PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chad Stronghold (ranked 5926 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karl Ninja (ranked 8966 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Stronghold
vs
Ninja

175 cm
23
145 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

171 cm
25
140 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chad Stronghold!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Karl Ninja!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stronghold takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Stronghold tries to clinch up
enabling Ninja to counter with a crisp jab.
Ninja shoots in looking for a takedown but Stronghold manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ninja's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Stronghold breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ninja scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ninja fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Ninja fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ninja closes this distance looking for a takedown but Stronghold circles away.
Stronghold changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Chad Stronghold has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Karl Ninja.
Ninja bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Stronghold moves into the clinch.

Stronghold pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stronghold wants to clinch.
Stronghold keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ninja.
Ninja keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja shoots for a double leg takedown but Stronghold sprawls well. He's pushed Ninja's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Stronghold tries to clinch but Ninja moves out of range.
Stronghold defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ninja.
Stronghold moves in looking to clinch but Ninja pushes him off.
Stronghold walks into a jab.
Stronghold wants to clinch up but Ninja keeps it at a distance.
Ninja looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
No luck for Ninja with that takedown attempt.

Stronghold fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ninja, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Stronghold is struggling to control the position.
Good body shot from Stronghold.

Ninja breaks the clinch.

Stronghold clinches.

Ninja breaks from the clinch.

Stronghold rushes Ninja and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Stronghold manages to break the clinch.
Ninja misses with a looping left.
Ninja lands a nice shot that snaps Stronghold's head back.
Stronghold tries to clinch there but Ninja circles away.
Chad Stronghold is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ninja lands a nice hook to Stronghold's body. Stronghold takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Ninja lands a nice shot to the body.

Stronghold gets a clinch.
Ninja misses with a hook from the clinch.
Stronghold just leaning against Ninja, taking a breather.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stronghold tries to throw a body punch but Ninja avoids it by throwing Stronghold back against the cage.
Ninja can't find room to land a body shot as Stronghold controls the action.

Ninja breaks from the clinch.
Ninja throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Stronghold stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Stronghold misses with a lunging right hand
and Ninja counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Stronghold ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Ninja dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Stronghold closes the distance and pushes Ninja back into the cage.
Ninja can't find room to land a body shot as Stronghold controls the action.
Ninja cracks Stronghold with a nice body shot.

Stronghold breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ninja swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Stronghold.
Chad Stronghold is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ninja misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stronghold wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Ninja goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Chad Stronghold has been cut.
Stronghold lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stronghold clinches up against the cage.
Ninja working aggressively here.

Stronghold breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stronghold drops his hands momentarily and Ninja takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stronghold wants to clinch
and Ninja counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ninja scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Stronghold darts in trying to clinch
and Ninja counters with a stiff right hand.
Ninja misses with a takedown attempt

and Stronghold counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stronghold.
Stronghold can't find room to land a body shot as Ninja controls the action.
Ninja prevents Stronghold from breaking the clinch.

Stronghold breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stronghold tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ninja manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stronghold tries to clinch up.
Stronghold swings for the body but Ninja moves out of range.
Stronghold moves to clinch but Ninja breaks away
and Ninja counters with a straight right hand.
Stronghold takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Ninja lands a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Stronghold clinches up with Ninja and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stronghold lands with a right to the head.
Stronghold goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ninja has had enough of the clinch but Stronghold keeps him there for the moment.
Nice body punch from Stronghold - that landed with a thud.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Stronghold pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stronghold tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ninja paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Stronghold closes the distance and pushes Ninja back into the cage.
Ninja scores with a shot to the side of Stronghold's head.

Stronghold breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stronghold takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ninja lands a jab.
Stronghold tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stronghold is looking to clinch.
Stronghold displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ninja throws out the jab.
A punch combination from Ninja misses.
Ninja scores with a nice head shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stronghold looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
As Stronghold backs off Ninja throws a huge counter combo but Stronghold manages to avoid it all.
Stronghold tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ninja paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stronghold looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Karl Ninja seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A jab from Ninja does it's job there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Ninja showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Chad Stronghold's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Ninja keeps the fight on the outside.
Stronghold tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ninja swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ninja throws out a counter right but Stronghold avoids it with no problem.
Ninja gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Stronghold wants to clinch.
Ninja swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ninja ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Stronghold blocks a head kick by Ninja.
Stronghold changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Ninja throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stronghold tries to clinch up
and Ninja cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ninja looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stronghold is fending him off so far but Ninja persists. Nope, Stronghold circles away and we're back to standing.
Stronghold tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ninja manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Stronghold tries to clinch up.
Ninja misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stronghold.
A jab lands there for Ninja.
Stronghold tries to close the distance and clinch but Ninja swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
It seemed like Ninja was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Stronghold takes the fight into the clinch.
Ninja misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ninja blocks a body shot from Stronghold.
Ninja lands a hook that snaps the head of Stronghold backwards.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Stronghold lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ninja backwards.

Ninja breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ninja is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ninja lands with a hook. Stronghold tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja darts in looking for a takedown but Stronghold gets double underhooks and turns Ninja into the cage.
Stronghold is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Ninja.

Stronghold has taken the fight to the clinch.

Stronghold breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stronghold tries to clinch there but Ninja circles away.
Stronghold backing away here, and Ninja unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Stronghold swings away with a body shot that misses
and Ninja connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Stronghold fails in his attempt to clinch.

Stronghold gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Stronghold scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ninja tries to work over Stronghold's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ninja is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Stronghold on the inside.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Stronghold as Ninja tries to tie him up.
Ninja has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stronghold blocks a body shot from Ninja.
Ninja tries a body shot but Stronghold blocks it.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Stronghold.
Ninja blocking some punches.
Ninja stalls.

Stronghold breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stronghold is looking to clinch but Ninja is avoiding it.
Stronghold tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ninja cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

And that's the end of the fight!
Karl Ninja comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ninja winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karl Ninja!