PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Raziq (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Forbes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abdul Raziq has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Raziq
vs
Forbes

185 cm
27
175 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

189 cm
22
170 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Abdul Raziq!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Edward Forbes!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Steve Montenegro and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raziq tries to clinch there but Forbes circles away.
Forbes throws a lazy right hand but Raziq sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Forbes looks to land a right hand but Raziq moved out of range.
Raziq tries to close the distance and clinch but Forbes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Raziq rushes Forbes and presses him up against the cage.
Raziq wants a takedown.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Forbes tries to work over Raziq's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Forbes is trying to push Raziq away but Raziq has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Forbes is trying to break free.
Nice elbow from Raziq.

It looks like Edward Forbes has been cut.
Raziq prevents Forbes from breaking the clinch.
Raziq keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Forbes's efforts to push away.
Raziq wants a takedown but no success here.
Raziq tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Forbes just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdul Raziq. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Forbes looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Forbes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raziq blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Raziq tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Raziq is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Forbes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Forbes avoids the elbow strike from Raziq, against the cage.
Forbes looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Forbes has had enough of the clinch but Raziq keeps him there for the moment.
A frustrated look appears on Forbes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Raziq has Forbes pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Forbes manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Forbes taking a breather.
Raziq is looking for a takedown.
Raziq lands an elbow inside.
Raziq has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Forbes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Raziq jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Forbes walks away with a smile on his face. Raziq gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Forbes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Forbes gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Raziq counters with a three punch combo that has Forbes backing up. Forbes nods at Raziq to acknowledge the strikes.
Forbes misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Forbes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Forbes falls off balance throwing a combination
and Raziq counters with a one-two to the body.
Forbes throws a hook to the side of Raziq's head but Raziq sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Raziq tries to close the distance and clinch up but Forbes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Raziq wants to clinch but Forbes slips to the side
and Forbes counters with a two punch combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Forbes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Some wild striking there from Forbes.
Forbes falls off balance throwing a combination
and Raziq counters with a left and a right that stings Forbes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raziq closes the distance looking to clinch
and Forbes counters with a straight right hand.
Forbes misses with a hook
and Raziq counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Forbes throws a combination that misses
and Raziq counters with a two punch combo.
Raziq tries to close the distance and clinch up but Forbes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Raziq tries to clinch up but Forbes circles away and keeps his distance.
Forbes waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Raziq.
Edward Forbes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raziq avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raziq is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Forbes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Forbes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Forbes misses with a double jab
and Raziq counters with a left and a right that stings Forbes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Raziq tries to close the distance and clinch up but Forbes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Raziq avoids a punch combination nicely.
Forbes throws a combination that misses
and Raziq counters with a left and a right that stings Forbes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Edward Forbes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Edward Forbes's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Raziq tries to close the distance and clinch but Forbes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Forbes misses with a double jab.
Forbes keeps the fight on the outside.
Forbes throws the left hand but Raziq avoids the punch easily.
Forbes misses with a combination
and Raziq counters with a two punch combo.
Raziq walks into a left hand.
Raziq moves out of range as Forbes strikes.
Raziq doesn't manage to clinch there - Forbes circles away.
Raziq tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Forbes counters with a good low kick that Raziq was not able to check.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Forbes misses with a combination
and Raziq counters with a one-two to the body.
Forbes fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Raziq wants to clinch
and Forbes counters with a stiff right hand.
Raziq wants to clinch
and Forbes counters with a three punch combo that has Raziq backing up. Raziq nods at Forbes to acknowledge the strikes.
Forbes misses with a combination
and Raziq counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Forbes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Forbes throws a head kick that misses
and Raziq counters with a one-two to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Forbes misses with the combination.
Forbes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Raziq wants to clinch up but Forbes keeps it at a distance.
Raziq closes the distance looking to clinch
and Forbes counters with a left and a right that stings Raziq.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Forbes is trying to break free.
Raziq is trying to pull guard but Forbes has him pressed against the cage.
Raziq goes for a takedown in the clinch but Forbes prevents it.
Forbes wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Raziq gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Forbes.
Raziq changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Forbes fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdul Raziq. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raziq tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Raziq wants to clinch
and Forbes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Forbes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Raziq fails with an attempt to clinch.
Forbes misses with a double jab
and Raziq counters with a left and a right that stings Forbes.

Raziq closes the distance and clinches.
Forbes takes an elbow to the forehead.
Raziq lands an elbow inside.
Forbes wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Forbes looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Raziq is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Forbes to keep the fight standing.
Raziq keeps control of Forbes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Edward Forbes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Edward Forbes's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Good work by Raziq as he checks the leg kick.
Raziq uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Forbes.
Edward Forbes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Forbes dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Raziq tries to clinch but Forbes is having none of it.
Raziq tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Forbes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Forbes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Raziq.
Raziq doesn't manage to clinch there - Forbes circles away.
Forbes throws a series of punches but Raziq avoids them all with ease.

Raziq moves into the clinch.
Raziq goes for a takedown in the clinch but Forbes prevents it.
Raziq is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Forbes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raziq comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Forbes tries to break free but Raziq pushes him back against the cage.
Forbes tries to circle away but Raziq has him pinned against the cage.
Forbes is trying to force a seperation but Raziq has the dominant position.
Forbes trying to control the position but instead, Raziq has worked for underhooks and has pushed Forbes into the cage.
Raziq keeps control of Forbes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Forbes looking for a takedown.
Forbes has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Raziq after a bit of a struggle.
Forbes is looking to break free of the clinch but Raziq has double underhooks.
Raziq is trying to pull guard but Forbes has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdul Raziq. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Forbes working hard to break the clinch.
Raziq lands an elbow inside that Forbes shrugs off.
Forbes is pressed up against the cage. Raziq has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Forbes down to the mat. Forbes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Forbes throws an overhand right that lands on Raziq's shoulder, as Raziq tries to avoid the shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Forbes throws a hook to the side of Raziq's head but Raziq sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Forbes misses with a double jab
and Raziq counters with a one-two to the body.
Forbes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Raziq slips a jab and a cross from Forbes.
Forbes tries to land a leg kick but Raziq saw it coming and moves away.
Raziq is working the combinations to good effect here.
Raziq darts in trying to clinch
and Forbes counters with a straight right hand.

Raziq closes the distance and clinches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raziq has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Forbes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raziq gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That has opened up Edward Forbes's cut even more.
Forbes gets underhooks to prevent Raziq's takedown attempt.
Forbes is trying to break the clinch but Raziq is controlling him.
Raziq tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Forbes smiles and moves away.
Forbes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Raziq moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Raziq moves into the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Raziq.

The cut above Edward Forbes's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Forbes is trying to push Raziq away but Raziq has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Raziq lands an elbow that stopped Forbes in his tracks for a moment.

Raziq jumps guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Forbes won't allow Raziq to get back to his feet.
Forbes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Edward Forbes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Raziq is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Forbes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
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.
Forbes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Abdul Raziq has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raziq slips a jab and a cross from Forbes.

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 Abdul Raziq.
I think Forbes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Edward Forbes!
Our winner, Edward Forbes, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.