PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sebastien Linne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Obama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Linne's entrance music is Arcturus - The Chaos Path. A fine choice. Both these fighters are unbeaten, so somebody's 0 has got to go!These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Linne
vs
Obama

170 cm
25
165 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

188 cm
23
168 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Hell's Balls Recovery

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sebastien Linne!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, George Obama!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Igor Prikhodko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Linne scores with a takedown into Obama's guard.
Linne with a flurry of punches that miss.
Linne thows a big elbow that misses.
Linne landing with the ground and pound.
Linne with a flurry of punches that miss.
Obama has Linne pulled in close to control his posture.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Obama can do anything to dispel that myth.
Linne is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Linne wants to pass the guard but Obama is keeping the position.
Linne is looking to work some ground and pound but Obama has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Linne working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Obama avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Linne in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Obama is pulling down on Linne's head. It's preventing any offense from Linne, at least for the moment.
Obama looking to hit a scissor sweep but Linne is one step ahead there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Linne, right into the meat.
Linne ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sebastien Linne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Linne wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obama sizes up Linne with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Linne tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Obama was well out of range. Poor timing from Linne.
Obama throws a good cross that connects.
Linne misses with a head kick.
Obama looks to throw the jab but Linne is out of range.
Linne changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Obama tries to avoid it but Linne manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Obama to the ground. Obama escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Obama throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Linne throws a leg kick which misses Obama's front leg but catches the back leg as Obama tries to avoid it.
Obama misses with a body shot.
Linne throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Obama looks gassed!
Obama misses with a body shot.
Linne throws a head kick but Obama moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linne fails with the takedown.
Linne swats away the attempt to clinch by Obama.
Linne avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Obama takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Obama lands a with a good body shot.
Obama leaves Linne with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sebastien Linne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Linne.

Linne moves into the clinch.
Linne tries to pull guard but Obama holds him up against the cage and eventually Linne drops back down to his feet.
Linne lands a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Linne.

Linne successfully pulls guard.

Linne is looking for a triangle but Obama pushes his legs off easily.
Linne working a defensive guard here.
Obama must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sebastien Linne dominated that round.
That's time! Linne's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Obama keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Linne.
Obama throws a big shot that misses.
Linne throws a sloppy head kick and Obama moves out of range easily.

Obama clinches up with Linne and pushes him back against the cage.
Obama will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Linne up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Obama.
Linne is leaning against Obama and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Linne fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Linne misses with a punch on the inside.
Linne stalling the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Obama lands a shot to the body.
Linne tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Obama just stands there and leans against the cage.
Obama swings wildly with an uppercut but Linne uses good head movement to avoid it.
Obama lands an uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Obama.
Obama lands a nice shot to the body.
Obama misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Linne.
Linne tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Obama just stands there and leans against the cage.
A short right from Obama.
Linne works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Linne creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Obama lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Linne is trying to maintain a safe position but Obama gets an underhook and turns Linne into the cage.
Obama lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Linne.
Linne looking to stall.
Linne lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Obama lands a nice uppercut.
Obama gets through Linne's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Nice body punch from Obama - that landed with a thud.
Obama has a couple of punches blocked by Linne.
Linne tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Obama's elbow.
Linne taking a breather.
Obama prevents a body shot from Linne.
Linne struggles to land a body shot inside as Obama controls his hands.
Linne can't find room to land a body shot as Obama controls the action.
Linne working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obama makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Obama is looking to control Linne's arms but Linne gets an underhook and turns him. Now Obama has his back to the cage.
Linne fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nice body punch from Obama.
Linne lands a body punch.
Linne misses with a short punch on the inside.
Linne is leaning against Obama and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Linne lands a left hand.
Obama lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Linne being controlled against the cage.
Linne throws a punch but it's blocked by Obama.
Obama is struggling to control the position.
Linne is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Obama has Linne pressed against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Obama.
Linne goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linne lands a left hand.
Obama makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Linne lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Obama backwards.
Obama pushes Linne back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Obama.
Linne takes a shot to the head.
Obama taking a breather.
Obama is breathing heavily.
Obama blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short uppercut from Linne.
Linne is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Obama is keeping busy.
Linne lands with a light punch inside.
Linne lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Linne letting Obama take a breather here.
Linne tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sebastien Linne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Linne trying to control the position but instead, Obama has worked for underhooks and has pushed Linne into the cage.
Obama blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Obama tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Linne's elbow.
Linne is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obama blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Linne throws a head punch that misses.
Obama working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Obama goes for a takedown attempt but Linne pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Linne shoots in for a double leg but Obama sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nice sprawl there from Obama as Linne shoots in.
Obama keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Linne tries to clinch there but Obama circles away.
Linne changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Obama tries to avoid it but Linne manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Obama to the ground. Obama escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Linne shoots in for a takedown but Obama shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Obama moves out of range of the body kick from Linne.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Obama 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.

