PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kabal Labak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evad Atsituab (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Labak
vs
Atsituab

180 cm
20
215 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

190 cm
20
215 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kabal Labak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Evad Atsituab!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Colin Fray and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Labak swings widly with a right hand

and Atsituab counters with a takedown into side control.
Atsituab wants to take a breather but Labak manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Atsituab.

Labak is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Atsituab trying to control but Labak is working from the bottom.
Labak not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Labak seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Labak is really struggling to control Atsituab but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Labak manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Atsituab manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Labak wants to pass the guard but Atsituab is keeping the position.
Atsituab controlling the position.
Labak not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Labak passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Atsituab has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Labak is trying to control. Atsituab wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Atsituab is trying to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Labak seems content to control.

Labak is working for a submission of some sort.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Labak throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atsituab shoots in looking for a takedown. Labak tries to sprawl out of it but Atsituab keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Labak manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Labak connects with a nice looking jab.
Labak fails with an attempt to clinch.
Atsituab keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Labak.

Labak gets caught napping as Atsituab dives in and scores a takedown. Labak manages to retain guard.
Labak tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Labak escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Atsituab gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Labak working a defensive guard but Atsituab passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Labak tries to get to full guard but Atsituab has control of the leg.
Atsituab is trying to control. Labak wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Labak desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Labak wants to improve his position but Atsituab is controlling well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Labak has hold of Atsituab's hands but Atsituab slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Atsituab is keen to just control but Labak is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Evad Atsituab will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Atsituab has his takedown stuffed

and Labak holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Atsituab wants a takedown.
Labak scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Labak creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Labak lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Atsituab backwards.

Atsituab lands a takedown into guard.
Labak controlling the position.

Atsituab got a little sloppy there for a moment and Labak has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Atsituab has managed to get both his arms back between Labak's legs - danger averted.
Atsituab stopping the sweep attempt from Labak.
Atsituab wants to control from the top but Labak keeps moving.

Labak looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atsituab trying to control but Labak is working from the bottom.
Labak pulls Atsituab in close to his closed guard and prevents Atsituab from doing any damage or advancing position.
Labak wants to sweep here but Atsituab controlling him for the moment.
Labak bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Atsituab's guard.

Atsituab looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Labak wants to pass the guard but Atsituab is keeping the position.
Atsituab bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Labak's guard.

Labak pulls Atsituab in close to prevent any damage.
Atsituab throwing strikes from guard but Labak blocks nicely.
Labak looking to control.
Atsituab wants to control from the top but Labak keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labak looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Labak tries to clinch up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Atsituab.
Kabal Labak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evad Atsituab.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Labak.

Labak is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Atsituab is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Atsituab regains half guard there - taking advantage of Labak's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Labak is looking to take a break and control but Atsituab is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Labak sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Labak works his way into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kabal Labak dominated that second round.
That's time! Labak's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Atsituab scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Labak sneaks back into half guard.
Labak wants to get back to full guard.
Labak wants to get back to full guard but Atsituab has mounted him!
Atsituab takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
BOOM! Atsituab connects with a massive shot to the dome!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Atsituab looking to control and managing it successfully.
Atsituab prevents Labak from getting the reversal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atsituab lands a nice shot to the head.

It looks like Kabal Labak has been cut.
Atsituab is stalling here but it's allowed Labak to get half guard.
Labak wants to control but Atsituab is keeping busy.
Labak moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Labak trying to control the position.
Atsituab wants to pass the guard but Labak is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Labak keeping moving, preventing Atsituab from controlling successfully.
Labak trying to control the position.
Atsituab postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Labak is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Atsituab gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Labak moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labak softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Atsituab drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Atsituab goes for a takedown attempt but Labak pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Kabal Labak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evad Atsituab.
A slow jab from Labak misses its intended target.
Labak scores with a jab to the body.
Labak wants to clinch but Atsituab slips to the side

and Atsituab counters with a single leg into guard. Labak didn't expect that.
Labak wants to sweep here but Atsituab controlling him for the moment.
Labak working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Atsituab got a little sloppy there for a moment and Labak has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Atsituab has managed to get both his arms back between Labak's legs - danger averted.
Atsituab is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Labak pulls Atsituab in to control the position.
Atsituab looking to sit in guard and control but Labak gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Labak trying to control but Atsituab is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Labak looking to sit in guard and control but Atsituab gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Evad Atsituab comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Atsituab 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Evad Atsituab!
An out of breath Evad Atsituab thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.