PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Max Debrine (ranked 3715 p4p, 479 weight class) and Mamadou Sakho (ranked 5810 p4p, 632 weight class). Debrine comes to the cage accompanied by The Best. Mamadou Sakho has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Max Debrine's chin.

Debrine
vs
Sakho

189 cm
25
224 lbs
7 - 9 - 0

190 cm
22
221 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Max Debrine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mamadou Sakho!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakho is looking to score with low kicks.
Sakho throws a leg kick but Debrine checks it.

Debrine clinches with his opponent.
Sakho lands a hook that snaps the head of Debrine backwards.
Debrine is looking for a takedown.
Sakho doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Debrine is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Sakho looking to throw knees to the head but Debrine is blocking nicely.
Sakho tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Debrine's elbow.
Sakho told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Sakho managing to block the knees to the body from Debrine.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Debrine throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sakho pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Debrine fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sakho working aggressively here.
Debrine is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakho lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

It looks like Max Debrine has been cut.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Debrine wants to stall.
Sakho stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short uppercut from Sakho.
Sakho changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Debrine fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Debrine gets a clinch.
Nice elbow from Sakho.
Debrine looking to stall.
Debrine stalling against the cage.
Sakho lands an elbow just above Debrine 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakho lands a damaging elbow.
Debrine prevents the takedown attempt.
Sakho with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Debrine throws an elbow but it misses.
Debrine is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Sakho creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Debrine effectively controlling the action here.
Sakho looking to throw knees to the head but Debrine is blocking nicely.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Debrine obliges.
Debrine has been working on his balance at Double XX, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Sakho.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Debrine takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Sakho tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakho misses with a punch to the body.
Debrine stalling in the clinch.
Sakho tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Debrine slows down the pace here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Max Debrine.
Sakho shoots in for a takedown but Debrine shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Max Debrine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mamadou Sakho.
Debrine ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sakho moves away.
Debrine feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Sakhos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Sakho shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Debrine as he avoids it easily.
Debrine wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
The fighters circling - Sakho throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Debrine changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Debrine rushes Sakho and presses him up against the cage.
Debrine avoids a wild elbow strike from Sakho.
Debrine misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sakho.
Debrine unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sakho lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Debrine tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sakho avoids it.
Sakho dodges an elbow strike from Debrine.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakho dodges an elbow strike from Debrine.

Debrine escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Debrine lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
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!
Sakho loads up on a big right hand but Debrine slips the punch.
Sakho throws a hook to the side of Debrine's head but Debrine sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Debrine appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Debrine pushes Sakho up against the cage in a clinch.
Sakho looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Debrine is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Sakho is defending well.
Sakho throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Debrine blocks it with crossed arms.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sakho just misses with a elbow thrown towards Debrine's brow.
Debrine leaning against his opponent.
Debrine is trying to maintain a safe position but Sakho gets an underhook and turns Debrine into the cage.
Sakho tries a body shot but Debrine blocks it.
Sakho with an attempt at a knee that misses.
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 Max Debrine will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Max Debrine's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Debrine connects with a jab.

Debrine darts in and clinches Sakho up against the cage.
Debrine tries a body shot but Sakho blocks it.
Sakho's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Debrine jumps guard but Sakho stands there with Debrine around his waist. Debrine gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Debrine pulls guard.
Sakho's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakho passes into half guard.
Sakho trying to control the action but Debrine is working from the bottom.
Debrine gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakho tries to free his leg and advance position but Debrine is retaining full guard.
Debrine bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sakho's guard.

Sakho has his hands on Debrine's head, controlling the position.
Sakho working a defensive guard here.
Debrine passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Sakho on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakho tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Debrine wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sakho wants to control but Debrine postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Debrine landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sakho is trying to get back to half guard.
Debrine grinds an elbow into Sakho's temple.
Sakho takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Debrine lands a nice forearm strike.
Sakho is trying to control Debrine's posture but Debrine avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Debrine lands an elbow.
Sakho is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Sakho's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Debrine gets to mount! Sakho was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Debrine content just to control the position here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Debrine cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Sakho is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Debrine controlling his opponent.
Sakho is trying to escape the mount.
Debrine looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sakho tries to reverse the position but Debrine maintains control.
Max Debrine overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Debrine working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Debrine is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sakho can do to turn this around?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Debrine tries to control but Sakho wriggling away.
Debrine lands a big shot there that rocks Sakho but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Debrine dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Max Debrine's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Debrine fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sakho, pushing him back against the cage.
Sakho pushes off an throws an elbow but Debrine leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Debrine misses with an elbow strike.
Debrine blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sakho misses with a knee to the head.
Sakho goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sakho tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sakho pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Debrine throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sakho creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Debrine's defenses.
With the fighters up against the cage, Debrine throws an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakho misses with a body punch.
Sakho blocks an elbow strike from Debrine.
A short body shot lands from Sakho as the two fighters clinch.

Debrine successfully pulls guard.
Sakho being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakho trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Debrine manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Debrine has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sakho has momentary wrist control but Debrine slips an elbow through the middle.
Debrine stands up over Sakho, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sakho keeping moving, preventing Debrine from controlling successfully.
Sakho is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sakho might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Debrine haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Mamadou Sakho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Debrine seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Sakho wants to sweep but no luck.

Sakho is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Debrine is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Sakho has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Debrine can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sakho keeping moving, preventing Debrine from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Debrine stands up over Sakho, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Debrine looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Sakho is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Debrine is aware though and is defending well.
Max Debrine is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Debrine looking to pass the guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Debrine scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Debrine has Sakho up against the cage in a clinch.
Sakho on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mamadou Sakho seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sakho just misses with a elbow thrown towards Debrine's brow.
Sakho throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Debrines head.
Debrine tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Sakho misses with a punch to the body.
Debrine blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Debrine tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sakho smiles and moves away.

Debrine darts in and clinches Sakho up against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sakho misses with some punches.
A shot in the inside from Sakho.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Debrine showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Debrine, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Debrine!
During a confident post fight interview, Max Debrine thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.