Linne takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Good standup being displayed there by Obama as he connects with a hook.
Obama scores with a nice right hand.
A slow jab from Obama misses its intended target.
Linne throws a half hearted mid kick.
Linne shoots in for a takedown but Obama shows good takedown defense.
Linne throws a head kick that misses.

Linne has Obama up against the cage in a clinch.
Obama is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Linne is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Linne.
Obama is struggling to control the position.
Obama blocks a body shot from Linne.
Obama misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Linne pushes Obama back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne tries a body shot but Obama blocks it.
Obama pressing his opponent against the cage.
Linne has a couple of punches blocked by Obama.
Obama swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Obama prevents a body shot from Linne.
Obama lands a hook to the side of the head.
Linne tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Obama lands a shoulder strike.
Obama holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Linne throws a head punch that misses.
Obama makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Linne misses with a short punch on the inside.
Obama stalling in the clinch but Linne improves position.
Obama doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A right handed body shot lands from Linne.
Obama takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Linne looking to slow down the pace here.
Obama is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Linne tries to work over Obama's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obama swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Still in the clinch, Linne scores with a nice short uppercut.
Linne lands a body shot in the clinch.
Obama is pushing Linne up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Linne effectively controlling the action here.
Linne prevents a body shot from Obama.
Obama struggles to land a body shot inside as Linne controls his hands.
George Obama seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Obama's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Linne tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Obama being controlled against the cage.
Linne misses with some punches.
Linne tries for a takedown but Obama manages to get underhooks.
Obama blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Obama scores with a shot to the side of Linne's head.
Linne struggles to land a body shot inside as Obama controls his hands.
Linne lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obama throws a head punch that misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Linne as Obama tries to tie him up.
Obama goes for a takedown attempt but Linne pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Linne buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Obama works the jab nicely.
Obama ducks under a wild hook from Linne.
Linne shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sebastien Linne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Linne ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Linne misses with a head kick.

