PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mikel Arteta (ranked 23888 p4p, 646 weight class) and Jimmy Jackson (ranked 6730 p4p, 606 weight class). Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. Mikel Arteta has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Arteta
vs
Jackson

192 cm
18
208 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

196 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mikel Arteta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jimmy Jackson!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jackson stuns Arteta with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Arteta loads up on a big right hand but Jackson slips the punch.
Arteta seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Arteta is breathing heavily.
Arteta waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Jackson.
Jackson misses with a wild body shot.
Arteta drops down looking for a counter takedown but Jackson sprawls and moves away.
Jackson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Arteta.
Arteta shoots for a double leg takedown but Jackson sprawls well. He's pushed Arteta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jackson steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Arteta.
Jab from Jackson.
Jackson slips a jab from Arteta.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Arteta appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Jackson misses with a looping right.
Jackson lands with a hook. Arteta tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arteta misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Jackson.
And Jackson tries to counter it with a takedown but Arteta pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Jackson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Jackson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Jackson stays in close to Arteta's body and controls the position.
Jackson advances position into side control!

Jackson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Arteta has escaped the position, nice work there.
An elbow from Jackson crashes against the mat.
Arteta tries to improve position but can't.
Jackson creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Jackson scoring with punches and elbows.
Sloppy strikes there by Jackson.
Jackson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arteta takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Arteta is trying to get back to half guard.
Jackson lands an elbow.
Arteta tries to buck Jackson off but Jackson is having none of it.
Arteta keeping his opponent close.
Jackson throws an elbow but Arteta slips to the side and avoids it well.
The strikes coming from Jackson are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Arteta managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Jackson.
Jackson throws a strike aimed at the side of Arteta's head but Arteta avoids it well.
Arteta is looking to regain half guard here but Jackson keeps moving and retains side control.
Arteta managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Jackson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arteta tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Jackson misses with the ground and pound.
Jackson misses with the ground and pound.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jackson slaps away a takedown attempt from Arteta, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jackson now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Arteta throws a hook but Jackson blocks it.
Jackson feints the counter takedown.
Jackson stuffs the takedown.
A little jabbing left from Jackson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikel Arteta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jackson scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mikel Arteta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arteta darts in looking for a takedown but Jackson gets double underhooks and turns Arteta into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arteta tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Jackson defends well and Arteta ends up having to push Jackson into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Jackson throws a series of punches but Arteta avoids them all with ease.
Jackson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A jab from Arteta misses.
Arteta closes the distance and clinches up with Jackson, looking for a takedown. Arteta pushes Jackson against the cage but Jackson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Arteta throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Jackson's waist but Jackson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Arteta off to one side.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jackson tries to clinch but Arteta is having none of it.
Arteta fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Jackson dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Arteta takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Arteta shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Jackson sprawls well. Jackson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Arteta gets slowly back to his feet.
Arteta with a lazy takedown attempt

and Jackson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Jackson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Arteta with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ground and pound from Jackson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson works his way into side control.
Jackson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jackson working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Arteta is working to avoid the ground and pound but Jackson connects with a decent elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arteta is looking to reverse the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Arteta tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Arteta's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Jackson happy to just control the position for now.
Jackson trying to control the position but Arteta is working away.
Jackson postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Arteta is trying to improve his position.

That's two 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.
Jackson cracks Arteta with an elbow. That is naaassty.
You can see the frustration on Arteta's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Jackson landing strikes.
Arteta is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jackson trying to control the position but Arteta is working away.
Arteta on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Arteta tries to get out of the position.
Jackson in side control, throwing shots but Arteta defends.
Arteta tries to improve position but can't.
Jackson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Arteta some visible discomfort.
Jackson lands a few punches from side control.
Arteta wants to control but Jackson postures up.
Jackson lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arteta can't do much from the bottom here.
Arteta is looking to regain half guard here but Jackson keeps moving and retains side control.
Jackson working the body and head with strikes.
Arteta tries to improve position but can't.
Arteta takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Arteta is trying to improve his position.
Jackson looks up at the clock and then as Arteta takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Jackson smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Arteta is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson lands an elbow.
Jackson wants to control but Arteta is keeping him busy.
Arteta tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Arteta taking punishment in the form of punches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jackson cracks Arteta with a big right hand but Arteta just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Arteta parries the strikes from Jackson easily there. Jackson is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Arteta to escape.
Jackson wants to control but Arteta is keeping him busy.
Arteta dodges the ground and pound from Jackson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Jackson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Arteta shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Jackson is doing well to control the position and prevent Arteta from advancing to side control.
Jackson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Jackson lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jackson trying to control but Arteta is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jackson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Arteta working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jackson.
Jackson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Arteta is keeping the position for now.
Arteta keeping moving, preventing Jackson from controlling successfully.
Arteta knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jackson on the ground.
Arteta is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Arteta keeping moving, preventing Jackson from controlling successfully.
Jackson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Arteta drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Arteta is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Jackson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Jackson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Arteta seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Jackson.
Jackson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Jackson looking for a sweep. Not yet Jackson, not yet.
Jackson is trying to keep Arteta in close.

Arteta drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Arteta jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Jimmy Jackson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

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.
Arteta trying to control the position from guard on top but Jackson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Jackson missing with a left hand there. Arteta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Arteta takes a swing at Jackson's ribcage but misses.
Jackson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Arteta tries to score a power double leg takedown but Jackson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Arteta somewhat.
Mikel Arteta has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jackson swings for the body but Arteta moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikel Arteta showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Jackson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Jackson!