PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Philip Negan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Do (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Do has chosen The Godfather Theme Song as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Negan
vs
Do

175 cm
23
216 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

185 cm
27
200 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Merciless Gladiators

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Philip Negan!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael Do!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Negan cracks a nice hook into Do's ribs.
Do's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Negan connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Do scrambles back to his feet.

It looks like Michael Do has been cut.
Do takes one on the chin but seems OK.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Negan misses with a lunging right hand

and Do counters with a takedown into side control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Negan managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Do.
Do working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Negan struggling a bit here.
Do grinds an elbow into Negan's temple.
Do scoring with punches from side control.
Do lands a decent elbow from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Do wants to lay and pray for a moment but Negan keeps working.
Negan can't do much from the bottom here.
Do has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Negan tries to bench press Do off him but Do keeps the position.
Do in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Negan is trying to get back to half guard.
Negan is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Do asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Negan is looking for a sweep.
Do landing strikes.
Negan manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Do throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Negan is looking to improve his position.
Do thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Negan's head.
Do lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Do working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Do lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Negan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Do.
Do is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Negan!
Negan takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Negan really wants to buck Do off and get back to his feet.
Do wants to control the pace but Negan is squirming around nicely.
Negan is trying to stand.
Negan tries to reverse the position but Do maintains control.
Do with shots to the head and body - Negan looks very uncomfortable down there.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Do working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Do scoring with strikes but Negan is staying in there.
Negan working to try and regain half guard.
Do is landing with some decent strikes but Negan is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negan tries to hold on but Do postures up.
Negan gets back to half guard.
Negan is trying to control but can't.
Negan keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Negan is trying to stand up here but Do is controlling him well.
Do is trying to control the action in half guard but Negan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Negan wants to get back to full guard.
Negan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Negan moves into full guard.
Do chips away with some ground and pound.
Negan working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Negan is on top in guard.
Do has control of Negan's left arm, preventing Negan from doing any damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Negan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Do swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Negan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Negan throws a big right hand that misses.
Do is trying to control the position but Negan postures up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Do holds on and takes a little breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Do dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Do's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Do defending well as Negan loads up on a big left hand.
Negan misses with a wild body shot.
Do misses with the combination.
A combination from Negan does no damage.
Do lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Negan circles away quickly and effectively.
Negan looks to land a right hand but Do moved out of range.
Negan misses with a low kick as Do jumps back.
Negan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Negan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Do pinned against the cage. Do gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Negan cracks the inside of Do's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Negan scores with a kick to the body.
Negan throws out a leg kick but Do moves out of range and Negan only half commits.
Negan throws a leg kick
and Do counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Do checks a leg kick nicely.
Philip Negan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good standup being displayed there by Negan as he connects with a hook.
Do keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Do uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Negan.
Negan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Negan tries to land a front kick but Do steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Negan catches Do with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A big right from Negan misses.
Negan cracks the inside of Do's front leg.
Nice shot lands for Do.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Negan misses with a leg kick
and Negan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Michael Do is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Do tries to work over Negan's front leg with a kick but Negan checks it.
Negan stuns Do with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Do avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A head kick by Negan misses
and Do counters with a straight right hand.
Do uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Negan.
Negan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negan throws a low kick, looking for Do's leg but Do calmly moves out of range.
Negan just misses with a punch to the body.
Negan shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Do stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Negan.
Philip Negan is winning the standup battle so far.
A looping hook to the body misses from Negan. Do does a little dance to reset his feet.
Do avoids the head kick by Negan.
A good leg kick by Negan.
Do slips a jab and a cross from Negan.
Negan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Negan lands a really nice looking cross but Do seems unphased.
Nice sprawl there from Do as Negan shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Philip Negan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Negan finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Negan throws a series of punches but Do avoids them all with ease.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Do checks the leg kick nicely there.
Negan throws a leg kick but Do moved away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Negan. That's going to slow Do down.
Do misses with a double jab.
A low kick from Negan is predictable there
and Do counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
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!
An inside leg kick from Negan misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Negan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Negan throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Negan misses the shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Philip Negan dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Michael Do's cut.
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!

Do connects with a single shot there.
Do displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Negan fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Do checks it well.
Negan throws a leg kick but Do sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Do looks to land a combination but Negan avoids it well.
Negan throws a leg kick
and Do counters with a three punch combo that has Negan backing up. Negan nods at Do to acknowledge the strikes.
Negan misses with a leg kick
and Do counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Do throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Negan.
Do checks a low kick from Negan.

Do closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Do lands in his opponent's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Negan working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Do preventing the sweep.
Negan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Do.
Negan lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Do!
Negan thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Negan looking to finish with strikes here!
Negan lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Negan is in the full mount, landing strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Negan trying to control but Do is having none of it.
Negan throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Negan sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Do holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Negan tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Do is looking to improve his position but Negan isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negan thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Do manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Do, under a barage of strikes from Negan.
Do has hold of Negan's hands but Negan slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Negan throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Do to regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Do controls Negan momentarily but Negan frees himself.
Negan postures up in Do's guard and throws a big left but Do blocks it.
Negan throws a big elbow that misses.
Negan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Negan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Negan connects with a couple of short punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Negan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Negan scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Philip Negan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Negan 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

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