PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mr me (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haraka Upanga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Upanga has chosen Ona Tańczy Dla Mnie - Weekend as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

me
vs
Upanga

170 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mr me!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Haraka Upanga!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Nard Betker and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
me goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Jab by Upanga.
Upanga cracks me with a good jab.
A big right from Upanga misses.
me fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

me closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
me content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

me stands up from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Upanga misses with the combination.
me shoots in for a double leg but Upanga sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Upanga circles away from the clinch attempt.
Upanga throws a combination. me tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

me looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Upanga!
me moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Upanga taking a bit of punishment here - me scoring with strikes.
Upanga is trying to control me's posture but me avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mr me just wasn't active enough.
Upanga looks to land a right hand but me moved out of range.
Upanga throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A big right from Upanga misses.
Upanga throws a nice looking combination but me bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
me is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Upanga misses with a looping left.
Upanga tries to clinch but me is having none of it.
Upanga misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

me pushes Upanga up against the cage in a clinch.
me jumps guard but Upanga stands there with me around his waist. me gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mr me. That's going to take a lot out of him.
me jumps guard but Upanga turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A short right from Upanga on the inside.
Upanga presses me against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Upanga is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

me's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Upanga uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by me.
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 Mr me will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

me closes this distance looking for a takedown but Upanga circles away.
Upanga defends well against a solid takedown attempt from me.
me ducks right into an uppercut from Upanga.
me tries to clinch but Upanga moves out of range.
Upanga tries to close the distance and clinch but me swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Upanga takes a swing at me's ribcage but misses.
The fighters circle momentarily. Upanga darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
me dodges the punch combination from Upanga.
me ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
me dives in and grabs Upanga's left leg, looking for a takedown. Upanga pushes down on me's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mr me. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters circling - Upanga throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
me staying out of range there.
Upanga is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
me moves away from the strike by Upanga.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from me.

Upanga gets caught napping as me dives in and scores a takedown. Upanga manages to retain guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
me looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mr me just wasn't active enough.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Upanga throws a good cross that connects.
Haraka Upanga seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Upanga keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
me looks for a takedown but Upanga sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Upanga defends well against a solid takedown attempt from me.
Upanga moves in looking to clinch but me pushes him off.
Upanga works over me's head and body with a nice combination.
me takes a jab right on the kisser.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Upanga just misses with a punch to the body.
me avoids a punch combination nicely.
Upanga throws a series of punches but me moves out of range.
me will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Upanga throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck me on the side of the head.
Upanga loads up on a big right hand but me slips the punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
me avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
me misses with a wild combination.
Upanga lands a straight punch to the body, keeping me at a distance.
Mr me is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A shot to the liver by Upanga. Beautiful body shot.
Upanga misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Haraka Upanga is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Upanga with a nice cross.
Nice straight punches there by Upanga. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Upanga.
me looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

me is rocked!
Upanga stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Oh me is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Upanga lands a nice shot that snaps me's head back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Upanga throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Upanga swings for the body but me moves out of range.
me seems to have got his legs back now.
Upanga feints a jab promting me to slip. Upanga then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. me slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
A decent looking cross lands there for Upanga.
me moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Upanga looks to land a right hand but me moved out of range.
Upanga 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.
Upanga fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
me takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Upanga connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between me's hands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Upanga thows a left - swing and a miss!
Upanga bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps me's head backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haraka Upanga showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Upanga with a hook.
Upanga swinging wildly here.
me misses with a head kick.
Sloppy strikes from Upanga. Those never looked like landing.
Upanga leaves me with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

me shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

me decides to return to a standing position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Upanga has closed the distance and engaged me in a clinch.
me wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Upanga blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
me drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Upanga gets the underhooks and prevents it.
me 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 Mr me. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Upanga avoiding damage as me throws knees to the body.

Upanga breaks the clinch.
me uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Upanga.
me doesn't manage to clinch there - Upanga circles away.
me uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Upanga.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Upanga coming out on top.
No luck with that takedown attempt from me.
Upanga cracks me with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Upanga lands with a straight right. me didn't see that one coming.
Upanga lands a hook that stumbles me back into the cage. Upanga follows up with a straight and another hook that land right on the button, dropping me to the canvas! Upanga pounces and lands several unanswered shots - me has had enough and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Haraka Upanga!
A less than humble Haraka Upanga misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.