PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Make Makkonen (ranked 714 p4p, 1042 weight class) and Mandlenkosi Thulani (ranked 49 p4p, 67 weight class). Makkonen comes to the cage accompanied by Epic Sax Guy - time to SMESH!. Thulani has chosen Zara - Sojaboy as his entrance music. Make Makkonen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Makkonen
vs
Thulani

225 cm
27
300
15 - 4 - 0

206 cm
31
282
16 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

30th Century Beer Store

Conviction
Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Make Makkonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mandlenkosi Thulani!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Makkonen darts in and clinches Thulani up against the cage.
Thulani misses with a short punch on the inside.

Makkonen ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Makkonen no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Makkonen is looking for a triangle but Thulani pushes his legs off easily.
Thulani throws an elbow that misses. Makkonen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Thulani's guard. Nice move by Makkonen!

Thulani wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Makkonen trying to control but Thulani is working from the bottom.
Makkonen postures up in Thulani's guard and throws a big left but Thulani blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makkonen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Makkonen won't allow Thulani to sweep him here.
Makkonen is standing up over Thulani. Thulani looks to escape but Makkonen dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thulani is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Makkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thulani keeps working.
Makkonen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Thulani tries to improve position but can't.
Thulani felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Thulani manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Makkonen wants to pass the guard but Thulani is defending well.
Thulani wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Thulani pushes Makkonen off looking to stand but Makkonen dives back in and keeps control.
Makkonen 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.
Thulani is holding on to half guard well.
Thulani trying to control but Makkonen postures up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Thulani might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Makkonen haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Makkonen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Thulani looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Makkonen throws a strike aimed at the side of Thulani's head but Thulani avoids it well.
Thulani is looking to regain half guard here but Makkonen keeps moving and retains side control.
I wouldn't like to be where Thulani is right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makkonen trying to control the position but Thulani is working away.
Thulani is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Thulani can't do much from the bottom here.

Makkonen swings around for an armbar but Thulani sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Makkonen's guard.
Thulani slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Thulani with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thulani trying to control the position from guard on top but Makkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Makkonen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thulani content to stall in guard here.
Thulani throwing strikes but missing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thulani postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thulani trying to control the position from guard on top but Makkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thulani takes a swing at Makkonen's ribcage but misses.
Makkonen fails with the takedown
and Thulani counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thulani dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice body punch from Thulani.
Thulani lands a really nice looking cross but Makkonen seems unphased.

It looks like Make Makkonen has been cut.
Nice body punch from Thulani.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thulani cracks Makkonen with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Makkonen looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Thulani finish him?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thulani looks to throw the jab but Makkonen is out of range.
Thulani misses the shot to the body.
Thulani misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Makkonen throwing a counter right hand but Thulani manages to avoid it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thulani throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Makkonen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thulani throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big right from Thulani misses.
Thulani slaps away a takedown attempt from Makkonen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A telegraphed right hand from Makkonen misses the target.
Makkonen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A left lands for Thulani.
Thulani lands a nice looking body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thulani stuns Makkonen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Thulani pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Thulani is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Makkonen rather than just go for the knockout.
Makkonen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Makkonen has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Makkonen there as he acknowledges the shot.

Make Makkonen's cut is getting worse.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Makkonen.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Make Makkonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thulani ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Makkonen moves away.
Makkonen changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Thulani misses with a straight right.
Thulani tries to bum rush Makkonen with a series of wild strikes but Makkonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thulani lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Thulani escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Makkonen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Thulani sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Makkonen lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Thulani throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Makkonen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thulani throws a lazy right hand but Makkonen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Makkonen appears to be looking for a big counter.
The crowd cheers as Thulani lands an impressive looking overhand right. Makkonen doesn't seem phased though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Thulani. Makkonen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Makkonen attempts a counter takedown but Thulani avoids it well and moves away.
Mandlenkosi Thulani seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Makkonen takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Thulani lands a big right hand that sends Makkonen crashing to the mat! Thulani stays standing though and waves Makkonen back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thulani fires a straight punch through the middle that cracks Makkonen square on the jaw! Damn, Makkonen is out cold on his feet and topples face first to the canvas! Wow, I haven't seen a knockout that brutal in a long time!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:06 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Mandlenkosi Thulani!
Mandlenkosi Thulani seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
In defeat, Make Makkonen stepped up to the mic, saying 'All in all, he was better tonight. Maybe i was slightly too confident with my boxing and it did not go that well... I had a perfect camp and preparation, but it is what it is. Congrats brotha, well played!'.