PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Naaf Naaf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thabang Sosibo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Naaf
vs
Sosibo

175 cm
27
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
197 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]
•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Naaf Naaf!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Thabang Sosibo!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sosibo slips a jab from Naaf.
Sosibo misses with a two punch combination.
Naaf tries to clinch but Sosibo moves away
and Sosibo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Naaf scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sosibo doesn't seem bothered though.
Naaf tries to clinch up
and Sosibo counters with a left to the body.
Sosibo throws an off balance right hand
letting Naaf counter with a right hand.
Naaf misses the shot to the body.
Sosibo throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Naaf to counter with a crisp jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Naaf looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Naaf closes the distance but Sosibo moves to the side
and Sosibo counters with a one-two to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Naaf wants to clinch
enabling Sosibo to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosibo misses with a hook
and Naaf counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Sosibo walks into a left hand.
Sosibo throws a poor cross that misses
and Naaf makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sosibo throws a poor cross that misses
and Naaf counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Naaf takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Sosibo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Naaf counters with a nice uppercut.
A jab from Sosibo misses.
Naaf looks to clinch
and Sosibo counters with a straight right hand.
Sosibo cracks Naaf with a right hand to the side of the head.
Naaf tries to clinch up.
Sosibo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sosibo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Naaf cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Naaf feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Sosibos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Sosibo misses with a left hand
and Naaf counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sosibo thinking.
Naaf wants to clinch but Sosibo slips to the side
letting Sosibo counter with a right hand.
Sosibo scores with a nice head shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sosibo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Naaf counters with a left and a right that stings Sosibo.
Sosibo swinging wildly here.
Naaf throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sosibo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Naaf cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sosibo lands with a right hand.
Sosibo misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosibo misses with an uppercut
letting Naaf counter with a right hand.
Sosibo dodges the punch combination from Naaf.
Naaf is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Naaf tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sosibo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sosibo misses with a lunging right hand
and Naaf counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Naaf tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sosibo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sosibo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Naaf counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sosibo misses with a left hand
enabling Naaf to counter with a crisp jab.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Naaf is defended easily by Sosibo.
Naaf tries to close the distance and clinch but Sosibo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosibo throws the left hand but Naaf avoids the punch easily.
Naaf swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Naaf closes the distance but Sosibo moves to the side
and Sosibo counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sosibo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Naaf counters by clinching up.
Naaf tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Sosibo has Naaf pressed against the cage, preventing Naaf from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sosibo manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thabang Sosibo dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sosibo misses with an uppercut
and Naaf counters with a nice uppercut.
Sosibo throws a right hand that misses
and Naaf counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sosibo is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Naaf tries to clinch but Sosibo moves out of range.
Naaf moves to clinch but Sosibo breaks away
and Sosibo counters with a one-two to the body.
Sosibo throws a lazy uppercut
and Naaf counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sosibo is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Naaf tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sosibo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sosibo misses with an uppercut
letting Naaf counter with a right hand.
Sosibo lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Sosibo getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sosibo throws an off balance right hand
letting Naaf counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosibo swings widly with a right hand
letting Naaf counter with a right hand.
Naaf looks to clinch
and Sosibo counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sosibo throws a hook to the side of Naaf's head but Naaf sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sosibo throws a lazy uppercut
and Naaf makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Naaf will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Sosibo might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Sosibo sizes up Naaf with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Sosibo throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Naaf to counter with a crisp jab.
Sosibo thows a body shot but no joy.
Naaf moves to clinch but Sosibo breaks away
and Sosibo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Naaf tries to clinch up.
Naaf Naaf is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naaf throws the left hand but Sosibo avoids the punch easily.
Naaf tries to clinch but Sosibo moves out of range.
A big right from Sosibo misses.
Sosibo misses with a lunging right hand
and Naaf counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sosibo throws a right hand that misses
and Naaf counters with a stiff right hand.
Sosibo ducks right into an uppercut from Naaf.
Naaf tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Sosibo counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
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!
Sosibo misses with an uppercut
and Naaf counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Naaf tries to clinch
and Sosibo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A combination from Sosibo does no damage.
Sosibo connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Naaf momentarily.
Naaf tries to clinch up
and Sosibo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naaf moves to clinch but Sosibo breaks away
letting Sosibo counter with a right hand.
Naaf closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sosibo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sosibo throws a right hand that misses

and Naaf counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Naaf.

Sosibo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sosibo misses with a right hand
and Naaf counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosibo misses with an uppercut
and Naaf counters with a straight right hand.
Sosibo circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sosibo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Naaf wants to clinch
and Sosibo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Naaf changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sosibo throws a lazy uppercut
and Naaf cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sosibo throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Naaf to counter with a crisp jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sosibo misses with an uppercut
and Naaf cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Naaf fails with an attempt to clinch.
Naaf scores with a sloppy right hand. Sosibo should have avoided that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thabang Sosibo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Naaf tries to clinch up but Sosibo circles away and keeps his distance.
Naaf just misses with a punch to the body.
Sosibo misses with a left hand
and Naaf counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sosibo misses with a left hand
enabling Naaf to counter with a crisp jab.
Naaf showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sosibo.
Sosibo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Naaf tries to clinch
and Sosibo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sosibo throws a poor cross that misses
and Naaf counters with a stiff right hand.
Sosibo throws a right hand that misses
and Naaf cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sosibo throws a right and a left that Naaf avoids nicely.
Naaf tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sosibo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thabang Sosibo seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosibo misses with a right hand

and Naaf holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sosibo lands an uppercut.
Sosibo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Naaf.
Naaf is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

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.
Naaf tries to break the clinch but Sosibo is controlling the position.
Sosibo holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Sosibo lands a left hand that snaps the head of Naaf backwards.
Naaf changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sosibo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Naaf Naaf. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sosibo misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosibo misses with a shot to the body
and Naaf counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sosibo misses with a lunging right hand
and Sosibo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sosibo throws an off balance right hand
and Naaf counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sosibo lands with an overhand left.
Naaf wants to clinch but Sosibo slips to the side
and Sosibo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Naaf thinking.
Sosibo misses with a right hand
and Naaf counters with a right hand to the body.
Sosibo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Naaf wants to clinch but Sosibo slips to the side
and Sosibo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sosibo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Naaf connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sosibo misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosibo misses with a right hand
and Naaf cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sosibo looks to score with a jab to the body but Naaf is just out of range.
Sosibo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Naaf loads up on a big right hand but Sosibo slips the punch.
Thabang Sosibo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Naaf darts in trying to clinch
and Sosibo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Naaf fails to land with a series of punches.
Naaf tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sosibo counters with a lovely straight right hand!

And that's the end of the fight!
Thabang Sosibo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sosibo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thabang Sosibo!