PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Punch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yazan Naber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Punch comes to the cage accompanied by The Chain. Yazan Naber has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mike Punch's chin.

Punch
vs
Naber

186 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

181 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Punch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Yazan Naber!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naber avoids a punch combination nicely.
Naber looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Punch fails to land with a series of punches.
Punch moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Punch tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Punch just misses with a punch to the body.
Punch throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Naber.
Punch throws the kick towards the body but Naber avoids it.
Naber steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Punch. That one must have hurt.
Naber shoots for a takedown but Punch saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Punch looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A head kick misses from Punch.
Naber keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Punch scores with a body shot.
Naber avoids a punch combination nicely.
Punch looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Some wild striking there from Punch.

Punch drives through and clinches with Naber against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Punch unloads a knee to the mid-section. Naber lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Still in the clinch, Punch scores with a nice short uppercut.
Punch just leaning against Naber, taking a breather.

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

Punch instigates a clinch.
Punch digs a right hand into Naber's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Naber's gas tank.
Punch digs a right hand underneath Naber's ribcage. Naber let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Punch slows down the pace here.

Punch breaks from the clinch.
Punch jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Punch fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Punch looks to land a combination. Naber sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Punch throws a shot to the body.
Punch scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Mike Punch is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Punch misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naber keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Naber tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Punch is looking to wear down Naber with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Punch misses with a double jab.
Punch tries to clinch up.
A slapping body kick lands there for Punch.
Punch throws a half hearted mid kick.
Punch throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Naber shoots in and drives through. Punch sprawls well.
Punch scores with a body shot.
Punch wants to clinch.
Punch is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Punch tries to clinch but Naber moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Naber shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Punch is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Punch with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punch'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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Punch wants to lay and pray for a moment but Naber keeps working.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mike Punch just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Naber shoots for a takedown but Punch saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mike Punch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yazan Naber.
Naber looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Punch stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Naber slips under a jab from Punch.
Punch stuffs the takedown.
Punch with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Naber takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Mike Punch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Naber checks a leg kick.
Punch swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Punch fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Naber manages to avoid it.
Mike Punch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Punch moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Punch lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Punch throws a half hearted mid kick.
Punch throws a leg kick that misses.
Punch will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Punch misses with the combination.
Punch throws a series of punches but Naber avoids them all with ease.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naber fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Punch.
Naber tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Naber keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Naber checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Punch swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Punch misses with a double jab.
Naber fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mike Punch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yazan Naber.
Punch darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Naber slips a jab and a cross from Punch.
Naber checks a low kick from Punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Naber shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Naber was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Naber goes for an armbar but Punch turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Punch.
Naber is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Punch slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naber looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Punch thows a big elbow that misses.
Punch is stalling in the full guard.

Naber looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Punch has picked Naber up and slammed him! Naber can't keep hold of the triangle and Punch manages to pass to side control!

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.
Punch wants to lay and pray for a moment but Naber keeps working.
Naber taking a bit of punishment here - Punch scoring with strikes.
Punch just content to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Punch wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Naber, who protects the arm well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Punch dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Punch scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Punch ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Naber moves away.
Punch misses with a body kick.
Naber tries for a takedown but Punch sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Punch throws a shot to the body.
Punch throws a series of punches but Naber avoids them all with ease.
Punch swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Punch fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Naber drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naber checks a low kick from Punch.
Punch ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Punch lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Punch.
Punch pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Punch misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Punch misses with a leg kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Punch.
Punch tries to score with a low kick but Naber moves his leg out of the way.
Horrible takedown by Naber or perhaps it was just good defense by Punch which made him look bad.
Punch misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Naber bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Punch is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Naber off and has taken his back!

Punch looking for the choke but no joy.
Naber turns into Punch and is now in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naber trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Naber drops back, looking for a kneebar! Punch looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Punch looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Punch!
Punch controls the position.
Yazan Naber has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Naber tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Punch remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Punch is looking to take a break and control but Naber is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Naber is looking for a sweep.
Naber is being controlled here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Punch throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Naber is not content to let Punch control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Punch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Punch 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Punch!