PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Samba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Dammon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Samba comes to the cage accompanied by Bezerker by Love Among Freaks. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Samba
vs
Dammon

190 cm
35
241 lbs
33 - 12 - 2

196 cm
35
269 lbs
33 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hellbent
Steel Penn\'s Laundry 80% LAUNDRY IS AVAILABLE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 12 - 2, fighting out of Hilo, Christopher Samba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Dammon!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Richard Clark and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dammon throws out a loose jab but Samba uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dammon misses with a body punch
and Samba connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Samba connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Dammon ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Samba moves away.
Dammon waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Samba.
Dammon's coach down at Loucademia muito crazy was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Dammon's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Samba uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Dammon.
A swing and a miss from Samba.
Samba scores with a nice right hand.
Samba lands with a thumping leg kick.
Samba looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Samba lands with a straight right. Dammon didn't see that one coming.
A lazy body kick from Samba

and Dammon counters by moving into the clinch.
Dammon misses with a short punch on the inside.
Dammon blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dammon lands a shoulder strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dammon misses with a punch on the inside.
Nice body punch from Samba.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dammon tries to throw a body punch but Samba avoids it by throwing Dammon back against the cage.
Samba lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Dammon prevents a takedown attempt there.
Samba wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Samba blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dammon can't find room to land a body shot as Samba controls the action.
Dammon misses with a hook from the clinch.
Dammon blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dammon blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dammon throws a punch but it's blocked by Samba.
Dammon misses with a punch to the body.
Samba has a couple of punches blocked by Dammon.
Samba throws a head punch that misses.
Dammon working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dammon digs a right hand into Samba's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Samba's gas tank.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Dammon creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Samba working aggressively here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Dammon.
Dammon struggles to land a body shot inside as Samba controls his hands.
Dammon throws a punch but it's blocked by Samba.
Nice body punch from Dammon.
Dammon throws a head punch that misses.
Samba lands a left hand that snaps the head of Dammon backwards.
Samba blocking some punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Samba misses with some punches.
Dammon looking to stall.
Samba scores with a hook to the body.
Dammon doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Samba is trying to force a seperation but Dammon has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Dammon.
Dammon lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Samba backwards.
Dammon goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dammon goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dammon working aggressively here.
A right hook to the body lands for Samba.
Samba blocks a body shot from Dammon.
Dammon misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Dammon fails to land.
Dammon lands an uppercut.
Dammon lands a hook that snaps the head of Samba backwards.
Samba blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dammon stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Samba misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samba looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dammon has a couple of punches blocked by Samba.
Samba blocks an uppercut.
Samba lands with a short shot to the head.
Samba trying to control the position but instead, Dammon has worked for underhooks and has pushed Samba into the cage.
Samba misses with a hook from the clinch.
Dammon tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dammon tries to work over Samba's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Samba lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Samba thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Dammon avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Samba.
Dammon avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Samba.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Christopher Samba will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dammon lands a nice shot to the body.
Samba slips a straight right by Dammon.
Dammon takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Dammon scores with a jab.
Samba misses with a leg kick
and Dammon counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dammon staying out of range there.
Dammon misses with a straight right.
A slow jab from Samba misses its intended target.
Samba fails with a takedown attempt.

Samba dives in and scores a takedown into Dammon's guard.
Samba is looking to work some ground and pound but Dammon has wrist control.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Dammon manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Samba tightens his grip and picks Dammon up, before dumping him to the ground. Dammon manages to land in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dammon keeping moving, preventing Samba from controlling successfully.
Dammon is pulling down on Samba's head. It's preventing any offense from Samba, at least for the moment.
Samba trying to control the position from guard on top but Dammon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Samba throws an elbow that misses. Dammon uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Samba's guard. Nice move by Dammon!

Samba is trying to control the position but Dammon postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Dammon looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Samba is on top in guard.

A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dammon holds on and takes a little breather.
Samba scoring with some ground and pound.
Samba trying to control but Dammon is working from the bottom.
Samba loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dammon is trying to control the position but Samba postures up.
Samba trying to control the position from guard on top but Dammon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Samba looking to sit in guard and control but Dammon gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dammon trying to control the position from guard on top but Samba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dammon might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Samba haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Samba managing to control the position.

That's four 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.
Samba tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Christopher Samba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Samba keeping moving, preventing Dammon from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Samba throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dammon counters with a nice uppercut.
Dammon on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Samba. Samba obviously looking to wear him down.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Samba moves out of range of the strikes.
Samba lands a nice hook to Dammon's body. Dammon takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Christopher Samba is winning the standup battle so far.
Dammon scores with a jab to the body.
Samba dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matt Dammon will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Dammon loads up on a big right hand but Samba slips the punch.
Samba works Dammon's body with a nice hook.
Samba misses with an uppercut. Dammon saw that one coming.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Dammon crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Samba - the referee stops the clock and Dammon gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Samba. Dammon manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Dammon takes a jab right on the kisser.
Samba lands a jab to the nose.
Dammon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Samba.
Dammon misses the jab.
Samba gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Dammon.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Samba lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Samba attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Dammon connects with a right hand. Samba shakes it off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Samba takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dammon ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Samba moves away.
Samba tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dammon was well out of range. Poor timing from Samba.
Dammon misses with a combination
and Samba counters with a thumping low kick.
Matt Dammon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Samba with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Samba throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Samba throws a body shot but no joy.
Samba looks to score with a jab to the body but Dammon is just out of range.
Samba delivers a nice body kick.
Samba misses with a hook to the body
enabling Dammon to counter with a crisp jab.
Dammon connects with a body shot.
Dammon thuds a left hand into Samba's body.
Samba scores with the left hand. Dammon knows he should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samba throws a shot to the body.
Dammon moves out of range as Samba throws a body kick.
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!
Dammon takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Dammon lands a nice shot to the body.
Samba takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Samba fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Dammon cracks a nice hook into Samba's ribs.
Samba lands the left hand.
Samba misses with a body punch

and Dammon counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dammon.
Dammon fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dammon tries a body shot but Samba blocks it.
Still in the clinch, Dammon scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dammon misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Dammon lands a body shot.
Dammon lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Samba backwards.
Samba lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Dammon doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dammon will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Samba up against the cage.
Dammon tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Dammon blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short right from Dammon on the inside.
Samba is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Dammon is defending well.
Samba has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Samba's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samba tries for a takedown but Dammon manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christopher Samba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Samba has a couple of punches blocked by Dammon.
Samba throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Samba wants to take the fight to the mat but Dammon manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Dammon misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Dammon fails to land.
Dammon tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dammon lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Dammon working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dammon blocking some punches.
Dammon doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dammon lands a nice uppercut.
Dammon throws a punch but it's blocked by Samba.
Dammon can't find room to land a body shot as Samba controls the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Matt Dammon.
I think Dammon 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!