PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sunil Ganga (ranked 2221 p4p, 1331 weight class) and Necmettin Hoca (ranked 263 p4p, 178 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Ganga
vs
Hoca

168 cm
31
161
7 - 5 - 0

175 cm
31
162
15 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great low kicks
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sunil Ganga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Necmettin Hoca!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Sam Margolis and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ganga looks to throw the jab but Hoca is out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hoca! But no joy.
Ganga throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Hoca fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ganga manages to avoid it.
Ganga gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ganga takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ganga gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hoca counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Ganga closes the distance and pushes Hoca back into the cage.
Hoca tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ganga's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoca working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ganga working aggressively here.
Hoca can't find room to land a body shot as Ganga controls the action.
Ganga is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hoca is keeping busy.

Hoca pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoca swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ganga on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Ganga slips a jab from Hoca.

Ganga throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Hoca tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ganga is in Hoca's guard.
Ganga content to stall in guard here.
Hoca looking for a sweep. Not yet Hoca, not yet.
Hoca is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Hoca really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ganga. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hoca looking for a sweep. Not yet Hoca, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ganga would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ganga passes Hoca's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Hoca is not content to let Ganga control the position.
Ground and pound from Ganga.
Ganga keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Hoca is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ganga pulls his head out easily.
Hoca trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ganga is looking to take a break and control but Hoca is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Hoca fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ganga manages to avoid it.
Hoca throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Ganga sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Ganga shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sunil Ganga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ganga keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hoca.
Ganga throws a big counter combination but Hoca scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Hoca jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Ganga shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hoca looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Ganga puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ganga trying to pass the guard but Hoca defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hoca is looking to control Ganga's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hoca avoid being mounted?
Hoca tries to get to full guard but Ganga has control of the leg.

Ganga is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hoca defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ganga wants to control but Hoca is keeping him busy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sunil Ganga will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ganga gets the takedown into side control.
Ganga controlling from side mount.
Ganga trying to control the action but Hoca is working from the bottom.

Ganga is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hoca knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoca is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoca is not content to let Ganga control the position.
Hoca struggling a bit here.
Sloppy strikes there by Ganga.

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.
Hoca tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Ganga wants to control the pace but Hoca is squirming around nicely.
Ganga avoids the attempt from Hoca to control.
Ganga takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ganga throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Ganga is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hoca can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoca manages to control the position for a moment.
Ganga throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Ganga wants to control the pace but Hoca is squirming around nicely.
Hoca is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ganga with good strikes from the mount here!
Ganga can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hoca is looking to escape.
Ganga unloading with bombs!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ganga avoids the attempt from Hoca to control.

Ganga with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Ganga tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ganga is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Hoca to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hoca shrugs it off.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sunil Ganga dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ganga moves out of range as Hoca strikes.
Nice defenses there by Ganga.
Hoca waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ganga.

Ganga changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hoca looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Hoca tries to bench press Ganga off him but Ganga keeps the position.
Ganga tries to advance to mount but can't.
Ganga is looking to take a break and control but Hoca is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoca is looking for a sweep.
Hoca being controlled for a moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Sunil Ganga overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ganga wants to control but Hoca is keeping him busy.
Ganga takes a little break here. Hoca wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

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.
Ganga creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hoca sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ganga working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ganga shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hoca waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ganga.
Ganga looks for a takedown but Hoca sprawls well.
Ganga takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Necmettin Hoca has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoca scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Hoca throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ganga wants to clinch.
Sunil Ganga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hoca missing with a left hand there. Ganga was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ganga shoots in for a takedown but Hoca shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sunil Ganga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hoca jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Ganga drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hoca pulls Ganga in to control the position.
Let's hope that Hoca has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ganga advances position into side control!

Ganga decides to stand back up.
Ganga fails to land the takedown.
Hoca swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ganga moves in looking to clinch but Hoca pushes him off.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hoca! But no joy.
Hoca throws a big shot that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Necmettin Hoca.
I think Ganga 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sunil Ganga!
After winning the bout, Sunil Ganga thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.