PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paul Lincoln (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fakhri El Hashem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). El Hashem has chosen Kassaman as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Paul Lincoln has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Lincoln
vs
El Hashem

165 cm
26
147 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

179 cm
25
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paul Lincoln!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Fakhri El Hashem!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Saam Ante and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

El Hashem closes the distance and clinches.
El Hashem is trying to pull guard but Lincoln has him pressed against the cage.

Lincoln escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
El Hashem shoots for a double leg takedown but Lincoln sprawls well. He's pushed El Hashem's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lincoln closes the distance looking to clinch
and El Hashem cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A jab from El Hashem misses.
Lincoln connects with a high kick.
El Hashem shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Paul Lincoln has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fakhri El Hashem.
Lincoln takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
El Hashem tries for a takedown but Lincoln circles away easily
and Lincoln counters with a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lincoln fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lincoln looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
El Hashem takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

El Hashem moves into range and clinches up with Lincoln.
Lincoln is trying to break the clinch but El Hashem has him pressed against the cage.

Lincoln breaks the clinch.
El Hashem moves out of range of the body kick from Lincoln.
El Hashem swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln slips a straight right by El Hashem.
Lincoln throws a right hand that El Hashem ducks under and follows up with a left that El Hashem also avoids with ease.
El Hashem shoots for a takedown but Lincoln saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
No joy there for El Hashem, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Paul Lincoln is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
El Hashem circles away from the clinch attempt.
El Hashem swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
That kick from Lincoln tenderised El Hashem's leg. El Hashem is trying to keep his angry face on.
Lincoln lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but El Hashem circles away quickly and effectively.
El Hashem throws a big shot that misses.
El Hashem needs to keep his hands up - Lincoln had a free shot at his head there.
Lincoln cracks El Hashem with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
El Hashem keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lincoln's efforts to push away.

Lincoln breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lincoln fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
El Hashem just misses with a punch to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Lincoln. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
El Hashem thuds a left hand into Lincoln's body.
El Hashem tries for a takedown but Lincoln sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fakhri El Hashem seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lincoln slaps away a takedown attempt from El Hashem, before circling back to the center of the mat.
El Hashem looks winded!
Lincoln tries to clinch but El Hashem moves out of range.

El Hashem has closed the distance and engaged Lincoln in a clinch.

Lincoln escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
El Hashem fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lincoln avoids it really well and circles away.
El Hashem throws a hook but Lincoln blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

El Hashem looks to score with a jab to the body but Lincoln is just out of range.
Lincoln lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Lincoln wants to clinch up but El Hashem keeps it at a distance.
El Hashem fails to land the takedown.
Lincoln tries to clinch up.
Paul Lincoln is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lincoln tries a head kick but it misses.
El Hashem changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lincoln tries to avoid it but El Hashem manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lincoln to the ground. Lincoln escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lincoln throws a right hand that El Hashem ducks under and follows up with a left that El Hashem also avoids with ease.
Lincoln lands with an uppercut that bounces El Hashem off the cage and back into range.
Lincoln with a nice cross.

El Hashem shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Lincoln pushes El Hashem off and gets back to his feet.
Paul Lincoln is winning the standup battle so far.
Lincoln drops his hands momentarily and El Hashem takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
El Hashem closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lincoln circles away.
Paul Lincoln has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fakhri El Hashem.
El Hashem is breathing heavily.

El Hashem gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Lincoln breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A decent looking cross lands there for El Hashem.
Lincoln tries to clinch up.
El Hashem throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
El Hashem misses with a left hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

Lincoln closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Lincoln escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lincoln tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. El Hashem manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

El Hashem darts in and clinches Lincoln up against the cage.

Lincoln breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Lincoln closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Lincoln manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

El Hashem takes the fight into the clinch.
El Hashem tries to pull guard but Lincoln won't allow it.

Lincoln breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
El Hashem moves out of range of the strikes.
El Hashem throws a jab but it's blocked by Lincoln.
A slow jab from El Hashem misses its intended target.
El Hashem closes the distance and clinches up with Lincoln, looking for a takedown. El Hashem pushes Lincoln against the cage but Lincoln circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
El Hashem throws out a powerful jab.
El Hashem misses with a takedown
and Lincoln counters with a two punch combo.
A punch combination from Lincoln misses.
Lincoln avoids the body shot from El Hashem.
Lincoln takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lincoln tries to clinch but El Hashem is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lincoln throws a nice looking combination but El Hashem bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from El Hashem.
A thudding body kick lands there by Lincoln!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Paul Lincoln will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Lincoln scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Lincoln doesn't manage to clinch there - El Hashem circles away.
El Hashem shoots in looking for a takedown but Lincoln manages to keep the fight standing, pushing El Hashem's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lincoln looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Lincoln clinches up with El Hashem and pushes him back against the cage.
El Hashem is trying to break the clinch but Lincoln has him pressed against the cage.

Lincoln breaks from the clinch.
Lincoln throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lincoln lands a lovely overhand right.
El Hashem slips a jab and a cross from Lincoln.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lincoln fails with an attempt to clinch.
El Hashem shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lincoln as he jumps to the side.
El Hashem takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lincoln swings and misses with a hook to the body.

El Hashem closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lincoln is pressed up against the cage. El Hashem has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lincoln down to the mat. Lincoln avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Paul Lincoln has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fakhri El Hashem.
Lincoln doesn't manage to clinch there - El Hashem circles away.
Lincoln tries to close the distance and clinch but El Hashem swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from El Hashem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
El Hashem throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Lincoln moves into range and clinches up with El Hashem.
Lincoln misses with a body punch.

Lincoln breaks the clinch.

Lincoln tries to keep at a distance but El Hashem has taken the fight into the clinch.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lincoln pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln misses with a body kick.

Lincoln instigates a clinch.
El Hashem is trying to pull guard but Lincoln has him pressed against the cage.

Lincoln's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fakhri El Hashem has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lincoln fails in his attempt to clinch.
El Hashem looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lincoln looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lincoln avoids the body shot from El Hashem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

El Hashem closes the distance and clinches.
El Hashem is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Lincoln to keep the fight standing.
Lincoln prevents El Hashem from breaking the clinch.

Lincoln breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lincoln scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
El Hashem shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lincoln fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Lincoln showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lincoln, 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Lincoln!