PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Phat Ho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khasbulaev has chosen Fetty Wap - Trap Queen as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Ho
vs
Khasbulaev

175 cm
22
141 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

173 cm
21
144 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Sun-Tzu
Mohito Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Phat Ho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Magomedrasul Khasbulaev!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khasbulaev cracks a nice hook into Ho's ribs.
Ho moves forwards but Khasbulaev connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Ho walks into a straight right hand from Khasbulaev.
Khasbulaev throws a leg kick that misses.
Khasbulaev fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Ho checks it well.
Ho throws a head kick that misses.
Khasbulaev takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Khasbulaev misses with a right hand
and Ho counters with a low kick, right behind Khasbulaev 's knee.
A bone on bone clash there as Ho blocks the leg kick.
Ho was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A combination from Khasbulaev does no damage.
Ho throws a head kick but Khasbulaev moves out of range.
Khasbulaev appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Ho lands a head kick!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Khasbulaev keeps the fight on the outside.
Khasbulaev throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Nice defenses there by Khasbulaev.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ho.
Ho takes a swing at Khasbulaev's ribcage but misses.
Khasbulaev throws an ugly left hook that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khasbulaev swinging wildly here.
Khasbulaev misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ho lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Ho throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A nice side step and Khasbulaev releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Khasbulaev has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Khasbulaev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Khasbulaev throws out a powerful jab.
Ho misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Khasbulaev misses with a double jab.
Ho does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Ho throws a quick inside leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Khasbulaev. Ho does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ho slips a straight right by Khasbulaev.
It looked like Ho wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ho on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Khasbulaev tries to bum rush Ho with a series of wild strikes but Ho uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khasbulaev thows a leg kick but Ho checks it

and Ho holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ho lands with a short shot to the head.
Ho prevents Khasbulaev from breaking the clinch.
Ho misses with some punches.
Khasbulaev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ho has him pressed against the cage.
Ho lands a shoulder strike.
Ho lands a left hand.
Ho lands a shot to the body.
Khasbulaev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ho misses with a body punch.
Ho softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Khasbulaev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ho lands a shoulder strike.
Ho scores with a shot to the side of Khasbulaev's head.

Khasbulaev is rocked!
Ho swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Khasbulaev is still on wobbly legs! Can Ho finish him?
Khasbulaev is trying to break the clinch but Ho is controlling him.
Khasbulaev wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ho scores with a nice hook to the head.

Khasbulaev's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ho throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Khasbulaev on the side of the head.
Ho scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Khasbulaev on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Ho scores with a jab to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ho cracks Khasbulaev with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Khasbulaev tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Ho pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Khasbulaev is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:08 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Phat Ho!
During a confident post fight interview, Phat Ho thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.