PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Malachi Lawrence (ranked 2918 p4p, 345 weight class) and Aramis Knox (ranked 1295 p4p, 175 weight class). Knox has chosen You're Going Down | Sick Puppies as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Lawrence
vs
Knox

180 cm
22
174 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

181 cm
22
178 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Malachi Lawrence!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Aramis Knox!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, John Roberts and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawrence throws a right hand that Knox ducks under and follows up with a left that Knox also avoids with ease.
Lawrence uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Knox.
Lawrence attempts a counter takedown but Knox avoids it well and moves away.
Knox has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Lawrence tries to close the distance and clinch up but Knox swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lawrence shoots in looking for a takedown but Knox manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lawrence's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Knox scores with a punch to the head.
Knox punishes Lawrence's body with a nice straight punch.
Knox lands with an uppercut that bounces Lawrence off the cage and back into range.
A punch combination from Lawrence misses.
Lawrence tries to clinch up
and Knox counters with a left and a right that stings Lawrence.
Knox jabs at Lawrence's body.
Lawrence throws a right and a left that Knox avoids nicely.
Knox throws out a counter right but Lawrence avoids it with no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence misses with a jab to the body
and Knox counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Knox takes the fight into the clinch.

Knox breaks from the clinch.
Lawrence rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Knox counters with a stiff right hand.
Lawrence seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Lawrence throws a left and a right that both miss
and Knox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Knox circles away from the clinch attempt.
Knox with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Lawrence shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Lawrence is working for a submission of some sort.
Lawrence landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Knox moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lawrence tries to free his leg and advance position but Knox is retaining full guard.
Knox is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Knox keeping moving, preventing Lawrence from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Knox has momentary wrist control but Lawrence slips an elbow through the middle.
Knox is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lawrence is pushing down on Knox's leg trying to pass to half guard. Knox is fighting to maintain full guard but Lawrence has managed to sneak the leg through.
Lawrence not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lawrence 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.

Lawrence is working for a kimura but Knox is defending it quite comfortably.
Knox tries to get to full guard but Lawrence has control of the leg.

Lawrence is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Knox is just riding it out for now. Lawrence eventually gives up the hold.
Lawrence thows a huge punch but Knox dodges it nicely.

That's four 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.
Knox is doing well to control the position and prevent Lawrence from advancing to side control.
Knox slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Knox pulls Lawrence in close to prevent any damage.
Knox is trying to keep Lawrence in close.
Lawrence trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lawrence is fighting to break Knox's control of his arms but Knox is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aramis Knox dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Knox dips to his left and cracks Lawrence with an uppercut!
Lawrence rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Knox moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Knox fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lawrence manages to avoid it.

Lawrence closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Knox is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox can't do much from the bottom here.
Knox might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Lawrence haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Knox defending against the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Knox is trying to control Lawrence's posture but Lawrence avoids it.
Knox holding on.
Knox on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Lawrence tries for a kimura but Knox is defending well.
Lawrence sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Knox is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Lawrence trying to control the action but Knox is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Knox's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lawrence goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Knox has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Lawrence but great work by Knox.
A lull in the action here as Knox stalls from top position.
Lawrence tries to improve position but can't.
Lawrence is working hard here to advance position.
Knox taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence is trying to improve his position.
Knox just content to control the position.
Lawrence is looking for a sweep.
Knox controlling the position from side mount.
Lawrence looking for a sweep but Knox has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Knox takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four 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.
Lawrence sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Well, if Knox is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Lawrence is trying to get back to full guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Malachi Lawrence overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lawrence is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malachi Lawrence dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Lawrence throws a left and a right that both miss
and Knox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Aramis Knox seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lawrence uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Knox.
Lawrence with a lazy takedown attempt
and Knox counters with a right hand to the body.
Lawrence keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox works Lawrence's body with a nice hook.
Lawrence drops his hands momentarily and Knox takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Lawrence gets the takedown into side control.
Knox is looking for a sweep.
Lawrence working the ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knox isn't going anywhere.
Knox is trying to control Lawrence's posture but Lawrence avoids it.
Knox is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawrence working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Knox is trying to control Lawrence's posture but Lawrence avoids it.
Knox manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Knox is looking to improve his position.

Lawrence is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Knox doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lawrence.
Knox controlling the position for now.

That's two 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.
Knox wants to control but Lawrence is keeping busy.

Lawrence is looking for a kimura here.
Knox keeping hold of Lawrence's head, controlling as best he can.
Let's hope that Knox has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Knox trying to hold on to Lawrence's head to control him but Lawrence postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox gets full guard.
Knox is pulling down on Lawrence's head to control his posture.
Knox is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Knox pulls Lawrence in close to prevent any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Knox throws a hook but Lawrence avoids it easily.
Lawrence ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Lawrence tries to clinch up
and Knox counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox misses with a straight left.
No luck for Lawrence with that takedown attempt.
It seemed like Knox was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Lawrence keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lawrence half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Knox throws a big shot that misses.
Lawrence closes this distance looking for a takedown but Knox circles away.
Knox looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Malachi Lawrence. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice jab there from Knox.
Lawrence tries to close the distance and clinch up but Knox swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Knox swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lawrence swings widly with a right hand
letting Knox counter with a right hand.
Knox swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lawrence throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Knox's waist but Knox gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lawrence off to one side.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aramis Knox comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Knox 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aramis Knox!
An out of breath Aramis Knox thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.