PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Cainbridge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muhammed Lawal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomas Cainbridge has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cainbridge
vs
Lawal

185 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Thomas Cainbridge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Muhammed Lawal!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Albert Achterberg and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawal misses with a hook
and Cainbridge counters with a nice uppercut.
Cainbridge wants to clinch up but Lawal keeps it at a distance.
Cainbridge wants to clinch
and Lawal counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lawal connects with a right hand. Cainbridge shakes it off.
Cainbridge wants to clinch.
Lawal lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Cainbridge looks to land a right hand but Lawal moved out of range.
Lawal bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cainbridge's head.
Lawal throws a hook to the side of Cainbridge's head but Cainbridge sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cainbridge throws a jab but it's blocked by Lawal.
Cainbridge slips a jab from Lawal.
Cainbridge throws a big shot that misses.
Nice takedown defense from Lawal. No joy for Cainbridge on that attempt.
Muhammed Lawal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawal scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Cainbridge uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lawal.
Lawal tests Cainbridge's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cainbridge dives in and grabs Lawal's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lawal pushes down on Cainbridge's head and hops out.
Lawal connects with a jab.

Cainbridge drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cainbridge stops Lawal from standing up.

Cainbridge thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cainbridge won't allow Lawal to sweep him here.
Cainbridge passes Lawal's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cainbridge throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cainbridge thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lawal's head.

Cainbridge is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Cainbridge is looking to take a break and control but Lawal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cainbridge with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Lawal really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cainbridge. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Cainbridge stands up from half guard.
Lawal misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lawal throws a poor cross that misses
and Cainbridge counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cainbridge shoots in for a takedown but Lawal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Cainbridge. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lawal avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cainbridge doesn't manage to clinch there - Lawal circles away.
Lawal pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lawal throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Lawal scores with a body shot.
Lawal throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cainbridge sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lawal slips under a jab from Cainbridge.
Lawal avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lawal lands an overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawal throws a shot from downtown. Cainbridge moves away and avoids it.
Lawal swinging wildly here.
A slow jab from Lawal misses its intended target.
Cainbridge tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lawal manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lawal lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cainbridge throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lawal stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Lawal looks winded!
Lawal displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cainbridge throws out the jab.
Lawal throws a hook but Cainbridge avoids it easily.
Lawal throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cainbridge on the side of the head.
Lawal might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lawal throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cainbridge sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lawal throws a jab when Cainbridge was well out of range.
Lawal lands a glancing blow to the side of Cainbridge's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Muhammed Lawal will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cainbridge takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Lawal throws a shot from downtown. Cainbridge moves away and avoids it.
Cainbridge has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Lawal finds it's way round the side to connect with Cainbridge's head.
Lawal swinging wildly here.
Lawal misses with a lunging right hand
and Cainbridge counters with a good, hard body kick but Lawal shrugs it off.
Lawal misses with an uppercut.
Cainbridge misses with a two punch combination.
A head kick misses from Cainbridge.
Lawal scores with a hook to the body. Cainbridge takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Cainbridge shoots in looking for a takedown. Lawal tries to sprawl out of it but Cainbridge keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lawal manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Lawal rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cainbridge counters with a stiff right hand.
Cainbridge misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cainbridge dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lawal misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawal circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cainbridge takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Cainbridge lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cainbridge.
Thomas Cainbridge is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cainbridge slips a straight right by Lawal.
Lawal pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cainbridge fails with the takedown.
Cainbridge takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A slow jab from Lawal misses its intended target.
Lawal circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cainbridge defending well as Lawal loads up on a big left hand.
Cainbridge stuns Lawal with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Lawal is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawal pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A combination from Lawal does no damage.
Lawal uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cainbridge.
Cainbridge throws a hook to the side of Lawal's head but Lawal sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cainbridge ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lawal scores with a jab to the head.
Lawal stuffs the takedown attempt from Cainbridge. Cainbridge gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Cainbridge. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lawal throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cainbridge sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cainbridge shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lawal pinned against the cage. Lawal gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Muhammed Lawal seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cainbridge throws a body punch but Lawal moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawal connects with a right hand. Cainbridge shakes it off.
Cainbridge misses with a straight left.
Lawal throws a lazy right hand but Cainbridge sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cainbridge gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cainbridge shoots in looking for a takedown but Lawal manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cainbridge's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lawal misses with an uppercut.
Lawal misses with a looping right.
Lawal lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Cainbridge slips under a jab.
Cainbridge shoots in for a takedown but Lawal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Lawal lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Muhammed Lawal is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawal throws an off balance right hand
and Cainbridge counters with a nice uppercut.
Cainbridge misses with a wild combination.
Lawal throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cainbridge sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cainbridge tries to clinch up but Lawal circles away and keeps his distance.
Cainbridge takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cainbridge looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cainbridge avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cainbridge will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cainbridge tries to clinch there but Lawal circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhammed Lawal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Cainbridge's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lawal misses with an uppercut

and Cainbridge counters by moving into the clinch.

Lawal ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lawal no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Lawal is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Lawal has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Cainbridge is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Lawal.
Lawal is looking to reverse the position.
A lull in the action here as Cainbridge stalls from top position.
Cainbridge trying to control the action but Lawal is working from the bottom.
Lawal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cainbridge gets to mount! Lawal was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Cainbridge trying to control but Lawal is having none of it.

Cainbridge working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Lawal looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Cainbridge! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Thomas Cainbridge!