Linne gets a clinch.
Obama doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Linne.
Linne tries to throw a body punch but Obama avoids it by throwing Linne back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Linne tries to throw a body punch but Obama avoids it by throwing Linne back against the cage.
Linne content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Linne lands a body punch in the clinch.
Linne tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Obama's elbow.
Linne stalling in the clinch but Obama improves position.
Linne misses with a short punch on the inside.
Obama throws a head punch that misses.
Nice body punch from Linne.
Linne softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Obama blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Linne lands a left hand that snaps the head of Obama backwards.
Obama swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Linne is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Obama is keeping busy.
Obama scores with a hook to the body.
Good body shot from Linne.
Linne lands a body shot in the clinch.
Linne is trying to stall.
Linne tries to pull guard but Obama holds him up against the cage and eventually Linne drops back down to his feet.
Linne misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sebastien Linne clearly takes that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Linne misses with a straight right.
Linne throws a sloppy head kick and Obama moves out of range easily.
Obama takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Obama throws a nice looking combination but Linne bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Good work by Obama as he checks the leg kick.
Obama lands with a shot to the body.
Linne shoots in for a double leg but Obama sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Linne throws out a loose jab but Obama uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice straight punches there by Obama. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Obama.
Obama fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Linne manages to avoid it.
Obama blocks a head kick by Linne.
Obama jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Obama misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne looks for the body kick but Obama saw that one coming.
Linne throws a head kick that misses.
Linne shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Obama defends it nicely.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
The fight stays on the outside here - Linne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Obama throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Linne stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Obama closes the distance and clinches.
Linne tries to throw a body punch but Obama avoids it by throwing Linne back against the cage.
Linne can't find room to land a body shot as Obama controls the action.
Linne is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Obama is keeping busy.
A body shot lands from Obama.
Good body shot from Linne.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obama taking a breather.
A short right from Obama on the inside.
Obama prevents a body shot from Linne.
Obama has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Obama stops a takedown attempt from Linne.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sebastien Linne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Linne takes a shot to the head.
Linne is working Obama over against the cage.
Obama taking a breather.
Linne tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Linne fails to land.
Linne working aggressively here.
Obama lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Linne backwards.
A right hook to the body lands for Obama.
Linne fails to pull guard.
Obama pressing his opponent against the cage.
Linne tries a body shot but Obama blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Linne.
Obama misses with a short punch on the inside.
Linne has a couple of punches blocked by Obama.
Obama tries to stall but Linne uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Linne jumps guard but Obama stands there with Linne around his waist. Linne gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Linne is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Obama is keeping busy.
Obama lands a right hand that snaps the head of Linne backwards.
Linne swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Obama lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Linne misses with some punches.
Obama working aggressively here.
Obama throws a punch but it's blocked by Linne.
A short right from Linne on the inside.
Obama takes a shot to the head.
Obama misses with the head strike.
Obama tries to throw a body punch but Linne avoids it by throwing Obama back against the cage.
Linne taking a breather.
Obama blocking some punches.
Obama digs a right hand into Linne's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Linne's gas tank.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Linne jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Obama walks away with a smile on his face. Linne gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The fighters circle momentarily. Obama darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Obama fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Obama stuffs the takedown attempt from Linne. Linne gets slowly back to his feet.
Linne throws a head kick but Obama moves out of range.
Linne throws a sloppy head kick and Obama moves out of range easily.
Linne shoots in for a takedown but Obama shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Obama stuffs the takedown.
Obama lands a nice looking body shot.
Nice uppercut there from Obama.
Linne takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Linne throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Obama dominated that fourth round.
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!

Obama lands a nice shot to the body.
Obama closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Linne looks to land a body kick but Obama moved away.
Obama circles away from the clinch attempt.
Linne tries a low kick but Obama avoids it.
Nice shot lands for Obama.
Linne pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Obama throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Linne stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Linne is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Linne misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Obama connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Linne lands a high kick!
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linne tries to clinch but Obama moves out of range.

Obama fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Linne, pushing him back against the cage.
Obama scores with a hook to the body.
Linne taking a breather.
Obama pressing his opponent against the cage.
Linne doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Obama content to slow the pace in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by George Obama.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Linne.
Linne throws a hook to the side of Obama's head but Obama sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Obama swings for the body but Linne moves out of range.
Linne slips under a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obama keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Linne tries for a takedown but Obama sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Linne looks to clinch
and Obama counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Linne tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
George Obama is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Linne throws a head kick that misses
and Obama counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Obama closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Obama throws a shot to the body.
Obama uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Linne.
Obama scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Obama moves out of range of the body kick.

Obama rushes Linne and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Obama.
A right handed body shot lands from Obama.
Obama lands a shoulder strike.
Obama stalling the fight.
Linne tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Obama stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Linne goes for a takedown in the clinch but Obama prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sebastien Linne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A bit of stalling here from Obama.
Obama working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Obama.
Obama cracks Linne with a nice body shot.
A short right from Obama.
Obama content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Obama lands a body shot.
Linne tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Obama's elbow.
Obama stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obama blocking some punches.
Linne struggles to land a body shot inside as Obama controls his hands.
Linne takes a shot to the head.
Linne tries to throw a body punch but Obama avoids it by throwing Linne back against the cage.
Obama is working Linne over against the cage.
Linne lands a right hand.
Obama lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Obama working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Obama displaying some good clinch control by pressing Linne up against the cage.
Linne is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Obama's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Obama lands with a right to the head.
Obama cracks Linne with a nice body shot.
Linne taking a breather.
Linne tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Obama's elbow.
Obama taking a breather.
Linne tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Obama's elbow.
Obama lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Linne backwards.

Linne pulls guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Obama comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Obama has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 47:48
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 47:48
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George Obama! George Obama retains his lightweight title!