PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steve Butabi (ranked 2175 p4p, 274 weight class) and El Misterioso Damballah (ranked 1665 p4p, 201 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as El Misterioso Damballah enters the cage!

Butabi
vs
Misterioso Damballah

180 cm
22
180 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

179 cm
32
180 lbs
22 - 28 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Trashy Bar (158+q / 30$)

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 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steve Butabi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 28 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, El Misterioso Damballah!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, David Schapiro and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damballah displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Damballah takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Damballah throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Butabi dives in and scores a takedown into Damballah's guard.
Butabi prevents Damballah from getting back to his feet.
Butabi is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Butabi trying to control but Damballah is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Butabi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Damballah wants to stand up but Butabi is controlling him.
Butabi trying to control but Damballah is working from the bottom.
Damballah preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Damballah uses the cage to get back to his feet.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Damballah has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damballah cracks Butabi with an open hand slap.
Butabi shoots in for a double leg but Damballah sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Damballah lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Butabi circles away quickly and effectively.
Butabi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Damballah paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Damballah is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Butabi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Butabi is looking to clinch.
El Misterioso Damballah is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Butabi is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Damballah.
Damballah misses with a double jab.
Butabi has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Butabi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Butabi fails with a takedown attempt.
Damballah throws a head kick that misses.
Damballah with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Damballah pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Damballah throws a series of punches but Butabi avoids them all with ease.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Butabi wants to clinch.
Damballah misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butabi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Damballah avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Butabi slips a jab and a cross from Damballah.
Butabi swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Butabi.

Damballah throws Butabi to one side and escapes!
Butabi looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Butabi has a takedown stuffed.
Butabi shoots for a double leg takedown but Damballah sprawls well. He's pushed Butabi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Damballah works the jab nicely.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Damballah stuffs the takedown.
Butabi is breathing heavily.
No joy there for Damballah, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Damballah misses with a two punch combination.
Damballah with a hook.
Damballah lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Damballah avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Butabi.
Damballah looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Butabi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damballah goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Damballah closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Butabi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Damballah rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Butabi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Damballah tries to bum rush Butabi with a series of wild strikes but Butabi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Butabi drops down looking for a counter takedown but Damballah sprawls and moves away.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Butabi moves into the clinch.
Butabi has Damballah pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Damballah manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Damballah lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Butabi backwards.
Damballah lands with a light punch inside.
Damballah is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Damballah tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Butabi's elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Damballah pushes Butabi back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Damballah creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Butabi struggles to land a body shot inside as Damballah controls his hands.
Butabi stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Butabi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Damballah misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Damballah's jab looks to have found its range, popping Butabi under the eye.
Damballah lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Damballah.
Damballah lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Butabi circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damballah looks to land a combination but Butabi avoids it well.
Damballah swinging wildly here.
Damballah lands a jab-cross combination.
Damballah throws a right hand that Butabi ducks under and follows up with a left that Butabi also avoids with ease.
Butabi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Damballah misses with the combination.
Damballah misses with a two punch combination.
Damballah misses with a head kick.
Damballah lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Butabi backs up against the cage.
Butabi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Damballah circles away quickly and effectively.
Butabi fails with the takedown.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Butabi shoots in and drives through. Damballah sprawls well.
Damballah looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Butabi wants to clinch up but Damballah keeps it at a distance.
Damballah moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Damballah lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Butabi backs up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Misterioso Damballah dominated that round.
That's time! Butabi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Damballah fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Butabi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Butabi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Butabi wants to pass the guard but Damballah is keeping the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Butabi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Damballah is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Butabi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Damballah manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Butabi tries to work over Damballah's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Damballah has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Butabi blocks a body shot from Damballah.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butabi goes for a takedown attempt but Damballah pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Damballah throws a one two combo.
Butabi tries to clinch there but Damballah circles away.
Damballah let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damballah closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Butabi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damballah throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Butabi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Damballah swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Butabi takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Danga de danga de dang - Damballah scores with a four punch combination!

Butabi throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Damballah tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Butabi is in Damballah's guard.

