PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jihadi John (ranked 3488 p4p, 3066 weight class) and Chipo Lata (ranked 403 p4p, 367 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

John
vs
Lata

182 cm
19
169
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
159
2 - 0 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Urban Fighter
Altitude Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jihadi John!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Chipo Lata!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A decent looking cross lands there for Lata.
John ducks under a wild hook from Lata.
Lata swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and John counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lata thinking.
Lata ducks under a wild hook from John.
John has been working on his boxing with his coaches at - TRØID in the buildup to the fight.
Lata misses with a left hand
and John cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Chipo Lata has been cut.
Lata wants to clinch up but John keeps it at a distance.
Lata slips under a jab from John.
John shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A jab from Lata finds it's way through John's defenses.
Lata ducks under a wild hook from John.
Lata throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
John scores with a decent looking hook.
John takes a body punch but keeps moving.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
John connects with a single shot there.
Lata throws a body punch but John moves out of range.
John displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lata throws out the jab.
John is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lata.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John slips a jab from Lata.
Lata misses the shot to the body.
Lata displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as John throws out the jab.
John ducks under a wild hook from Lata.
John misses with a straight left.
Lata throws out a counter right but John avoids it with no problem.
Lata tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lata misses the jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Lata misses the target.
It looked like John was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Lata.
Lata uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from John.
John looks to land a right hand but Lata moved out of range.
Lata swings widly with a right hand
and John cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lata connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Lata throws an off balance right hand
letting John counter with a right hand.
Lata swings for the body but John moves out of range.
John appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John throws a body punch but Lata moves out of range.
A big right from John misses.
It seemed like Lata was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Lata throws a body shot but no joy.
John swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Lata throws a body shot but no joy.
Lata waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract John.
John throwing a counter right hand but Lata manages to avoid it.
Lata looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
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!
Lata avoids the body shot from John.
John misses with a hook.
John steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lata.
John is looking to counter punch.
Lata lands a right hook to the body.
Lata throws a poor cross that misses
and John cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lata throws a body shot but no joy.
Lata slips a jab from John.
Lata punishes John's body with a nice straight punch.
Lata misses with an uppercut. John saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lata takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Chipo Lata seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lata scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Lata misses with a looping right.
John throws the left hand but Lata avoids the punch easily.
John swats away the attempt to clinch by Lata.
Lata misses with a right hand
letting John counter with a right hand.
Lata lands a nice looking body shot.
A big left from Lata misses.
Lata displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as John throws out the jab.
Lata throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
John throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lata tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but John was well out of range. Poor timing from Lata.
John swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Lata misses with a jab to the body
and John counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John misses with a hook
and Lata counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
John throws a shot from downtown. Lata moves away and avoids it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lata fails in his attempt to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Lata.
John displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lata throws out the jab.
A shot to the liver by Lata. Beautiful body shot.

Lata forces John back against the cage and clinches.
John lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
John swings away with an uppercut that misses.
John pushes Lata back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lata fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lata misses with some punches.
John lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lata or not.
John wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lata has him pressed against the cage.
A short right from John.

John breaks the clinch.
Lata misses with a straight right.
John was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
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 Jihadi John will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Chipo Lata's cut.
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.

John uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lata.
Lata misses with a straight left.
It looked like John wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Lata looks to score with a jab to the body but John is just out of range.
Lata looks to score with a jab to the body but John is just out of range.
Lata misses with a hook. John ducked under it nicely.
John swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Lata misses with a hook
and John counters with a right hand to the body.
Lata misses with a right hand
and John connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Lata fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with John, pushing him back against the cage.

John's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
John swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lata avoids the body shot from John.
Lata connects with a single shot there.
John swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lata misses with a hook.

Lata has closed the distance and engaged John in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John misses with a hook from the clinch.

