PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kwame Akabaro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Herb Hunter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Akabaro comes into the arena with African Assassin - Mo Marah blaring out of the sound system. Hunter has chosen Intimidation mixtape as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kwame Akabaro has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Akabaro
vs
Hunter

181 cm
27
178 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

180 cm
28
183 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kwame Akabaro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Herb Hunter!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, John Kavanagh and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Hunter - that will leave a mark!
Hunter tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Akabaro scores with a head kick. Hunter tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Hunter with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Hunter throws a leg kick that is checked
and Hunter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hunter buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Akabaro pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hunter misses with a low kick.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hunter's coach down at BigMouth Cabrons was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Hunter's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Hunter bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Hunter tries to land a leg kick but Akabaro saw it coming and moves away.
Akabaro checks the leg kick.
Hunter looking to land some kicks to the body here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hunter misses with a low kick.
Hunter misses with a kick to the body.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses.
Akabaro is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Hunter.
Hunter throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Akabaro.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akabaro takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hunter fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Akabaro manages to avoid it.
Hunter takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Hunter looks to score with a jab to the body but Akabaro is just out of range.
Hunter throws a half hearted mid kick.
A head kick by Akabaro misses
and Hunter counters with a straight right hand.
Hunter avoids the head kick by Akabaro.
Hunter avoids the head kick by Akabaro.
Akabaro throws a head kick but Hunter moves out of range.
Hunter connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hunter fails with an attempt to clinch.
Akabaro lands a head kick!
Hunter swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses.
Akabaro checks a leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hunter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Akabaro tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Akabaro throws a lazy head kick
and Hunter counters with a stiff right hand.
Hunter throws a jab but it's blocked by Akabaro.
Akabaro blocks a head kick by Hunter.
Akabaro throws a hook to the side of Hunter's head but Hunter sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Akabaro slips under a jab from Hunter.
Akabaro blocks a head kick by Hunter.
Akabaro swings for the body but Hunter moves out of range.
Hunter throws a series of strikes that have Akabaro backpedaling.
Hunter misses with a low kick as Akabaro jumps back.
Akabaro lands with a slapping head kick.
A jab lands there for Hunter.
A low kick from Hunter misses
and Akabaro counters with a body kick.
Hunter blocks a head kick by Akabaro.
Akabaro moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Hunter slips under a jab from Akabaro.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunter pushes Akabaro away with a front kick.
Hunter takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Hunter takes a kick to the side of the head.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hunter.
Akabaro misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Akabaro swats away the attempt to clinch by Hunter.
Hunter is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hunter goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Hunter smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Akabaro gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Akabaro on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hunter fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Akabaro is out of range.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro avoids a kick to the body.
Akabaro throws a nice head kick!
Hunter lands a jab to the nose.
Akabaro lands a head kick. Hunter smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Hunter scores with a nice strike.
Hunter throws a hook but Akabaro avoids it easily.
Hunter will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Akabaro thows a left - swing and a miss!
Akabaro keeps Hunter at a distance using the push kick.
Akabaro blocks a low kick nicely.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Akabaro jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Akabaro pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A combination from Hunter does no damage.
Hunter throws the kick towards the body but Akabaro avoids it.
Akabaro scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Herb Hunter will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hunter steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Akabaro. That one must have hurt.
Hunter throws a nice head kick!
Hunter is looking to land body kicks.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Akabaro slips a straight right by Hunter.
Akabaro avoids the head kick by Hunter.
Hunter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hunter tries to clinch up but Akabaro circles away and keeps his distance.
A punch combination from Hunter misses.
Hunter throws the kick towards the body but Akabaro avoids it.
Akabaro pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice body kick from Akabaro.
Akabaro misses with a head kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hunter, right into the meat.
Akabaro avoids the body shot from Hunter.
Akabaro tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hunter lands a nice looking kick to the body. Akabaro takes a step back to recover.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akabaro displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hunter throws out the jab.
Akabaro throws a wild body kick that Hunter sees coming a mile off.
Akabaro checks a low kick from Hunter.
A head kick misses from Akabaro.
Akabaro with a nice cross.
Akabaro takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Akabaro jabs Hunter to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Akabaro throws a head kick but Hunter moves out of range.
Hunter throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Hunter. That's going to slow Akabaro down.
Hunter does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hunter throws a solid leg kick but Akabaro takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hunter.
Hunter tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Akabaro was well out of range. Poor timing from Hunter.
