PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Haigh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacoby Lombard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lombard is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Retaliator. John Haigh could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jacoby Lombard's chin.

Haigh
vs
Lombard

170 cm
19
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
24
177 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

CEC Nutrition Q160 *Christmas Sale*

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Haigh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Jacoby Lombard!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lombard dives in and scores a takedown into Haigh's guard.
Lombard showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Lombard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Haigh is keeping the position for now.
Lombard is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Haigh looking for a sweep. Not yet Haigh, not yet.
Haigh is working hard here to advance position.
Haigh is looking to stand up but Lombard isn't so interested in that idea.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lombard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haigh looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lombard is one step ahead there.
Haigh keeping moving, preventing Lombard from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lombard will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Haigh misses with a hook. Lombard ducked under it nicely.
Haigh misses with an uppercut.
Haigh cracks Lombard with an open hand slap.
Lombard misses with a wild body shot.
Haigh works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Lombard.
Haigh throws an off balance right hand

and Lombard counters with a nice double leg into side control. Haigh won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Haigh is looking for a sweep.
Lombard tries to score with some ground and pound. Haigh controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Haigh might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Lombard wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Haigh, who protects the arm well.
The strikes coming from Lombard are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The referee asks Lombard politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Lombard prefers to stall for the moment though.
Lombard is trying to ground and pound but Haigh uses the momentary lack of control by Lombard to regain half guard.

Lombard is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haigh is looking to control Lombard's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Haigh avoid being mounted?
Lombard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Haigh's head.
Haigh controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Lombard trying to control from half guard but Haigh is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lombard is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Haigh wants to improve his position but Lombard is controlling well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lombard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacoby Lombard dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Haigh throws a hook to the side of Lombard's head but Lombard sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lombard connects with an inside leg kick.
Haigh looks to throw the jab but Lombard is out of range.
Lombard defending well as Haigh loads up on a big left hand.
Lombard throws a right and a left that Haigh avoids nicely.
Lombard is trying hard to land a takedown here. Haigh sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Haigh throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lombard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lombard keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Haigh.
Lombard throws a leg kick but Haigh checks it.
Haigh looks to land a right hand but Lombard moved out of range.
Haigh throws an overhand right that lands on Lombard's shoulder, as Lombard tries to avoid the shot.
John Haigh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lombard uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Haigh.
Haigh showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lombard.
Haigh is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haigh checks a leg kick.

Lombard closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Haigh did well to prevent Lombard getting side control.
Haigh wants to improve his position but Lombard is controlling well.
Haigh is trying to stand up here but Lombard is controlling him well.
Lombard wants to take a breather but Haigh is having none of it.
Haigh won't allow Lombard to pass to mount.
Lombard looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Lombard prevents Haigh from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lombard wants to pass to mount but Haigh is defending the position.
Haigh avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Lombard.

Lombard is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Lombard is trying to control. Haigh wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lombard stops Haigh from getting back to his feet.
Lombard is pressing down on Haigh's thigh, looking to free his foot. Haigh is holding on for now.
Haigh blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lombard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lombard is looking to advance position but Haigh won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lombard is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Lombard wants to free his trapped foot but Haigh is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Haigh is trying to stand.

Lombard is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Haigh defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lombard is pressing down on Haigh's thigh, looking to free his foot. Haigh is holding on for now.
Haigh is trying to control but can't.

Lombard is working for a submission of some sort.

Lombard is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Haigh sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacoby Lombard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A swing and a miss from Haigh.
Haigh fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lombard throws a right hand that Haigh ducks under and follows up with a left that Haigh also avoids with ease.
Haigh loads up on a big right hand but Lombard slips the punch.
Lombard throws a nice looking combination but Haigh bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lombard misses with a double jab.
Haigh misses with an uppercut.
Haigh misses with a looping left.
Lombard moves out of range of the strikes.
Haigh throws a nice looking combination but Lombard bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Haigh rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lombard counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Haigh rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lombard counters with a three punch combo that has Haigh backing up. Haigh nods at Lombard to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice shot lands for Lombard.
Haigh takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Lombard throws a right and a left that Haigh avoids nicely.
Haigh throws a jab when Lombard was well out of range.
Haigh keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lombard uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Haigh.
Haigh misses with a right hand
and Lombard makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Lombard has a takedown stuffed.
Haigh misses with a right hand

so Lombard counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Lombard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
John Haigh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lombard looking to sit in guard and control but Haigh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Haigh passes Lombard's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lombard tries to get to full guard but Haigh has control of the leg.
Haigh sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Lombard wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haigh passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Lombard!
Lombard tries to reverse the position but Haigh maintains control.

Haigh stands up from mount. Strange move.
Lombard takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Lombard slips a jab from Haigh.
John Haigh is winning the standup battle so far.
Lombard lands a nice shot to the body.
Haigh swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Haigh does it's job there.
Jacoby Lombard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Jacoby Lombard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lombard shoots in but Haigh avoids the takedown attempt easily.
John Haigh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jacoby Lombard.
Haigh misses with an uppercut.
Haigh throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Lombard counters with a two punch combo.
Haigh is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Lombard's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Haigh throws a right hand that misses
and Lombard counters with a left and a right that stings Haigh.
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!
Haigh throws a good cross that connects.
Haigh throws a shot from downtown. Lombard moves away and avoids it.
Haigh jabbing away but nothing is landing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Haigh thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lombard slips under a jab.
Haigh throws a big shot that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Haigh showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lombard 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacoby Lombard!
Our winner, Jacoby Lombard, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.