PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Muhammad Jabbar (ranked 6159 p4p, 563 weight class) and Donnie Larkin (ranked 7648 p4p, 610 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Jabbar
vs
Larkin

188 cm
22
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

181 cm
22
188 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Muhammad Jabbar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Donnie Larkin!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Donald Grub and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jabbar ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Larkin moves away.
Larkin feints the counter takedown.

Jabbar gets caught flat footed, as Larkin shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Larkin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jabbar trying to keep a closed guard but Larkin is proving a slippery customer.
Larkin is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Larkin looking to sit in guard and control but Jabbar gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Jabbar wants to control from the top but Larkin keeps moving.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jabbar is really struggling to control Larkin but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jabbar looking to pass the guard.
Larkin manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Jabbar manages to get himself to full guard.

Larkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Jabbar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jabbar seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Jabbar throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Larkin works over Jabbar with some ground and pound from guard.
Larkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Jabbar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Larkin postures up in Jabbar's guard and throws a big left but Jabbar blocks it.
Jabbar keeping moving, preventing Larkin from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar working a defensive guard here.

Jabbar working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Larkin has passed into half guard!
Jabbar is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Larkin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Larkin's back!
Larkin looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Larkin controlling his opponent's hands, preventing the submission attempt.
Larkin tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar doesn't have the hooks in and Larkin manages to turn into his guard.
Jabbar controls Larkin momentarily but Larkin frees himself.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Jabbar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Larkin is one step ahead there.

Jabbar is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Jabbar is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Larkin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jabbar wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar keeping moving, preventing Larkin from controlling successfully.
Larkin might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Jabbar haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Jabbar trying to control the position.
Larkin is looking to work some ground and pound but Jabbar has wrist control.
Jabbar is trying to keep Larkin in close.
Larkin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Jabbar's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jabbar won't allow Larkin to pass to mount.
Larkin looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donnie Larkin dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Larkin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Jabbar.
Jabbar throws a low kick but Larkin avoids it.
Larkin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Jabbar sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Jabbar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A lazy body kick from Jabbar

and Larkin counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Larkin.
Jabbar has momentary wrist control but Larkin slips an elbow through the middle.
Larkin postures up.
Jabbar is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Larkin postures up and lands a big shot to Jabbar's brow.
Larkin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larkin misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Jabbar tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jabbar manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larkin wants to control but Jabbar is keeping busy.
Jabbar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Larkin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Jabbar is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Larkin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Larkin is pressing down on Jabbar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Larkin is on top in guard.

Larkin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Larkin lands a couple of elbows.
Larkin throwing strikes from guard but Jabbar blocks nicely.
Larkin wants to control from the top but Jabbar keeps moving.
Larkin passes Jabbar's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Larkin in particular looking to stall.
Larkin wants to pass the guard but Jabbar is defending well.
Larkin lands strikes from half guard.
Larkin with the ground and pound but Jabbar uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Larkin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Larkin lands an elbow.
Larkin scores with punches from side control.
Larkin trying to control the action but Jabbar is working from the bottom.
Jabbar wants to control but Larkin postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar is looking to reverse the position.
Larkin misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Larkin scores with a couple of short elbows.
Larkin in the domination position with Jabbar hanging on.
Jabbar is looking to regain half guard here but Larkin keeps moving and retains side control.
Jabbar is trying to control Larkin's posture but Larkin avoids it.
Jabbar is not content to let Larkin control the position.
Jabbar wants to control but Larkin postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larkin advances nicely into full mount.
Larkin controlling the pace for now.
Jabbar wants to control but Larkin is having none of it.
Larkin lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Larkin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jabbar regains half guard.
Larkin passes to full mount!
Larkin takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jabbar gets back to half guard.

Larkin is looking for a kimura but Jabbar is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Larkin to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donnie Larkin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Good exchange - Larkin coming out on top.
Jabbar throws out a loose jab but Larkin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Larkin misses with a double jab.
Jabbar throws a big shot that misses.
Larkin tests Jabbar's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jabbar connects with a good right hand that stumbles Larkin. Larkin circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Larkin defending well as Jabbar loads up on a big left hand.
Jabbar throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Larkin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Jabbar has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Larkin is working away from the top position though.
Jabbar is refusing to be controlled, as Larkin sits in half guard.

Jabbar is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Larkin pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jabbar is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Larkin scores with a couple of nice shots.
Larkin thows a huge punch but Jabbar dodges it nicely.
Larkin working the head and body with strikes.
Jabbar is pressing down on Larkin's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Larkin with a nice head shot there.
Jabbar looking for a sweep. Not yet Jabbar, not yet.
Larkin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Larkin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Jabbar is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Larkin passes into half guard.
Jabbar is looking to get back to full guard here but Larkin has managed to pass to side control instead.
Muhammad Jabbar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar defending against the ground and pound.
Larkin lands an elbow.
Well,Jabbar is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?
Larkin wants to control but Jabbar is keeping him busy.
Larkin in side control lands a decent elbow.
Jabbar prevents Larkin from improving position.
Larkin trying to control the position but Jabbar is working away.
Jabbar is looking for a sweep.
Larkin wants to control but Jabbar is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar taking a bit of punishment here - Larkin scoring with strikes.
Larkin wants to control for a moment but Jabbar uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Larkin works his way into full mount!
Larkin scoring with strikes but Jabbar is staying in there.
Larkin is landing with some decent strikes but Jabbar is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Larkin with shots to the head and body - Jabbar looks very uncomfortable down there.
Larkin tries to control but Jabbar wriggling away.
Larkin can't control as he wanted to and Jabbar manages to get the fight back to his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larkin is nestled in close to Jabbar, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Larkin slows the pace down in half guard.

Jabbar looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Larkin wants to take a breather but Jabbar is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larkin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Larkin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Donnie Larkin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Larkin 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight for Donnie Larkin!
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight for Donnie Larkin!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Donnie Larkin!

Donnie Larkin wins by unanimous decision!