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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Strayer (ranked 6326 p4p, 531 weight class) and James Link (ranked 6027 p4p, 520 weight class). This should be fireworks!
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| 185 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0 |
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180 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily |
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BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident |
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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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ben Strayer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, James Link!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, James Glass and Paul Tew.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Link misses with a double jab
and Strayer counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Link manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Link doesn't manage to clinch there - Strayer circles away.
Link fails with the takedown
and Strayer counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A frustrated look appears on Link's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Strayer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Link blocks it with crossed arms.
Link gets control of Strayer's arms and successfully pulls guard. Link will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Link is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
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!
Link being controlled here, momentarily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Link is looking to stand up but Strayer isn't so interested in that idea.
Strayer's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Strayer distracts Link with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Strayer sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Link is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strayer is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Link to keep the fight standing.
Link fails to pull guard.
Strayer has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Link is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Strayer has Link pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Strayer pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Link tumbling to the mat - Strayer dives into Link's guard.
Link uses the cage to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Link closes the distance and clinches up with Strayer, looking for a takedown. Link pushes Strayer against the cage but Strayer circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Strayer went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Ben Strayer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Link.
Link lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Strayer circles away quickly and effectively.
Strayer looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Link is fending him off so far but Strayer persists. Nope, Link circles away and we're back to standing.
Horrible takedown attempt by Link or perhaps it was just good defense by Strayer, which made it look bad.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strayer shoots in and drives through. Link sprawls well.
Strayer is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Link's half guard.
Strayer is taking a breather. Link says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Link trying to control but Strayer postures up.
Strayer working over Link with some ground and pound. Link looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Link wants to improve his position but Strayer is controlling well.
Link looks winded!
Strayer slows the pace down in half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strayer's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Strayer uses his free foot to push down on Link's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Link.
Strayer lands a big elbow.
Strayer working the ground and pound effectively.
Strayer controlling from mount.
Strayer raining down shots from the mount!
Strayer controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that Ben Strayer will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.
Strayer tries for a takedown but Link circles away easily
and Link counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Link.
Link is trying to break the clinch but Strayer has him pressed against the cage.
Strayer leaning his opponent against the cage.
Strayer is trying to pull guard but Link turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Link manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Link looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Strayer puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Link misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Strayer is thwarting Link's attempts to control the position.
Strayer is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Link won't allow Strayer to pass to mount.
Link trying to control here.
Strayer looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Strayer is working for a kimura but Link is defending it quite comfortably.
Strayer content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
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.
Strayer winds up and cracks Link with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Strayer in particular looking to stall.
Link tries to roll over but Strayer keeps him under control.
Link trying to hold on to Strayer's head to control him but Strayer postures up.
Strayer lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strayer controlling the pace.
Strayer is looking to advance position but Link won't allow it.
Strayer looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Strayer feints and as Link raises his hands in defense, Strayer changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Strayer lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Strayer postures up.
Strayer seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Link keeping full guard, as Strayer tries to pass.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Link is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Strayer's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Link wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Strayer manages to pass to side control.
Link is breathing heavily.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Strayer winds up and cracks Link with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Strayer controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Ben Strayer 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!
Strayer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Link shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Strayer counters with a three punch combo that has Link backing up. Link nods at Strayer to acknowledge the strikes.
Strayer shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Link is trying to defend but Strayer finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Link wants to stand back up but Strayer manages to pass into side control.
Strayer controls the position from side control.
Strayer is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Link knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Strayer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Link can do to turn this around?
Link being controlled for a moment.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Link struggling a bit here.
Strayer staying calm.
Strayer tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Strayer has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
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.
Strayer lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Link gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Strayer tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Strayer is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Strayer looking to control and managing it successfully.
Link wants to hold on but Strayer pushes him away.
Strayer looking to control and managing it successfully.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strayer seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Link for as long as he can get away with.
BOOM! Strayer connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Strayer is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Strayer controlling the pace for now.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strayer lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Strayer controlling the pace for now.
Strayer lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Strayer takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Strayer showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Strayer has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Strayer!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
33% |
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