PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Siphiwe Tshabalala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donald Mashburn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mashburn has chosen Meshuggah-Bleed as his entrance music. Mashburn has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! On his way into the cage it seems that Siphiwe Tshabalala has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Siphiwe Tshabalala seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Tshabalala
vs
Mashburn

170 cm
20
165 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

166 cm
27
162 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Fight Club Clothing Helsinki™

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Siphiwe Tshabalala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Donald Mashburn!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Nard Betker and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tshabalala moves into the clinch.
Mashburn looks gassed!
Tshabalala connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mashburn's face.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the body.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the body.
Tshabalala landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala lands a nice knee to the body.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head.

Mashburn is rocked!
Tshabalala stalling in the clinch.
Tshabalala with a knee to the head.
Mashburn is still on wobbly legs! Can Tshabalala finish him?
Mashburn misses with a knee strike.
Tshabalala scores a nice knee to the body.
Mashburn seems to have recovered his senses.
Knees in the clinch landing for Tshabalala.
Tshabalala utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Tshabalala drops Mashburn with a big knee straight up the middle! Mashburn is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!

That has opened up Donald Mashburn's cut even more.
Mashburn's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Tshabalala connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Mashburn scrambles back to his feet.

Tshabalala has managed to clinch.

Tshabalala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Tshabalala has Mashburn up against the cage in a clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Tshabalala obliges.
Tshabalala crunches a lovely knee into Mashburn's ribcage.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tshabalala landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala scores with a knee to the head.
Mashburn takes a knee right on the jaw!
Mashburn tries for a takedown. No joy.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Mashburn takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Tshabalala obliges.
Mashburn tries for a takedown but Tshabalala manages to get underhooks.
Mashburn being controlled against the cage.
Knees to the body from Tshabalala.

Tshabalala manages to break the clinch.

Tshabalala gets a clinch.
Tshabalala unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mashburn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Mashburn should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Tshabalala unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mashburn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Mashburn stalling in the clinch but Tshabalala improves position.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the body.
Tshabalala scores with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Tshabalala.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the body.
Tshabalala utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Tshabalala obliges.
Tshabalala misses with a knee strike.
Mashburn drops down looking for an ankle pick but Tshabalala pulls his leg out and moves away.
Siphiwe Tshabalala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donald Mashburn.
Nice sprawl there from Tshabalala as Mashburn shoots in.

Tshabalala rushes Mashburn and presses him up against the cage.

Tshabalala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tshabalala.
Siphiwe Tshabalala is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A good leg kick by Tshabalala.
Mashburn needs to keep his hands up - Tshabalala had a free shot at his head there.
Tshabalala's jab looks to have found its range, popping Mashburn under the eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala connects with a jab.
Tshabalala lands with a straight right. Mashburn didn't see that one coming.

Tshabalala rushes Mashburn and presses him up against the cage.
Tshabalala lands a good knee to the midsection. Mashburn won't want to take too many of those.
Tshabalala working Mashburn over with knees to the body.

Tshabalala breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mashburn takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mashburn looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Mashburn needs to keep his hands up - Tshabalala had a free shot at his head there.
Tshabalala jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

Tshabalala closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Tshabalala connects with a knee to the head.
Tshabalala utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tshabalala with a knee to the head.
Tshabalala using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mashburn takes a knee to the side of the body.
Tshabalala just leaning against Mashburn, taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala with a knee to the head.
Mashburn is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tshabalala gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Tshabalala gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Mashburn.
Tshabalala is pressed up against the cage. Mashburn has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tshabalala down to the mat. Tshabalala avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Tshabalala comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Mashburn doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Tshabalala moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Tshabalala dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mashburn. That did some damage!
Tshabalala lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Tshabalala connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tshabalala jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tshabalala dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mashburn. That did some damage!
Tshabalala connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Mashburn momentarily.
Tshabalala lands a head shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Siphiwe Tshabalala dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Donald Mashburn's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mashburn walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Mashburn with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tshabalala to score with a decent uppercut.
A jab from Tshabalala finds it's way through Mashburn's defenses.
Mashburn tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tshabalala lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mashburn's sensitive parts.
Mashburn gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Tshabalala.

