PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arthur Mashego (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Garth Fourie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Mashego
vs
Fourie

165 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
24
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Arthur Mashego!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Garth Fourie!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Ackerman and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mashego tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Fourie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mashego lands a slapping body shot.

Fourie has Mashego up against the ropes in a clinch.
Mashego tries to break free but Fourie pushes him back against the ropes.

Fourie breaks the clinch.
Mashego could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Mashego misses with a hook. Fourie ducked under it nicely.
Mashego tries to clinch up

and Fourie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mashego's guard now.

Mashego is rocked!

Fourie stands and steps away. Mashego gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Mashego wants to clinch but Fourie slips to the side

and Fourie counters by moving into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mashego working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Fourie looking to slow down the pace here.

Fourie successfully pulls guard.
Fourie 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.
Mashego not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fourie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mashego's guard.
Mashego wants to improve his position but instead Fourie has moved into half guard.
Fourie wants to get back to his feet.
Fourie wants to pass to mount but Mashego is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Well, if Fourie is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Fourie prevents Mashego from improving his position.
Fourie tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Mashego.
Fourie is looking to take a break and control but Mashego is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Garth Fourie hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Mashego misses with a takedown

and Fourie counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Fourie.
Mashego tries to work over Fourie's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Fourie blocks an uppercut.
Mashego tries to stall but Fourie uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Fourie tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mashego is trying to force a seperation but Fourie has the dominant position.
Mashego looking to stall.
Mashego tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mashego fails to pull guard.
Fourie working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Fourie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mashego tries to clinch up

and Fourie counters with a shoot takedown. Mashego fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fourie drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Mashego dives on top into guard.
Mashego has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Fourie doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Mashego trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Fourie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mashego can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mashego knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fourie on the ground.
Fourie looks gassed!
Mashego 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garth Fourie dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Fourie gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A short left from Mashego.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Fourie as Mashego tries to tie him up.

Mashego pulls Fourie into guard.
Mashego is pulling down on Fourie's head. It's preventing any offense from Fourie, at least for the moment.
Fourie tries to free his leg and advance position but Mashego is retaining full guard.
Fourie wants to control from the top but Mashego keeps moving.
Fourie prevents Mashego from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mashego 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.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mashego is trying to control the position but Fourie postures up.

We're going to have a standup here because Arthur Mashego wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Fourie lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Fourie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mashego as he jumps to the side.
Horrible takedown by Fourie or perhaps it was just good defense by Mashego which made him look bad.
Fourie is breathing heavily.
Fourie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mashego.
Fourie gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Mashego waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Fourie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fourie staying out of range there.
Fourie throws a sloppy head kick and Mashego moves out of range easily.
Arthur Mashego is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fourie tries to clinch but Mashego is having none of it.
Mashego throws out a powerful jab.
Mashego tries to clinch up.
Mashego misses with a double jab.

Mashego gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mashego wants to stall.

Fourie breaks from the clinch.
Mashego jabs Fourie to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Mashego scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mashego tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fourie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mashego lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Mashego stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mashego wants it to stay on the feet.
Arthur Mashego has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Garth Fourie.
Fourie takes a jab right on the kisser.
Mashego has a takedown stuffed.
Fourie circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mashego tries to clinch but Fourie moves away
and Fourie counters with a nice uppercut.
Mashego wants to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Mashego as Fourie shoots in.
Mashego is looking to clinch.
Mashego lands with an overhand left.
Mashego fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Fourie checks it well.
Nice shot by Mashego.
Mashego circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mashego is trying hard to land a takedown here. Fourie sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mashego misses with a shot to the body

and Fourie counters with a takedown into side control.
Mashego dodges the ground and pound from Fourie.

Fourie tries for a kimura but Mashego is defending well.
Mashego might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fourie wants to control but Mashego is keeping him busy.
Mashego tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mashego can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garth Fourie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Mashego closes the distance and clinches.
Mashego is trying to break the clinch but Fourie has him pressed against the ropes.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Fourie.
Mashego misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Fourie.
Mashego misses with a short punch on the inside.
A frustrated look appears on Mashego's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Mashego has a couple of punches blocked by Fourie.
Mashego goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Fourie lands an elbow just above Mashego 's eye.
Mashego misses with a punch on the inside.
Fourie is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Mashego is keeping busy.
Mashego has a couple of punches blocked by Fourie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mashego misses with a punch on the inside.
Mashego misses with a hook to the ribs.

Fourie breaks from the clinch.
Fourie swats away the attempt to clinch by Mashego.
Mashego wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fourie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mashego's waist but Mashego gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fourie off to one side.
Fourie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mashego looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mashego tries to clinch there but Fourie circles away.
Mashego smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Mashego stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Mashego looks to land a combination but Fourie avoids it well.
Fourie keeps the fight on the outside.
Fourie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mashego as he avoids it easily.
Mashego tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Fourie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Decent striking displayed by Mashego there.
Mashego tests Fourie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mashego is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Fourie just misses with a punch to the body.
Fourie swats away the attempt to clinch by Mashego.
Fourie looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Fourie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mashego rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fourie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mashego dives in and grabs Fourie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Fourie pushes down on Mashego's head and hops out.
Fourie throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Mashego.
Mashego shoots for a double leg takedown but Fourie sprawls well. He's pushed Mashego's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fourie checks a low kick from Mashego.
Mashego moves to clinch but Fourie breaks away
and Fourie counters with a nice body shot.
Mashego throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Fourie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mashego closes the distance but Fourie moves to the side
and Fourie counters with a big head kick but Mashego shrugs it off.
Mashego throws a sloppy head kick and Fourie moves out of range easily.
Fourie swats away the attempt to clinch by Mashego.
Mashego fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fourie connects with an inside leg kick.

Fourie gets tackled into the ropes by Mashego. Mashego maintains the clinch.

Fourie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mashego uses from the top position.
Fourie has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mashego won't allow Fourie to sweep him here.
Fourie controls Mashego momentarily but Mashego frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Garth Fourie was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Mashego tries to clinch up.
Mashego wants to clinch.
Mashego catches Fourie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mashego tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fourie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Arthur Mashego has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mashego rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Fourie counters with a left to the body.
Mashego fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Fourie on the side of the head.
Mashego throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mashego wants to clinch but Fourie slips to the side

so Fourie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Garth Fourie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fourie is looking to work some ground and pound but Mashego has wrist control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Garth Fourie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Fourie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Garth Fourie!