PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Burl Hobbs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Sharpe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). David Sharpe has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Burl Hobbs's chin.

Hobbs
vs
Sharpe

220 cm
18
193 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
18
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Burl Hobbs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, David Sharpe!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Atkins and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body kick there by Hobbs.
Sharpe looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Hobbs lands with a slapping head kick.

Sharpe closes the distance and clinches.
Sharpe is trying to break free.
Sharpe has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hobbs after a bit of a struggle.
Hobbs wants to take the fight to the mat but Sharpe manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Hobbs drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sharpe gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Sharpe is trying to push Hobbs away but Hobbs has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hobbs turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Hobbs manages to end up in side control.
Hobbs creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Hobbs stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharpe misses with a combination

and Hobbs counters by moving into the clinch.
Sharpe tries to circle away but Hobbs has him pinned against the cage.
Hobbs fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Burl Hobbs. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hobbs successfully pulls guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Sharpe working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Hobbs bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sharpe's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hobbs throws a strike but Sharpe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hobbs tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hobbs preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sharpe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sharpe wants to stand and escape but instead Hobbs has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Hobbs decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hobbs chopping away at his opponent's legs.
David Sharpe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hobbs throws a leg kick which misses Sharpe's front leg but catches the back leg as Sharpe tries to avoid it.
Hobbs lands a head kick!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sharpe misses with a lunging right hand

and Hobbs counters with a takedown into side control.
Hobbs trying to control the position but Sharpe is working away.

Hobbs decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Hobbs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hobbs gets a takedown into half guard.
Hobbs thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sharpe's head.
Hobbs is keen to just control but Sharpe is a slippery customer.
Hobbs thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sharpe's head.

Hobbs is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sharpe has managed to free his arm - good work.
Hobbs missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Hobbs.
Hobbs thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sharpe's head.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
No luck for Hobbs with that takedown attempt.
Sharpe stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sharpe wants it to stay on the feet.
Hobbs really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sharpe tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Hobbs counters with a series of strikes. Sharpe will be more careful next time no doubt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Burl Hobbs dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hobbs pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sharpe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Hobbs - that will leave a mark!
Hobbs scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sharpe fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hobbs is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sharpe can do to turn this around?
Sharpe throws a head kick but Hobbs moves out of range.
Hobbs pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sharpe misses with a combination
and Hobbs counters with a series of strikes. Sharpe will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hobbs misses with a two punch combination.
Sharpe is breathing heavily.
Hobbs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sharpe is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Burl Hobbs is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharpe tries to clinch but Hobbs moves out of range.
Sharpe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hobbs moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Hobbs instigates a clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hobbs wants to break the clinch but can't.

Hobbs pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Hobbs clinches.
Sharpe has Hobbs pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hobbs manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hobbs goes for a takedown attempt but Sharpe pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hobbs tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sharpe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hobbs swats away the attempt to clinch by Sharpe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hobbs thumps Sharpe with a low kick.
Sharpe takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Hobbs blocks a head kick by Sharpe.
Hobbs lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Hobbs lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sharpe circles away quickly and effectively.
Hobbs tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sharpe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
David Sharpe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hobbs is looking to clinch.
Hobbs avoids the head kick by Sharpe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hobbs darts in and clinches Sharpe up against the cage.
Hobbs is trying to pull guard but Sharpe turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Sharpe is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Hobbs to keep the fight standing.

Hobbs breaks from the clinch.

Sharpe tries to keep at a distance but Hobbs has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hobbs is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Burl Hobbs. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hobbs's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hobbs lands a head kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hobbs ducks under a wild hook from Sharpe.

Sharpe has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hobbs is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sharpe gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Hobbs jumps into guard, dragging Sharpe to the mat.
Sharpe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hobbs scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Hobbs throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sharpe has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hobbs is proving hard to escape from.
Sharpe preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Burl Hobbs dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hobbs tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sharpe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sharpe misses with a kick to the body.
Hobbs attempts a counter takedown but Sharpe avoids it well and moves away.
Hobbs chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sharpe wants to clinch up but Hobbs keeps it at a distance.
Sharpe throws a sloppy head kick and Hobbs moves out of range easily.
Hobbs shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Sharpe eats them both and turns towards Hobbs to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Hobbs lands with a nice combination. Sharpe backs away looking to recover.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hobbs looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sharpe is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sharpe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slapping body kick lands there for Hobbs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hobbs. Sharpe does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sharpe takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Sharpe tries to clinch up.
Hobbs misses with a double jab.
Sharpe is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sharpe misses with a few strikes there.
Hobbs fails to land the takedown.
Hobbs misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sharpe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hobbs misses the jab.
Sharpe is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Sharpe closes the distance looking to clinch

and Hobbs counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hobbs.
Hobbs in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sharpe preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sharpe is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hobbs drops back looking for a leg! Sharpe is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sharpe manages to kick Hobbs off! Hobbs jumps back into Sharpe's guard.

Hobbs thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
David Sharpe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hobbs's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Hobbs drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Sharpe manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Hobbs has Sharpe in his guard.

Burl Hobbs overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four 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.
Hobbs throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Sharpe stands up from Hobbs's guard - Sharpe perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hobbs blocks a leg kick.
It looked like Hobbs was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Hobbs has closed the distance and engaged Sharpe in a clinch.
Sharpe is looking to break free of the clinch but Hobbs has double underhooks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sharpe is trying to break the clinch but Hobbs is controlling him.
Burl Hobbs is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Hobbs breaks from the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Burl Hobbs showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hobbs has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Burl Hobbs!