PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taufiqul Haq (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Askren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Askren has chosen wave after wave mr probs as his entrance music. The key to victory for Taufiqul Haq has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Haq
vs
Askren

190 cm
25
255 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

166 cm
27
272 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Powerful

Alcatraz Apparel

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Taufiqul Haq!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Benny Askren!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Santiago Holmes and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Askren swats away the attempt to clinch by Haq.
Askren moves to clinch but Haq breaks away
enabling Haq to counter with a crisp jab.
Haq shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Askren defends it nicely.
Donk. Haq catches Askren right on the button with a cross.
Haq fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Askren tries to clinch up but Haq circles away and keeps his distance.
Haq fails with an attempt to clinch.
Askren moves in looking to clinch but Haq pushes him off.
Askren walks into a left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askren tries to close the distance and clinch up but Haq swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Haq scores with a crisp jab that stopped Askren in his tracks.
Askren is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Askren throws a big shot that misses.
Haq dips to his left and cracks Askren with an uppercut!

Haq closes the distance and pushes Askren back into the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Haq throws an elbow but it misses.
Haq tries to pull guard but Askren won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taufiqul Haq. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haq pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Askren slips under a jab.

Askren has Haq up against the cage in a clinch.
Askren lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Taufiqul Haq has been cut.
Askren keeps control of Haq as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Haq throws a punch but it's blocked by Askren.
Haq trying to stall but Askren improves his position.
Haq looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Haq is trying to break free.
Askren lands a nice elbow.
Haq tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A short body shot lands from Askren as the two fighters clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Askren.

Taufiqul Haq's cut is getting worse.
Haq tries to work over Askren's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Askren throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Haq misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Askren.
Haq pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Askren lands with a short shot to the head.
Haq has a couple of punches blocked by Askren.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Haq is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Haq blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Haq is trying to break the clinch but Askren is controlling him.
Haq wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Askren has him pressed against the cage.
Askren lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Haq takes an elbow to the temple.

Taufiqul Haq's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Taufiqul Haq's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Benny Askren!
A determined Benny Askren didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!