Hunter tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Akabaro pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunter takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Hunter lands a nice looking 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!
Akabaro keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hunter takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Akabaro misses with a head kick.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Akabaro tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Akabaro looks to throw the jab but Hunter is out of range.
A slapping body kick lands there for Hunter.
Hunter looks for the body kick but Akabaro saw that one coming.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hunter.
Hunter has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Akabaro.
A jab from Akabaro does it's job there.
Hunter just misses with a punch to the body.
Hunter tries to clinch there but Akabaro circles away.
Akabaro just misses with a punch to the body.
Good shot there by Hunter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro works the jab nicely.
Hunter misses with a body kick.
Hunter lands a body shot.
Hunter throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hunter misses with a body shot.
Hunter throws a lazy uppercut
and Akabaro counters with a good, hard body kick but Hunter shrugs it off.
Akabaro looks to land a left hand but Hunter moved out of range nicely.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses.
Akabaro uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hunter.
Hunter moves out of range of the body kick.
Akabaro's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Hunter connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Akabaro scrambles back to his feet.
Akabaro throws a head kick but Hunter moves out of range.
Akabaro swings for the body but Hunter moves out of range.
A big right from Akabaro misses.
A slow jab from Akabaro misses its intended target.
Akabaro scoring well with a low kick there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunter sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Akabaro throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Akabaro takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Hunter misses with a low kick.
Hunter waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Akabaro.
Hunter throws a leg kick which misses Akabaro's front leg but catches the back leg as Akabaro tries to avoid it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Akabaro prevents a body shot from Hunter.
Akabaro misses with the head strike.
Akabaro takes a shot to the head.
Akabaro gets through Hunter's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Akabaro avoiding damage.
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 Kwame Akabaro will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Hunter throws a leg kick which misses Akabaro's front leg but catches the back leg as Akabaro tries to avoid it.
Akabaro throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Hunter misses with a low kick.
Akabaro connects with a looping right hand.
Akabaro misses with a wild body shot.
Hunter with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Hunter with a hook.
Akabaro scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Akabaro throws a hook but Hunter avoids it easily.
Akabaro throws a head kick but Hunter moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hunter throws a head kick that misses.
Akabaro is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hunter lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hunter shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Hunter throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hunter blocks a head kick by Akabaro.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunter attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Hunter slips under a jab.
Hunter looks to land a body kick but Akabaro moved away.
A leg kick checked by Akabaro.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hunter. Akabaro does a little dance to reset his feet.
Akabaro with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Akabaro swings for the body but Hunter moves out of range.
Hunter blocks a head kick by Akabaro.
Akabaro misses with a low kick.
Hunter steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Akabaro. That one must have hurt.
Hunter throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses.
Hunter misses with a leg kick.
Akabaro has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Akabaro there as he acknowledges the shot.
Hunter moves out of range of the body kick.
Akabaro throws a body shot but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses.
Hunter takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Hunter misses with an uppercut.
Hunter tries a low kick but Akabaro avoids it.
Hunter scores with a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Akabaro throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Herb Hunter seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hunter misses with a series of wild punches.
Akabaro lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Hunter doesn't manage to clinch there - Akabaro circles away.
Hunter keeps Akabaro at a distance using the push kick.
Akabaro takes a kick to the side of the head.
Hunter blocks a head kick by Akabaro.
Hunter lands a head shot.
Akabaro takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunter wants to slow Akabaro down by chopping away at his legs.

Hunter moves into the clinch.
Hunter lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Hunter stalls.
Akabaro has a couple of punches blocked by Hunter.
Akabaro lands with a short shot to the head.
Hunter wants to stall.
I was talking to Akabaro's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Akabaro is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Akabaro misses with a punch on the inside.

Hunter manages to break the clinch.
Hunter throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunter blocks the body kick.
Hunter motions for Akabaro to come forward. Hunter throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hunter misses with a body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hunter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Akabaro misses with an uppercut.
Akabaro tries to land a front kick but Hunter steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hunter jabs Akabaro to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Akabaro throws a head kick but Hunter moves out of range.
Hunter ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Akabaro moves away.
Hunter motions for Akabaro to come forward. Hunter throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Akabaro uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hunter.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hunter throws a low kick but Akabaro moves out of range easily.
Akabaro throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Herb Hunter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hunter 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Herb Hunter!
A victorious Herb Hunter thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
Kwame Akabaro spoke after the fight, saying 'You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance!'.