PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Naseem Hamed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Carolla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carolla is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Gotta Get It On from Taboo 2. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hamed
vs
Carolla

185 cm
33
194 lbs
13 - 9 - 1

198 cm
37
201 lbs
37 - 32 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 13 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Naseem Hamed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 32 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Adam Carolla!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Leandro Rodrigues and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hamed tries to close the distance and clinch up but Carolla swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Carolla connects with the punch.
Carolla takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hamed with a jab.
Hamed swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hamed darts in trying to clinch
letting Carolla counter with a right hand.
A swing and a miss from Carolla.
A head kick misses from Carolla.
Carolla lands with a hook. Hamed tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The fight stays on the outside here - Hamed looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Carolla dodges the punch combination from Hamed.

Hamed moves into range and clinches up with Carolla.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamed unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Hamed content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hamed prevents Carolla from breaking the clinch.
Carolla is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hamed tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Carolla avoids it.
Carolla wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hamed taking a breather.
Hamed lands a shot to the body.

Carolla gets control of Hamed's arms and successfully pulls guard. Carolla will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Hamed trying to stand up but can't free himself from Carolla's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Carolla holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Naseem Hamed wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Carolla scores with a nice right hand.
Hamed connects with a looping right hand.

Hamed gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Carolla blocking some punches.
Hamed has Carolla pressed against the cage.
Hamed is trying to stall.
Hamed goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hamed is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Carolla is defending well for now.
Carolla avoids the elbow strike from Hamed, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamed lands with a light punch inside.
Hamed misses with a body punch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Carolla blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Carolla trying to control the position but instead, Hamed has worked for underhooks and has pushed Carolla into the cage.
Hamed throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Carollas head.
Hamed misses with an elbow over the top.
Hamed avoiding damage.

Carolla pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Naseem Hamed seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hamed scores with a head kick. Carolla tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Hamed tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Carolla counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Naseem Hamed is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Hamed, as that shot connected.
Carolla tries for a takedown but Hamed sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hamed looks to land a combination but Carolla avoids it well.
Carolla swats away the attempt to clinch by Hamed.
Carolla loads up on a big right hand but Hamed slips the punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hamed scores with a leg kick.

Carolla closes the distance and clinches.
Carolla tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hamed just stands there and leans against the cage.

Hamed breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Carolla throws a jab when Hamed was well out of range.
Hamed throws a body kick that misses.
Carolla swats away the attempt to clinch by Hamed.
Carolla swats away the attempt to clinch by Hamed.
Carolla tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Carolla circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hamed uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Carolla has time to react.
Carolla throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Hamed slips a jab from Carolla.
Hamed wants to clinch up but Carolla keeps it at a distance.
Carolla dodges the punch combination from Hamed.

Carolla moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamed lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Carolla.
Carolla takes a shot to the head.
Hamed is trying to maintain a safe position but Carolla gets an underhook and turns Hamed into the cage.
Hamed pushes Carolla back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A short left from Hamed.
A bit of stalling here from Hamed.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hamed keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Carolla's efforts to push away.
Hamed presses Carolla against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Carolla avoiding damage as Hamed throws knees to the body.
Hamed dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hamed throws an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hamed tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Carolla's elbow.
Hamed throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Hamed misses with an elbow over the top.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A short left from Hamed.
Carolla is working for takedown but Hamed is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hamed lands a hook that snaps the head of Carolla backwards.
Carolla blocks the elbow strike.
Carolla blocks the elbow strike.
Hamed tries to work over Carolla's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carolla blocks the elbow strike.
Carolla blocks an elbow strike.
Hamed misses with a body punch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Carolla on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hamed throws an elbow but it misses.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hamed throws an elbow but misses.
Hamed scores with a shoulder strike.
Hamed lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Hamed stalling against the cage.
Carolla is looking to control Hamed's arms but Hamed gets an underhook and turns him. Now Carolla has his back to the cage.
Hamed goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hamed breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice shot lands for Hamed.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hamed looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hamed is looking to clinch but Carolla is avoiding it.

Carolla darts in and clinches Hamed up against the cage.
Hamed has a couple of punches blocked by Carolla.
Carolla blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The referee is keeping an eye on Hamed - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hamed fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Carolla blocking some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Naseem Hamed dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hamed throws a one two combo.
Carolla avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Carolla cracks Hamed with a right hand to the side of the head.
Carolla fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hamed manages to avoid it.
Carolla throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice body kick from Carolla.
Nice jab there from Hamed.
Hamed throws an overhand right that lands on Carolla's shoulder, as Carolla tries to avoid the shot.
Hamed is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hamed throws a head kick that misses
and Carolla connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Carolla misses with a straight right.
Decent striking displayed by Carolla there.
Carolla blocks the body kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hamed tries to clinch up but Carolla circles away and keeps his distance.
Carolla might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Hamed misses.
Hamed wants to clinch.
Naseem Hamed is winning the standup battle so far.
Hamed darts in trying to clinch
and Carolla counters with a leg kick.
Hamed throws a sloppy head kick and Carolla moves out of range easily.
Hamed misses the shot to the body.
Hamed tries to clinch but Carolla is having none of it.
Carolla has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Hamed is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Carolla.
Hamed connects with the punch.
Some wild striking there from Hamed.
Carolla connects with a body shot that sends Hamed's belly button to the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Hamed. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Hamed.
Hamed is looking to clinch but Carolla is avoiding it.
Hamed tries to close the distance and clinch but Carolla swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Carolla keeps the fight on the outside.
Hamed swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Carolla tests Hamed's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hamed tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Carolla was well out of range. Poor timing from Hamed.
Hamed tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Carolla counters with a three punch combo that has Hamed backing up. Hamed nods at Carolla to acknowledge the strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Carolla throws a series of punches but Hamed moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carolla closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Carolla blocks a head kick by Hamed.
Hamed takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Hamed tries to clinch
letting Carolla counter with a right hand.
Hamed takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Hamed throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Carolla scores with a crisp jab that stopped Hamed in his tracks.
Hamed cracks Carolla with a good jab.
Hamed falls off balance throwing a combination
and Carolla counters with a nice uppercut.
Carolla rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hamed moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hamed keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hamed throws the kick towards the body but Carolla avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hamed gets a clinch.
Hamed tries to throw a body punch but Carolla avoids it by throwing Hamed back against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Carolla as Hamed tries to tie him up.
Carolla letting Hamed take a breather here.
Naseem Hamed is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Carolla blocks an elbow strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hamed lands a damaging elbow.
Carolla wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hamed has him pressed against the cage.
Adam Carolla has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Carolla tries to break the clinch but Hamed is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Naseem Hamed.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hamed, 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Naseem Hamed!
During a confident post fight interview, Naseem Hamed thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.