PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tank Abobo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralp Lindol (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Abobo
vs
Lindol

188 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tank Abobo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ralp Lindol!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksandr Martynov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Lindol looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lindol shoots in looking for a takedown. Abobo tries to sprawl out of it but Lindol keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Abobo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Abobo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Abobo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lindol doesn't manage to clinch there - Abobo circles away.
Lindol pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lindol tries for a takedown but Abobo circles away easily

and Abobo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lindol's guard now.

Abobo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Abobo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lindol bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Abobo's guard.

Lindol got a little sloppy there for a moment and Abobo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lindol has managed to get both his arms back between Abobo's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Abobo is looking for a triangle but Lindol pushes his legs off easily.
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.

Lindol avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lindol trying to control the position from guard on top but Abobo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Abobo working for a triangle but Lindol defends it easily.
Lindol trying to control the position from guard on top but Abobo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Abobo has his foot on Lindol's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lindol works his way back into a safe position though.
Lindol won't allow Abobo to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Abobo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Abobo is breathing heavily.

Lindol avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lindol wants to control from the top but Abobo keeps moving.
Abobo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Abobo tries to get out of the position.
Lindol tries to free his leg and advance position but Abobo is retaining full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Lindol wanted to stand there but Abobo had control of the position.

Lindol avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lindol working some strikes from top position.
Lindol wants to stand but Abobo is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A bone on bone clash there as Abobo blocks the leg kick.
Abobo shoots in for a takedown but Lindol shows good takedown defense.
Ralp Lindol seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Abobo looks for a takedown but Lindol sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tank Abobo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lindol with a lazy takedown attempt

and Abobo counters with a takedown into side control.
Lindol really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Abobo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Abobo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Lindol is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Abobo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Lindol tries to buck Abobo off but Abobo is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Abobo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Lindol, who protects the arm well.

Abobo tries for a kimura but Lindol is defending well.

Abobo goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Lindol rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Abobo's guard! Nice work there by Lindol!
Lindol trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lindol is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Abobo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lindol defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lindol is trying hard to land a takedown here. Abobo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lindol misses with a takedown attempt

and Abobo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lindol won't be happy with that.

Abobo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Abobo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Abobo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Abobo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Lindol is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Abobo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Lindol, who protects the arm well.
Abobo prevents Lindol from escaping the position.
Lindol is trying to control Abobo's posture but Abobo avoids it.
Lindol is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Abobo is controlling him well.

Abobo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Tank Abobo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lindol regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Lindol is defending against the submission attempts here by Abobo.

Abobo is working for a submission of some sort.
Lindol is trying to maintain the position but Abobo is very close to passing his half guard.

Abobo looking for a submission but Lindol manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.

Abobo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Abobo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abobo postures up.
Abobo preventing the sweep.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lindol misses with a takedown attempt

and Abobo counters with a single leg into guard. Lindol didn't expect that.
Tank Abobo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralp Lindol.

Abobo has gone for a leg lock! Lindol slips out almost immediately though and dives into Abobo's guard.
Lindol throws a big right hand that misses.
Abobo keeping full guard, as Lindol tries to pass.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Abobo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lindol defends well.
Lindol trying to control the position from guard on top but Abobo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lindol has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Abobo is proving hard to escape from.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lindol misses with a takedown

and Abobo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Abobo is working for a kimura but Lindol is defending it quite comfortably.
Lindol is trying to maintain the position but Abobo is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tank Abobo dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Lindol gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Abobo counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Abobo is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Abobo is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Lindol is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Lindol has escaped and now he's on top!

Abobo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lindol trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lindol trying to control but Abobo is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Abobo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Abobo looking for a guillotine here but Lindol defends easily.

Lindol decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Abobo, up you get!
Lindol is looking to clinch but Abobo is avoiding it.
Lindol has his takedown stuffed

and Abobo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lindol's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abobo wants to pass the guard but Lindol is keeping the position.

Lindol wriggles free and stands up.
Lindol throws a sloppy head kick and Abobo moves out of range easily.
Lindol has his takedown stuffed

and Abobo counters with a takedown into side control.
Tank Abobo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralp Lindol.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Abobo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Abobo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Lindol, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lindol wants to get back to his feet.

Abobo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Lindol is trying to control Abobo's posture but Abobo avoids it.

Abobo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Lindol knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lindol tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Abobo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Abobo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lindol can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Abobo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Abobo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Lindol knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lindol manages to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Abobo is thwarting Lindol's attempts to control the position.

Lindol is defending against the submission attempts here by Abobo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tank Abobo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Abobo, 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tank Abobo!