PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between El Kabyo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Bako (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kabyo
vs
Bako

195 cm
22
245 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

191 cm
18
240 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, El Kabyo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Bako!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kabyo swats away the attempt to clinch by Bako.
Kabyo throws a solid leg kick but Bako takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kabyo.
Bako wants to clinch up but Kabyo keeps it at a distance.
Bako tries to clinch but Kabyo is having none of it.

Kabyo drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bako tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bako wants to stand but Kabyo is controlling the position.
Kabyo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Kabyo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kabyo trying to control but Bako is working from the bottom.
Bako is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kabyo is controlling him.
Bako keeping moving, preventing Kabyo from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bako is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bako connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Kabyo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Kabyo wants to work for an arm triangle but Bako is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kabyo passes to side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bako on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Bako is trying to control Kabyo's posture but Kabyo avoids it.
Bako is looking for a sweep.
Bako stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Kabyo remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kabyo wants to control but Bako is keeping him busy.
Bako is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Bako's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bako is trying to get back to half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bako has his takedown stuffed

and Kabyo counters with a single leg into guard. Bako didn't expect that.
Kabyo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kabyo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kabyo is breathing heavily.
Kabyo wants to control from the top but Bako keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kabyo being controlled here momentarily.
Bako looking for a sweep. Not yet Bako, not yet.
Kabyo forces his way into half guard.
Bako keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Bako tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Kabyo prevents Bako from standing back up.
Bako tries to roll over but Kabyo keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kabyo frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bako is desperately trying to improve his position but Kabyo has a good base and remains in mount.
Kabyo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bako is looking to escape.
Bako is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bako really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kabyo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kabyo with the ground and pound from mount.
Bako can't escape the position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Kabyo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bako is bucking up trying to escape but Kabyo cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Bako is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bako slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Kabyo wants to control but Bako is keeping him busy.
Kabyo is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Kabyo dominated that round.
That's time! Kabyo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bako closes the distance but Kabyo moves to the side

and Kabyo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Kabyo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Bako is trying to stand back up but Kabyo is controlling him
Kabyo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bako does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kabyo throwing shots but Bako is blocking nicely.
Bako wants to get back to full guard.

Bako looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kabyo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Kabyo is tying to control. Bako wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kabyo lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Bako tries for a takedown but Kabyo circles away easily

and Kabyo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kabyo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Kabyo trying to control from half guard but Bako is working away.

Kabyo decides to return to a standing position.
Bako misses with a combination

and Kabyo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Kabyo prevents Bako from getting back to his feet.
Kabyo trying to control but Bako is working from the bottom.
Kabyo working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bako's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kabyo trying to move into half guard but instead Bako has managed to sweep!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kabyo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bako trying to control but Kabyo is working from the bottom.
Bako lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kabyo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bako controlling from the top position.
Bako tries to stand but Kabyo is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bako lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kabyo is trying to control the position but Bako postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bako trying to control the position from guard on top but Kabyo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kabyo wants to sweep but no luck.
El Kabyo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bako postures up.

Kabyo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bako doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Bako manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kabyo is on top in guard.
Kabyo pushing down on Bako's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Bako is refusing to be controlled, as Kabyo sits in half guard.
Kabyo keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Kabyo winds up and cracks Bako with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kabyo is taking a breather. Bako says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Kabyo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bako does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bako blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kabyo.
Kabyo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kabyo is keen to just control but Bako is a slippery customer.
Bako trying to control from the bottom.
Kabyo sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Bako wants to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kabyo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bako as he avoids it easily.
Bako shoots and misses

and Kabyo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Kabyo dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kabyo shoots in for a double leg but Bako sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kabyo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Kabyo keeps the fight on the outside.
Kabyo ducks under a wild hook from Bako.
El Kabyo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Kabyo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Bako wants to control but Kabyo is keeping busy.
Kabyo controlling the pace.
Bako flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Bako tries to roll over but Kabyo keeps him under control.
Kabyo wants to take a breather but Bako is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bako is trying to stand back up but Kabyo is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kabyo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kabyo lands with a punch from half guard.
Kabyo content to control rather than advance.
Bako tries to roll over but Kabyo keeps him under control.
Bako won't allow Kabyo to pass to mount.
Kabyo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bako with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Kabyo passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Bako!
Kabyo trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kabyo landing shots from mount.
Kabyo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Kabyo with good strikes from the mount here!
Bako wants to control but Kabyo is having none of it.
Bako can't escape the position.
Kabyo landing strikes from the mount.
Kabyo landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kabyo with good strikes from the mount here!
Bako wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Kabyo landing strikes from the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kabyo looking to control but Bako is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bako wants to control but Kabyo is having none of it.
Kabyo throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Kabyo prevents Bako from getting the reversal.
Bako gets back to half guard.
Bako trying to control but Kabyo postures up.
Kabyo is pressing down on Bako's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bako is holding on for now.
Kabyo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bako keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Bako is trying to maintain the position but Kabyo is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kabyo looks to land a strike but Bako avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Kabyo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kabyo 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.

Bako looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bako shoots and misses

so Kabyo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kabyo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bako trying to keep a closed guard but Kabyo is proving a slippery customer.
Bako keeping moving, preventing Kabyo from controlling successfully.
Kabyo controlling from the top position.
Kabyo's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Kabyo passes Bako's left leg - he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
El Kabyo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kabyo, 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... El Kabyo!