PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Christian Cong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Isaac MPumbu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cong comes to the cage accompanied by Jibbs - King Kong. 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.

Cong
vs
MPumbu

195 cm
30
280 lbs
23 - 21 - 0

195 cm
23
255 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

Brute
Springfield HW Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Christian Cong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Isaac MPumbu!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
MPumbu tries to clinch there but Cong circles away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Cong.

It looks like Isaac MPumbu has been cut.
MPumbu moves in looking to clinch but Cong pushes him off.
MPumbu darts in trying to clinch
and Cong counters with a low kick, right behind MPumbu 's knee.
MPumbu moves in looking to clinch but Cong pushes him off.
MPumbu misses with a looping right.
Cong will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
This has been an exciting period of action!
MPumbu misses with a straight right.
Christian Cong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cong misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
MPumbu tries to clinch up.
MPumbu avoids a punch combination nicely.
MPumbu throws a big shot that misses.

MPumbu has taken the fight to the clinch.
MPumbu is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cong gets control of MPumbu's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cong will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
MPumbu is fighting to break Cong's control of his arms but Cong is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cong has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but MPumbu has passed into side control.

MPumbu stands up and beckons Cong to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cong fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christian Cong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
MPumbu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cong.
Cong misses with the combination.
MPumbu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
MPumbu blocks a low kick nicely.
MPumbu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
MPumbu tries to clinch but Cong moves out of range.
MPumbu doesn't manage to clinch there - Cong circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cong bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cong lands a jab to MPumbu's midsection.
MPumbu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cong swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cong looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cong misses with a low kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cong.
Cong throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
MPumbu connects with the punch.
Isaac MPumbu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cong misses with a wild body shot.

MPumbu closes the distance and clinches.
MPumbu lands an uppercut.
MPumbu stalling in the clinch but Cong improves position.
Nice body punch from MPumbu - that landed with a thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MPumbu with an attempt at a knee that misses.
MPumbu slows down the pace here.
MPumbu misses with a body punch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cong drops to a knee looking for a takedown but MPumbu gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cong wants a takedown.
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 Christian Cong will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Isaac MPumbu's cut.
That's time! Cong's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

MPumbu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cong was well out of range. Poor timing from MPumbu.
MPumbu tries to clinch up.

MPumbu closes the distance and clinches.
Cong blocks an elbow strike.
MPumbu throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cong blocks it with crossed arms.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
MPumbu throws a knee to the head but misses.
MPumbu lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

It looks like Christian Cong has been cut.
MPumbu stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
With the fighters up against the cage, MPumbu throws an elbow but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MPumbu unloads a knee to the mid-section. Cong lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
MPumbu taking a breather.
MPumbu is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A short body shot lands from MPumbu as the two fighters clinch.
MPumbu tries to land a knee to the head but Cong blocks with his arms.
With the fighters up against the cage, MPumbu throws an elbow but misses.
MPumbu stalling in the clinch.
MPumbu with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MPumbu tries a knee to the head but Cong blocks it.
Cong trying to stall but MPumbu improves his position.
MPumbu content to slow the pace in the clinch.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for MPumbu. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Cong with an attempt at a knee that misses.
MPumbu is pushing Cong up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Isaac MPumbu.
Cong takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
MPumbu tries to clinch but Cong is having none of it.
Cong swats away the attempt to clinch by MPumbu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

MPumbu has Cong up against the cage in a clinch.
MPumbu trying to control the position but instead, Cong has worked for underhooks and has pushed MPumbu into the cage.
MPumbu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cong has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
MPumbu letting Cong take a breather here.
MPumbu lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cong backwards.
MPumbu lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Cong effectively controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MPumbu lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
MPumbu looking to slow down the pace here.
MPumbu throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cong blocks it with crossed arms.
MPumbu tries to land knees in the clinch but Cong avoids the damage to the body.
MPumbu pressing his opponent against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cong tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and MPumbu avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Isaac MPumbu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

MPumbu tries to clinch up but Cong circles away and keeps his distance.
Cong misses the shot to the body.
Cong pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Cong shoots in and gets a takedown into MPumbu's guard.
MPumbu has Cong pulled in close to control his posture.
MPumbu working a defensive guard but Cong manages to pass into side control anyway.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
MPumbu avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cong.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MPumbu gets back to half guard.
MPumbu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cong wants to pass the guard but MPumbu is defending well.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cong connects with a nice short shot to MPumbu's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cong perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Cong trying to control from half guard but MPumbu is working away.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
MPumbu wants to control but Cong is keeping busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Christian Cong just wasn't active enough.
MPumbu misses with a hook. Cong ducked under it nicely.
MPumbu tries to clinch up.
Good leg kick by Cong there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Cong tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but MPumbu swivels and escapes.
MPumbu tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cong counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cong with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cong ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cong shoots in and drives through. MPumbu sprawls well.
Cong lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Cong throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cong defending well as MPumbu loads up on a big left hand.
Cong circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cong lands a jab-cross combination.
MPumbu moves out of range of the leg kick from Cong.
Cong lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That has opened up Isaac MPumbu's cut even more.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Some wild striking there from Cong.
Cong looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cong shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with MPumbu but MPumbu pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christian Cong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cong misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MPumbu is looking to clinch but Cong is avoiding it.
A shot to the body from Cong misses
enabling MPumbu to counter with a crisp jab.

Cong throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. MPumbu was covering up waiting for the punch and Cong finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
MPumbu is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cong not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Christian Cong showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cong 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christian Cong!
An out of breath Christian Cong thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.