PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jeff Lacy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hew Illwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lacy
vs
Illwin

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
195 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jeff Lacy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hew Illwin!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lacy tries to clinch but Illwin is having none of it.
Illwin looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Lacy shoots for a takedown but Illwin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Illwin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Illwin looks to land a combination but Lacy avoids it well.
Lacy shoots in for a double leg but Illwin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Lacy closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Illwin to the mat! Illwin manages to get full guard.
Lacy wants to stand but Illwin has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lacy wants to pass the guard but Illwin is keeping the position.
Illwin keeping moving, preventing Lacy from controlling successfully.

Lacy drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lacy jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lacy controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Lacy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Illwin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Illwin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lacy advances to half guard.
Lacy is looking to take a break and control but Illwin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lacy is really struggling to control Illwin but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Lacy tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Illwin.
Lacy is trying to control the action in half guard but Illwin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Illwin is looking for a sweep. Lacy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lacy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Lacy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Illwin just misses with a punch to the body.
Hew Illwin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lacy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Illwin is fending him off so far but Lacy persists. Nope, Illwin circles away and we're back to standing.

Lacy gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Illwin wants to control but Lacy is keeping busy.
Illwin controlling the position well.
Illwin wants to control but Lacy is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Illwin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lacy.

Lacy decides to return to a standing position.
Lacy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Illwin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hew Illwin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lacy shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Illwin as he jumps to the side.
Illwin moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Lacy misses with a takedown attempt - Illwin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Lacy gets the takedown into side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Illwin can do anything to dispel that myth.

Lacy decides to take the fight back to the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lacy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Illwin scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Lacy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Illwin circles away.
Illwin throws a nice looking combination but Lacy bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Illwin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Illwin scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lacy fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lacy shoots in but Illwin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Illwin looks to land a combination but Lacy avoids it well.
Lacy shoots in looking for a takedown. Illwin tries to sprawl out of it but Lacy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Illwin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Illwin misses with a wild combination.
Illwin looks to land a combination but Lacy avoids it well.
Lacy tries to close the distance and clinch but Illwin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lacy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Illwin is fending him off so far but Lacy persists. Nope, Illwin circles away and we're back to standing.
Lacy shoots in but Illwin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lacy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Illwin tries to avoid it but Lacy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Illwin to the ground. Illwin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jab from Illwin.

Lacy gets a takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Lacy dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lacy changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Illwin looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Lacy scores with a couple of short elbows.
Lacy looks up at the clock and then as Illwin takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Lacy smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Illwin is not content to let Lacy control the position.
Lacy tries to move to mount but Illwin blocks the move with his legs.
Illwin is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Illwin takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lacy is looking to take a break and control but Illwin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Lacy tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Illwin is looking to reverse the position.
Illwin is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lacy trying to control the position but Illwin is working away.

That's two 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.

Lacy has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Lacy fails to land the takedown.
Horrible takedown by Lacy or perhaps it was just good defense by Illwin which made him look bad.
Illwin fails to land with a series of punches.
Lacy misses with a takedown attempt - Illwin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Lacy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Illwin looks to land a combination but Lacy avoids it well.
Lacy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Illwin tries to avoid it but Lacy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Illwin to the ground. Illwin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Lacy shoots in and bounces Illwin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Illwin keeping moving, preventing Lacy from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Illwin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Illwin has a closed guard, preventing Lacy from standing up.
Lacy looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Illwin has his feet on Lacy's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Lacy has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Jeff Lacy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Lacy shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lacy takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Lacy shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Lacy showed some decent athleticism there.
Illwin trying to control from the bottom.
Illwin moves into full guard.
Jeff Lacy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lacy trying to control the position from guard on top but Illwin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lacy has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Illwin is proving hard to escape from.
Lacy lands a couple of decent looking shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Lacy dominated that second round.
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!

Lacy shoots for a takedown but Illwin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Illwin throws a right hand that Lacy ducks under and follows up with a left that Lacy also avoids with ease.
Lacy displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Lacy swinging wilding here.
Lacy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Illwin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lacy closes the distance and clinches up with Illwin, looking for a takedown. Lacy pushes Illwin against the cage but Illwin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Illwin lands with a shot to the body.
Lacy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Illwin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Illwin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Lacy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Illwin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Lacy fails to land the takedown.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Illwin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Lacy backs up against the cage.
Lacy looks for a takedown but Illwin sprawls well.
Lacy moves in looking to clinch but Illwin pushes him off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lacy moves into range and clinches up with Illwin.
Lacy is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Illwin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Lacy working aggressively here.
Lacy stalling in the clinch.
Illwin is looking to break free of the clinch but Lacy has double underhooks.

Lacy breaks from the clinch.
Illwin thuds a left hand into Lacy's body.
Lacy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Illwin circles away.
Illwin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Lacy backs up against the cage.
Illwin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lacy fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Illwin circles away from the clinch attempt.
A nice combination there by Illwin.
Illwin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lacy moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice sprawl there from Illwin as Lacy shoots in.
Lacy shoots in for a double leg but Illwin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lacy takes the fight into the clinch.
Illwin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lacy is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Illwin manages to break the clinch.

Lacy feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Illwin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Lacy tries to free his leg and advance position but Illwin is retaining full guard.
Illwin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lacy prevents Illwin from getting back to his feet.
Lacy wants to control from the top but Illwin keeps moving.
Lacy would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lacy wants to control from the top but Illwin keeps moving.
Illwin wants to sweep here but Lacy controlling him for the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Illwin throws a series of strikes that have Lacy backpedaling.

Lacy closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Illwin is looking to reverse the position.
Lacy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Illwin keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Illwin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Lacy has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Illwin keeps the fight on the outside.
Lacy throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Lacy tries for a takedown but Illwin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Illwin fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Lacy on the side of the head.
Illwin lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Illwin.
Illwin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Illwin. No joy for Lacy on that attempt.
Lacy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Illwin tries to avoid it but Lacy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Illwin to the ground. Illwin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lacy walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Lacy shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A big right from Lacy misses.

Lacy scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Illwin is trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jeff Lacy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lacy, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jeff Lacy!