Damballah has his feet on Butabi's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Damballah's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Damballah duly obliges.
Damballah closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Damballah avoids the body shot from Butabi.
Damballah pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Damballah lands a nice shot to the body.
Butabi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
It seemed like Damballah was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Butabi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Butabi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Damballah tries to avoid it but Butabi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Damballah to the ground. Damballah escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Damballah works over Butabi's head and body with a nice combination.
Damballah cracks Butabi with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Damballah ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Damballah leaves Butabi with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damballah looks to land a combination. Butabi sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Butabi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Damballah lands a slapping body shot.
A head kick from Damballah lands but Butabi takes it in his stride.
Damballah lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Damballah scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Damballah throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Damballah fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Butabi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Damballah is trying to stand back up but Butabi is controlling him
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Butabi wants to free his trapped foot but Damballah is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Butabi wants to take a breather but Damballah is having none of it.
Damballah is trying to stand up here but Butabi is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butabi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Damballah keeps working.

Damballah has one foot on Butabi's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Damballah scores with a jab to the body.
Butabi tries to clinch there but Damballah circles away.
Damballah throws a right and a left that both miss.
Butabi looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Damballah misses with a few strikes there.
Butabi tries to close the distance and clinch but Damballah swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Damballah fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Butabi on the side of the head.

Butabi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Damballah tries to kick Butabi off but Butabi keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Butabi is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Damballah has managed to free his arm - good work.
Damballah is trying to stand up here but Butabi is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Butabi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Butabi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Damballah kicks off Butabi and gets to his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Damballah as Butabi shoots in.
Damballah's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Damballah duly obliges.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Butabi.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Damballah stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Damballah wants it to stay on the feet.
Damballah is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Butabi shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Damballah but Damballah pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Damballah moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Misterioso Damballah showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Damballah lands a jab.
Damballah rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Butabi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Butabi is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Damballah.
Butabi darts in looking for a takedown but Damballah gets double underhooks and turns Butabi into the cage.
Steve Butabi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Damballah fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Butabi on the side of the head.
Damballah misses with the combination.
Damballah goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Damballah goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Butabi shoots in and drives through. Damballah sprawls well.
Damballah scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damballah lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Damballah.
Damballah swinging wildly here.
Butabi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Butabi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Butabi is looking to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Butabi tries to clinch up.
A head kick misses from Damballah.
Butabi is looking to counter the offense by Damballah and move into the clinch.
Butabi blocks a head kick by Damballah.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damballah misses with a head kick.
Damballah throws a right and a left that Butabi avoids nicely.

Butabi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Butabi working over Damballah with some ground and pound. Damballah looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Butabi 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.
Butabi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Damballah with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Butabi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Butabi seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Damballah does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Damballah tries to kick Butabi off but Butabi keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Butabi winds up and cracks Damballah with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Damballah is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butabi working over Damballah with some ground and pound. Damballah looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Butabi is looking to take a break and control but Damballah is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nice strikes from Butabi there.

Butabi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Butabi trying to control from half guard but Damballah is working away.
Butabi prevents Damballah from standing back up.
Steve Butabi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Damballah makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butabi misses with a takedown attempt - Damballah sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Butabi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Damballah, pushing him back against the cage.
Knees to the body from Damballah.
A short right from Damballah on the inside.
Damballah creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Butabi's defenses.
Damballah lands with a light punch inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Damballah.
A short right from Damballah on the inside.
Damballah lands a nice uppercut.
El Misterioso Damballah seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A nice right hand lands inside from Damballah.
A short right from Damballah.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Damballah obliges.
Damballah lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Damballah unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Damballah works on Butabi's body with a couple of short punches.
Damballah lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A hook to the body from Damballah.
Damballah lands an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damballah scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Damballah lands a nice elbow.
Damballah landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Butabi can't find room to land a body shot as Damballah controls the action.
Damballah lands a nice elbow.
Damballah lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Butabi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Damballah throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
El Misterioso Damballah is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Damballah throws a nice looking combination but Butabi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Damballah scores with a three punch combo!
Butabi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Damballah lands with a kick to the temple. Butabi shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Damballah lands a head kick. Butabi smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Butabi pushes Damballah up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Butabi.
Damballah lands a left hand that snaps the head of Butabi backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Butabi.

And that's the end of the fight!
El Misterioso Damballah comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Damballah has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... El Misterioso Damballah!
El Misterioso Damballah bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.