Tshabalala drives through and clinches with Mashburn against the cage.
Tshabalala avoiding damage.
A knee to the head by Tshabalala.
Tshabalala is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mashburn can do to turn this around?
Tshabalala utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tshabalala landing knees to the body.
Tshabalala avoiding damage.
Mashburn's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Mashburn takes a knee right on the jaw!
Mashburn fails to pull guard.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tshabalala landing knees to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tshabalala utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tshabalala connects with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Tshabalala.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Tshabalala landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Tshabalala working Mashburn over with knees to the body.
Tshabalala connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mashburn's face.
Siphiwe Tshabalala has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Tshabalala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tshabalala lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mashburn's sensitive parts.
Good shot there by Tshabalala.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Tshabalala fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

Tshabalala takes the fight into the clinch.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Tshabalala pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mashburn takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Donald Mashburn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tshabalala throws a series of strikes that have Mashburn backpedaling.

Tshabalala moves into range and clinches up with Mashburn.
Tshabalala is struggling to control the position.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Tshabalala landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Mashburn is trying to trip Tshabalala. He has hold of a leg but Tshabalala is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Mashburn persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Mashburn wants to stand and escape but instead Tshabalala has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Tshabalala works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Tshabalala works his foot free and advances to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tshabalala misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mashburn is trying to escape the mount.
Tshabalala looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tshabalala thowing shots but they're missing.

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.
Tshabalala throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Tshabalala throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Tshabalala looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tshabalala throwing strikes here but Mashburn is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

Tshabalala is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Mashburn to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Mashburn shrugs it off.
Tshabalala controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Siphiwe Tshabalala dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Donald Mashburn's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Tshabalala throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tshabalala swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Mashburn.

Tshabalala rushes Mashburn and presses him up against the cage.
Tshabalala avoiding damage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Tshabalala.
Tshabalala working Mashburn over with knees to the body.
Tshabalala slows down the pace here.
Tshabalala landing knees to the head.
Mashburn has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Tshabalala utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Tshabalala breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tshabalala scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Tshabalala lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Tshabalala.

Tshabalala rushes Mashburn and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tshabalala landing knees to the body.
Tshabalala landing knees to the head.

Tshabalala breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Tshabalala has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mashburn tries to land knees in the clinch but Tshabalala avoids the damage to the body.
Tshabalala working Mashburn over with knees to the body.
Tshabalala connects with a knee to the head.
Mashburn tries to pull guard but Tshabalala holds him up against the cage and eventually Mashburn drops back down to his feet.
Mashburn tries to circle away but Tshabalala has him pinned against the cage.
Tshabalala stops a takedown attempt from Mashburn.

Tshabalala breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Tshabalala instigates a clinch.
Tshabalala lands a good knee to the midsection. Mashburn won't want to take too many of those.
Tshabalala using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Mashburn tries to pull guard but Tshabalala won't allow it.
Siphiwe Tshabalala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donald Mashburn.
Tshabalala landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Tshabalala unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mashburn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Tshabalala unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mashburn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Tshabalala's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mashburn shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tshabalala.
Mashburn takes a jab right on the kisser.
Mashburn takes one to the side of the head.

Tshabalala closes the distance and clinches.
Tshabalala lands a nice knee to the body.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the body.
Mashburn can't get the takedown.
Tshabalala landing knees to the head.
Tshabalala is trying to stall.
Mashburn tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Tshabalala smiles and moves away.
Mashburn shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Tshabalala sprawls well. Tshabalala wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mashburn gets slowly back to his feet.
Tshabalala cracks Mashburn with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Tshabalala lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Tshabalala lands a high kick!
A good leg kick by Tshabalala.
Tshabalala buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tshabalala looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tshabalala lands a head kick!
Tshabalala scores with a spinning back kick!

Tshabalala has managed to clinch.
Tshabalala scores with a knee to the head.
Tshabalala with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala connects with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala landing knees to the head.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala just leaning against Mashburn, taking a breather.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Tshabalala tries to land a knee to the head but Mashburn blocks with his arms.
Tshabalala unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Tshabalala lands a knee to the head.
Tshabalala stalling the fight.
Tshabalala is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Tshabalala obliges.
Tshabalala crunches a lovely knee into Mashburn's ribcage.
Tshabalala is pushing Mashburn up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Tshabalala putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Mashburn in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Tshabalala pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tshabalala connects with a leg kick. Mashburn looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tshabalala with a jab.
Tshabalala lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Donald Mashburn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mashburn takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Siphiwe Tshabalala showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tshabalala 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 30:25
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:25
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Siphiwe Tshabalala!