PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Baki Hanma (ranked 4196 p4p, 2927 weight class) and Skinny Man (ranked 0 p4p, 379 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hanma
vs
Man

167 cm
25
168
0 - 0 - 0

208 cm
25
175
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Baki Hanma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Skinny Man!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, John Kavanagh and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Man fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Man closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hanma tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Man just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hanma tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hanma is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hanma stops a takedown attempt from Man.
Hanma is looking to control Man's arms but Man gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hanma has his back to the cage.
Man lands a left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hanma is working for takedown but Man is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Baki Hanma. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A frustrated look appears on Hanma's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Man prevents Hanma from breaking the clinch.

Man has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hanma clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Man patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Man is looking to control Hanma but Hanma is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Man really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hanma. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hanma trying to get back to his feet but Man is in full control for now.
Man is looking to control Hanma but Hanma is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Man thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Hanma showing good submission defense here.

Hanma is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Man gets his way!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hanma manages to escape to his feet.
Man throws a shot from downtown. Hanma moves away and avoids it.
Hanma drops down looking for a counter takedown but Man sprawls and moves away.
Skinny Man seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Hanma.

Man moves into range and clinches up with Hanma.
Man effectively controlling the action here.
Hanma prevents Man from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man stops a takedown attempt from Hanma.
Man is pressed up against the cage. Hanma has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Man down to the mat. Man avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hanma shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Man but Man pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A head kick by Hanma misses

and Man counters with a shoot takedown. Hanma fights it but they end up in guard.

Hanma scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Man is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Hanma enables Man to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Hanma manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Hanma keeping full guard, as Man tries to pass.
Hanma could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Hanma has his feet on Man's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Man throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Man fails with the takedown.
Hanma moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Some wild striking there from Hanma.
Hanma avoids the head kick by Man.
It looked like Hanma was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Hanma misses with a head kick.
Man darts in looking for a takedown but Hanma gets double underhooks and turns Man into the cage.
Hanma dodges the punch combination from Man.
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 Baki Hanma will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A head kick misses from Man.
Hanma shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Man moves into the clinch.
Man with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hanma misses with a short punch on the inside.

Man successfully pulls guard.

Hanma gets to his feet - Man follows without any prompting.
Hanma connects with a high kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Man pushes Hanma up against the cage in a clinch.
Hanma is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Man gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Man gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Hanma has one foot on Man's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Man clinches with his opponent.
Man can't find room to land a body shot as Hanma controls the action.
Man blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Man looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hanma tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Man just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Baki Hanma. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hanma tries to pull guard but Man holds him up against the cage and eventually Hanma drops back down to his feet.

Man breaks from the clinch.
Man swats away the attempt to clinch by Hanma.
Hanma throws a head kick that misses

and Man decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hanma's guard.

Hanma pushes Man off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hanma moves in looking to clinch but Man pushes him off.
A countering left hand to the body from Man misses.
Man shoots in and drives through. Hanma sprawls well.
Man shoots for a takedown but Hanma saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hanma closes this distance looking for a takedown but Man circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Man instigates a clinch.
Man leaning his opponent against the cage.
Hanma wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hanma is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hanma is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanma is trying to push Man away but Man has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hanma is looking to control Man's arms but Man gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hanma has his back to the cage.
Hanma tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Man is struggling to control the position.
Hanma looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The referee is keeping an eye on Man - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Hanma takes an elbow to the forehead.
Man just leaning against Hanma, taking a breather.

Man breaks from the clinch.

Hanma tries to sprawl but Man drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Man prevents Hanma from standing back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Man throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Hanma to regain full guard.

Man stands and steps away. Hanma gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Man misses with a body shot.
Man fails to land with a series of punches.
Man misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Man shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Hanma manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

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

Man drives through and clinches with Hanma against the cage.

Man breaks from the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Skinny Man showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Man rushes Hanma and presses him up against the cage.
Man dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Man wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hanma tries to land a knee to the head but Man blocks with his arms.

Man drags the fight down to the ground.

Hanma stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Man instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Man manages to break the clinch.
Man takes a kick to the side of the head.
Hanma pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Man blocks a head kick by Hanma.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hanma gets caught flat footed, as Man shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Hanma has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Man is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Hanma swings wildly with an uppercut but Man uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hanma tries to circle away but Man has him pinned against the cage.

Man lands a takedown into guard.

Hanma has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Man off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Man closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Man lands in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Man controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hanma is working an open guard so Man takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Hanma chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A head kick misses from Hanma.
Man tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Man shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Hanma is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Hanma drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Man breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Man throws a body kick that misses.
Hanma went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Man moves into the clinch.
Hanma avoids a wild elbow strike from Man.
Man tries to break the clinch but Hanma is controlling the position.
Hanma tries to score a body lock takedown but Man shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

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

Man clinches up with Hanma and pushes him back against the cage.
Hanma struggles to land a body shot inside as Man controls his hands.
Hanma taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanma tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Man smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Baki Hanma. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Man gets the takedown into side control.

Hanma throws Man to one side and escapes!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Man pushes Hanma up against the cage in a clinch.
Man is looking to break free of the clinch but Hanma has double underhooks.
Hanma has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Man after a bit of a struggle.
Hanma goes for a takedown attempt but Man pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Baki Hanma is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Man shoots in looking for a takedown but Hanma manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Man's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Man decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hanma tries to kick Man off in order to stand up. Man Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Baki Hanma showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hanma 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight for Baki Hanma!
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight for Skinny Man!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Baki Hanma!

Baki Hanma wins by split decision!