands a left hand.
Judah fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
McLaughlin blocking some punches.
Judah blocking some punches.
McLaughlin can't find room to land a body shot as Judah controls the action.
Judah throws a head punch that misses.
McLaughlin throws a head punch that misses.
Judah tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Judah scores with a nice hook to the head.
McLaughlin lands a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McLaughlin tries a body shot but Judah blocks it.
McLaughlin misses with some punches.
A short left from Judah.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Judah lands with a short shot to the head.
Judah swings away with an uppercut that misses.
McLaughlin working aggressively here.
McLaughlin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Judah backwards.
McLaughlin can't find room to land a body shot as Judah controls the action.
Judah goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
McLaughlin tries to throw a body punch but Judah avoids it by throwing McLaughlin back against the ropes.
Judah takes a shot to the head.
Judah throws a punch but it's blocked by McLaughlin.
Judah lands a right hand that snaps the head of McLaughlin backwards.
Judah blocks a punch to the side of the head.
McLaughlin throws a punch but it's blocked by Judah.
McLaughlin swings wildly with an uppercut but Judah uses good head movement to avoid it.
McLaughlin misses with a short punch on the inside.
McLaughlin can't find room to land a body shot as Judah controls the action.
Judah lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of McLaughlin backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Judah.
A head punch on the inside from McLaughlin fails to land.
A quick uppercut on the inside from McLaughlin.
Mike McLaughlin has scored more points in the clinch so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McLaughlin blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Judah tries to work over McLaughlin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
McLaughlin is leaning against Judah and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
McLaughlin swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Judah manages to break the clinch.
Nice uppercut lands for McLaughlin. That snapped Judah's head back.
McLaughlin throws a sloppy head kick
and Judah counters with a straight right hand.
Judah moves away from the strike by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin misses with a wild body shot.
McLaughlin blocks a head kick by Judah.
Judah circles away from the clinch attempt.
Judah scores with a nice body kick.
McLaughlin misses with a straight left.
It seemed like Judah was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
McLaughlin ducks under a wild hook from Judah.
Judah on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

McLaughlin closes the distance and clinches.
McLaughlin pushes Judah back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
McLaughlin prevents Judah from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Judah misses with a hook to the ribs.
McLaughlin goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Judah breaks from the clinch.
McLaughlin tries to close the distance and clinch but Judah swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Judah now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Judah misses with a two punch combination.
McLaughlin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Judah.
A jab from McLaughlin does it's job there.
McLaughlin ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Judah misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McLaughlin.

McLaughlin pushes Judah up against the ropes in a clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Judah.
McLaughlin misses with a body punch.
McLaughlin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
McLaughlin tries to throw a body punch but Judah avoids it by throwing McLaughlin back against the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Judah fails to land.
McLaughlin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
McLaughlin misses with a body punch.
McLaughlin has a couple of punches blocked by Judah.
McLaughlin tries to throw a body punch but Judah avoids it by throwing McLaughlin back against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McLaughlin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
McLaughlin has a couple of punches blocked by Judah.
Judah doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Judah struggles to land a body shot inside as McLaughlin controls his hands.
McLaughlin lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Judah backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Judah manages to break the clinch.
Judah swings for the body but McLaughlin moves out of range.
McLaughlin throws out a loose jab but Judah uses good head movement to avoid it.
Judah misses with a wild body shot.
A little feinted left hand from McLaughlin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Judah steps to the side to avoid the strikes from McLaughlin.
Good leg kick by McLaughlin there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Judah stuns McLaughlin with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Nice body punch from McLaughlin.
Judah ducks down and throws a hook to the body but McLaughlin moves away.
Judah throws a body punch but McLaughlin moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from McLaughlin misses the target.
McLaughlin lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A slow jab from McLaughlin misses its intended target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike McLaughlin dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

McLaughlin walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
McLaughlin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
McLaughlin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Judah slips a straight right by McLaughlin.
Judah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Judah throws a body punch but McLaughlin moves out of range.
McLaughlin misses the shot to the body.
Judah lands with a good body shot.
Judah throws an overhand right that lands on McLaughlin's shoulder, as McLaughlin tries to avoid the shot.
McLaughlin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Judah bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

McLaughlin clinches with his opponent.
Judah is leaning against McLaughlin and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Judah misses with a punch to the body.
A short uppercut from Judah.
Judah blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Judah can't find room to land a body shot as McLaughlin controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Judah lands a body punch in the clinch.
McLaughlin lands a body punch in the clinch.

Judah breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Judah swings and misses with a hook to the body.
McLaughlin takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Judah jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Judah pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces McLaughlin back to the ropes. Judah follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
McLaughlin takes one to the side of the head.
McLaughlin missing with a left hand there. Judah was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Judah throws a jab when McLaughlin was well out of range.
McLaughlin lands a jab to the head.
McLaughlin throws a sloppy body shot
and Judah counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. McLaughlin is lucky that one didn't land flush.
A looping hook to the body misses from McLaughlin. Judah does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice jab there from Judah.
McLaughlin fails in his attempt to clinch.
A jab from McLaughlin misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McLaughlin stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Judah.
McLaughlin thumps Judah with a low kick.
McLaughlin swings away with a body shot that misses
and Judah cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Judah throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

McLaughlin forces Judah back against the ropes and clinches.
McLaughlin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Judah backwards.
McLaughlin misses with a punch to the body.
Judah blocks an uppercut.
McLaughlin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Judah tries to work over McLaughlin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A hook to the body from Judah.
Judah tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McLaughlin's elbow.
McLaughlin tries to work over Judah's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Judah working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Judah.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McLaughlin throws a punch but it's blocked by Judah.
McLaughlin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Judah lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Judah blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Judah blocks a body shot from McLaughlin.
Judah makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
McLaughlin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Judah misses with a short punch on the inside.
McLaughlin misses with a hook from the clinch.
McLaughlin misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Judah.
A right handed body shot lands from Judah.
Judah lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Judah working aggressively here.
McLaughlin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
McLaughlin tries to throw a body punch but Judah avoids it by throwing McLaughlin back against the ropes.
McLaughlin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Judah blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Judah tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McLaughlin's elbow.
A shot in the inside from Judah.
McLaughlin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Judah blocks a punch to the side of the head.
McLaughlin lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Judah fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Judah throws a punch but it's blocked by McLaughlin.
Judah misses with a punch to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Judah struggles to land a body shot inside as McLaughlin controls his hands.
Judah tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A left hand lands to the body for McLaughlin.
McLaughlin tries to work over Judah's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Judah struggles to land a body shot inside as McLaughlin controls his hands.
Judah blocks a body shot from McLaughlin.
Judah lands a body shot.
A short body shot lands from Judah as the two fighters clinch.
Judah tries to break the clinch but McLaughlin is controlling the position.
McLaughlin blocking some punches.
A nice left hand lands by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin prevents a body shot from Judah.
McLaughlin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
McLaughlin scores with a nice hook to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elijah Judah comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Judah 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Elijah Judah!
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Mike McLaughlin!

The fight ends as a draw!