PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Erwin Holt (ranked 25516 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eliezer Kubanza (ranked 8468 p4p, 0 weight class). Eliezer Kubanza will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Holt
vs
Kubanza

154 cm
25
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
158 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Erwin Holt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Eliezer Kubanza!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Darius Henderson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Holt clinches with his opponent.
Holt is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kubanza to keep the fight standing.
A nice left hand lands by Holt.
Kubanza is trying to break the clinch but Holt is controlling him.

Holt breaks from the clinch.

Kubanza shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Holt's guard.
Holt might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Holt looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kubanza passes into side control.
Kubanza in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Kubanza wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Holt, who protects the arm well.
Holt tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Holt explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kubanza closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Holt to the mat! Holt manages to get full guard.
Kubanza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Holt swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kubanza sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kubanza wants to stand and escape but instead Holt has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Holt preventing the sweep.
Holt loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kubanza throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Kubanza escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Holt gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kubanza has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Holt has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Holt breaks the clinch.

Kubanza looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Holt!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Holt wants to control but Kubanza postures up.
Holt stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Kubanza is looking to take a break and control but Holt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Holt is trying to control Kubanza's posture but Kubanza avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holt is looking to regain half guard here but Kubanza keeps moving and retains side control.
Kubanza is looking to take a break and control but Holt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Holt explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Eliezer Kubanza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holt throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kubanza tries to clinch up

and Holt counters with a shoot takedown. Kubanza fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kubanza controls Holt momentarily but Holt frees himself.
Kubanza avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Holt really is a fat lump.
Kubanza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Holt's guard.

Holt keeping moving, preventing Kubanza from controlling successfully.
Holt is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kubanza is controlling him.

Holt is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kubanza defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Erwin Holt will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kubanza drives through with a takedown into guard.
Holt controls Kubanza momentarily but Kubanza frees himself.
Kubanza pushing down on Holt's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holt is trying to stand.
Kubanza controlling the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holt is looking to improve his position.
Kubanza wants to control but Holt is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holt kicks off Kubanza and gets to his feet.

Holt tries to sprawl but Kubanza drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Holt is trying to maintain the position but Kubanza is very close to passing his half guard.
Holt tries to kick Kubanza off but Kubanza keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Eliezer Kubanza has got the better of the ground game so far.

Kubanza is working for a submission of some sort.
Kubanza 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kubanza winds up and cracks Holt with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Kubanza is looking to take a break and control but Holt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Holt controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Holt is trying to stand back up but Kubanza is controlling him
Kubanza tries to stand and escape but Holt is controlling the position.
Holt is trying to stand back up but Kubanza is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kubanza is trying to control. Holt wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Holt kicks Kubanza off and gets back to his feet.
Kubanza is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Holt half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Holt tries to sprawl but Kubanza drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Kubanza prevents Holt from standing back up.

Kubanza is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Holt sees it coming and defends easily.
Kubanza is thwarting Holt's attempts to control the position.
Kubanza is just content to waste time from the top position. Holt takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holt throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kubanza sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Holt's guard.
Holt is trying to stand up here but Kubanza is controlling him well.
Kubanza lands strikes from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kubanza wants to stand but Holt has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Kubanza wants to control but Holt is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eliezer Kubanza will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kubanza has closed the distance and engaged Holt in a clinch.

Holt manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Kubanza would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Kubanza trying to control but Holt is working from the bottom.
Holt wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Kubanza is now in half guard.
Holt is trying to stand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Holt looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Holt has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Kubanza is on him like a limpet, forcing Holt back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kubanza is looking to break free of the clinch but Holt has double underhooks.

Kubanza gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Holt is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Kubanza presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Kubanza is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

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

Kubanza shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Holt napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holt is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Holt struggling a bit here.
Holt is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Holt really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...
Holt is working to avoid the ground and pound but Kubanza connects with a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Kubanza is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Holt will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Holt can't do much from the bottom here.

Kubanza is trying to get an arm triangle but Holt is defending well.
Holt is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Kubanza is controlling him well.
Kubanza postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Holt struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holt is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Kubanza wants to control but Holt is keeping him busy.
Kubanza scoring with punches from side control.
Holt prevents Kubanza from improving position.
Holt is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Kubanza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Holt keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
You can see the frustration on Holt's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Holt tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kubanza trying to control the action but Holt is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kubanza is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Holt's half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Holt manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Kubanza keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Erwin Holt.
I think Holt 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 29:29
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!