John breaks the clinch.
John scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Lata misses with a shot to the body
letting John counter with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lata. John does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lata misses with a left hand
and John counters with a nice uppercut.
Lata throws a hook but John avoids it easily.
John throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lata throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lata misses with a right hand
and John counters with a nice uppercut.
Lata cracks John with a good jab.
John smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Lata misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from John.
A slow jab from Lata misses its intended target.
An attempted straight right counter from John misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lata swings widly with a right hand
and John counters with a lovely straight right hand!
John tests Lata's chin there with a solid looking shot.
John walks into a jab.
John throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Lata tries to clinch up.
John scores with a hook.
John scores with a jab to the body.
Lata stuns John with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Lata swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lata avoids the body shot from John.
Lata blocks a jab.
Lata throws an off balance right hand
and John counters with a left to the body.
John uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lata.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lata. John does a little dance to reset his feet.
John throwing a counter right hand but Lata manages to avoid it.
Lata misses with a straight right.
Lata defending well as John loads up on a big left hand.
John misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lata.
John throws a body punch but Lata moves out of range.
John moves out of range of the strikes.
John takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Lata misses with an uppercut. John saw that one coming.
Jihadi John is winning the standup battle so far.
Lata misses the jab.
Lata misses the shot to the body.
Lata misses with a lunging right hand
and John counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A punch lands to the side of John 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Lata throws an uppercut from half a mile away. John sees it coming and avoids it easily.
John swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Lata tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lata takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lata misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from John.
John was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Lata misses with a jab to the body
and John makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Lata throws a right hand that misses
and John cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lata fakes high and swings low for a body shot but John manages to avoid it.
John avoids the body shot from Lata.
Lata works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Lata throws a jab when John was well out of range.
A shot to the body from Lata misses
and John counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nice shot by Lata.
John takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Lata misses with an uppercut.
John keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lata.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jihadi John will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Chipo Lata's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

John waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lata.
Lata connects with a looping right hand.
John throws a jab but it's blocked by Lata.
Lata appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Lata keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from John.
Lata loads up on a big right hand but John slips the punch.
Lata scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
John avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lata is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by John.
It looked like John wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Good shot there by Lata.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lata throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
John swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Lata throws a hook to the side of John's head but John sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nice defenses there by Lata.
Lata ducks down and throws a hook to the body but John moves away.
John throwing a counter right hand but Lata manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lata tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but John was well out of range. Poor timing from Lata.
An attempted straight right counter from John misses the target.
The fighters circling - Lata throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
John slips under a jab from Lata.
John ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lata ducks down and throws a hook to the body but John moves away.
A big right from Lata misses.
An attempted straight right counter from John misses the target.
Lata misses with an uppercut. John saw that one coming.
John avoids the body shot from Lata.
John is looking to counter punch.
Lata ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Lata throws an off balance right hand
and John makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Lata ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Lata misses with a body shot.
Lata ducks down and throws a hook to the body but John moves away.
Lata misses with a straight right.
Chipo Lata has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lata misses with a wild body shot.
A little feinted left hand from John on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Lata tries to clinch there but John circles away.
John swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
John slips under a jab.
Lata defending well as John loads up on a big left hand.
Lata waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract John.
Lata swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
John avoids the body shot from Lata.
A counter left hand to the body from John misses its target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lata. John does a little dance to reset his feet.
A big left from Lata misses.
John slips under a jab from Lata.
Lata ducks down and throws a hook to the body but John moves away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lata misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from John.
Lata rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and John counters with a stiff right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
John fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lata manages to avoid it.
John ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
John avoids the body shot from Lata.
John is looking to counter punch.
Lata throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lata on the wrong end of a nice jab.
John stuns Lata with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A shot to the liver by Lata. Beautiful body shot.
John uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lata.
Lata fakes high and swings low for a body shot but John manages to avoid it.
John appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
John uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lata.
John looks to land a right hand but Lata moved out of range.
Lata lands a jab to the nose.
John misses with a body shot.
Jihadi John is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lata misses with a right hand
and John counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lata looks to throw the jab but John is out of range.
Lata throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lata misses with a double jab.
Lata throws a hook to the side of John's head but John sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lata scores with a jab. John acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Lata misses with a looping left.
A shot to the body from Lata misses
and Lata takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
John smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Lata uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by John.
Lata swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lata misses with a hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chipo Lata comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think John has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jihadi John!
In his post fight interview, Jihadi John started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.