PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Serge Ibaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato Laranja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ibaka comes to the cage accompanied by S.A.R.S. - Lutka. Serge Ibaka could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Renato Laranja's chin.

Ibaka
vs
Laranja

170 cm
26
143 lbs
11 - 0 - 0

170 cm
26
146 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Powerful

Alcatraz Apparel
Atlantis

Atlantis
Vikai Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Serge Ibaka!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Renato Laranja!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Michael Johnstone and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown attempt by Laranja or perhaps it was just good defense by Ibaka, which made it look bad.
Ibaka tries to counter by clinching up but Laranja breaks away and moves out of range.
Renato Laranja seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Laranja misses with a takedown
and Ibaka counters with a nice body shot.

Ibaka closes the distance and pushes Laranja back into the cage.
Laranja throws a head punch that misses.
Laranja takes a shot to the head.
Ibaka throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Laranjas head.
Ibaka makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laranja looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Laranja jumps guard but Ibaka turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Serge Ibaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renato Laranja.
Ibaka lands a shot to the body.
Ibaka has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Ibaka gets through Laranja's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ibaka pushes Laranja back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Laranja tries to pull guard but Ibaka won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laranja is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ibaka to keep the fight standing.
Laranja's coach down at The GYM (20 elite coaches on the Island !!!) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Laranja's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Ibaka lands a left hand that snaps the head of Laranja backwards.
A nice left hand lands by Ibaka.
A short uppercut from Ibaka.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ibaka.
A short right from Ibaka.
A body shot lands from Ibaka.
Ibaka lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Ibaka lands a hook to the side of the head.
Laranja missing with knees to the body.
Ibaka lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ibaka lands with a left to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ibaka lands with a short shot to the head.

Laranja is rocked!
Laranja fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Laranja is still on wobbly legs! Can Ibaka finish him?
A shot in the inside from Ibaka.
Ibaka lands a hook that snaps the head of Laranja backwards.
Laranja tries to pull guard but Ibaka holds him up against the cage and eventually Laranja drops back down to his feet.
Laranja seems to have recovered his senses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Ibaka.
Ibaka lands a left hand.
Laranja is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ibaka to keep the fight standing.
Ibaka lands a left hand that snaps the head of Laranja backwards.
Laranja jumps guard but Ibaka turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Laranja tries to pull guard but Ibaka forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ibaka stalling the fight.
Ibaka controlling the action here for a moment.
Ibaka gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Ibaka lands a shot to the body.
Ibaka makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Laranja misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ibaka lands with a short shot to the head.
A short right from Ibaka on the inside.
Ibaka makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ibaka cracks Laranja with a nice body shot.
Ibaka lands with a right to the head.
A shot in the inside from Ibaka.
Laranja tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ibaka smiles and moves away.
Laranja swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Ibaka rushes Laranja and presses him up against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Ibaka.
Ibaka gets through Laranja's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ibaka cracks Laranja with a nice body shot.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ibaka.
Laranja swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ibaka lands with a right to the head.
Ibaka gets through Laranja's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laranja misses with a punch to the body.
Ibaka throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Laranja gets control of Ibaka's arms and successfully pulls guard. Laranja will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
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.
Laranja manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ibaka manages to get himself to full guard.

Ibaka wants to sweep but no luck.
Laranja postures up.
Ibaka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Laranja is one step ahead there.
Ibaka is working hard here to advance position.
Laranja stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ibaka swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Laranja thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Laranja is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Serge Ibaka dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Laranja misses with a takedown attempt
and Ibaka counters with a left to the body.
Ibaka tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Laranja was well out of range. Poor timing from Ibaka.
Laranja tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ibaka was well out of range. Poor timing from Laranja.

Ibaka darts in and clinches Laranja up against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ibaka.
Laranja tries to pull guard but Ibaka forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ibaka is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Laranja can do to turn this around?
Ibaka on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ibaka is struggling to control the position.
Still in the clinch, Ibaka scores with a nice short uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ibaka working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Ibaka cracks Laranja with a nice body shot.
Ibaka lands a left hand.
A shot in the inside from Ibaka.
Laranja jumps guard but Ibaka turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Serge Ibaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renato Laranja.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Ibaka.
Ibaka digs a right hand into Laranja's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Laranja's gas tank.
Ibaka works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Laranja tries to pull guard but Ibaka won't allow it.
Serge Ibaka has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Nice body punch from Ibaka - that landed with a thud.
Still in the clinch, Ibaka scores with a nice short uppercut.

Ibaka drops Laranja onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Laranja is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
Laranja is breathing heavily.
Ibaka unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Laranja! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Ibaka is unloading with more strikes now! Laranja drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Serge Ibaka!
Serge Ibaka retains his bantamweight title!
Serge Ibaka was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.
Renato Laranja was interviewed post fight and said 'I didnt eat enouf frui and vegtables. Thats verr importint...'.