PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ray Mancine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joeli Babitu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mancine
vs
Babitu

192 cm
37
187 lbs
29 - 18 - 0

188 cm
35
180 lbs
29 - 12 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

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 29 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ray Mancine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joeli Babitu!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Robert Douchet and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Babitu throws the left hand but Mancine avoids the punch easily.
Babitu slips a straight right by Mancine.
Babitu lands with an uppercut that bounces Mancine off the cage and back into range.
Babitu keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A punch combination from Babitu misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Babitu misses the target.
Mancine throws a shot from downtown. Babitu moves away and avoids it.
Babitu throws a sloppy head kick
and Mancine counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Babitu stalks Mancine and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Mancine's face. Mancine staggers backwards, shaken.
Mancine pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mancine works over Babitu's head and body with a nice combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mancine takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Babitu thows a body kick. Mancine tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Babitu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Babitu misses with a shot to the body
and Mancine counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babitu connects with a right hand. Mancine shakes it off.
A slow jab from Babitu misses its intended target.
Babitu stuns Mancine with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Babitu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Babitu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mancine.
Mancine doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Babitu moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
An inside leg kick lands from Babitu.
Babitu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Babitu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mancine was well out of range. Poor timing from Babitu.
Babitu gets cracked there but stands up to it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Babitu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A good leg kick by Babitu.
Babitu looks for the body kick but Mancine saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mancine swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mancine definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Mancine cracks Babitu with an open hand slap.
Babitu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mancine.
Jab, jab by Babitu - just one landing.
Mancine missing with a left hand there. Babitu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A little jabbing left from Babitu on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Joeli Babitu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good work by Babitu as he checks the leg kick.
Babitu scores with a crisp jab that stopped Mancine in his tracks.
Mancine fails with a takedown attempt.
Babitu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mancine.
Babitu throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Mancine misses the target.
Babitu is looking to clinch but Mancine is avoiding it.
Joeli Babitu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Babitu throws a head kick that misses
and Mancine counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Mancine closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Babitu is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Mancine jumps into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babitu is looking for a sweep.
Mancine wants to control but Babitu is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Babitu's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Babitu tries to improve position but can't.
Mancine creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Babitu sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

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.
Babitu is trying to improve his position.
Mancine working away.
Babitu felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Mancine working the strikes but Babitu uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Mancine is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Babitu has managed to free his arm - good work.
Mancine trying to advance position but Babitu counters by regaining guard.
Mancine trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Babitu manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joeli Babitu dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Mancine throws a right hand that misses
and Babitu counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mancine thinking.
Babitu finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Mancine takes a swing at Babitu's ribcage but misses.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Babitu throws a solid leg kick but Mancine takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Babitu.
Mancine shoots in for a takedown but Babitu shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Babitu scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mancine on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Babitu misses with an uppercut

and Mancine counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Mancine looking to pass the guard.
Mancine throws an elbow that misses. Babitu uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mancine's guard. Nice move by Babitu!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mancine is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Babitu won't allow Mancine to sweep him here.

Mancine escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Babitu gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Babitu looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mancine looking to hit a scissor sweep but Babitu is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Babitu content to stall in guard here.
Babitu trying to control the position from guard on top but Mancine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Babitu wants to stand but Mancine has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Babitu has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babitu is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Mancine is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mancine can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Babitu controls the pace.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Mancine misses with a looping right.
Mancine misses with a body shot.
Mancine goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Babitu gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Babitu looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Babitu makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Babitu tries a body shot but Mancine blocks it.

Mancine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Babitu throws a head kick that half lands.
Babitu fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Mancine looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Mancine ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Babitu moves away.
A jab from Babitu does it's job there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jab, jab by Mancine - just one landing.
Babitu throws a sloppy head kick and Mancine moves out of range easily.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Babitu. Mancine shrugs it off though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mancine has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Babitu finds it's way round the side to connect with Mancine's head.
Babitu needs to keep his hands up - Mancine had a free shot at his head there.
Babitu uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joeli Babitu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A slow jab from Mancine misses its intended target.
A slapping leg kick lands for Babitu.
Babitu misses with a right hand

and Mancine counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mancine working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Babitu's thigh. Babitu counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Ray Mancine overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Babitu wants to get back to his feet but Mancine is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Babitu is on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mancine looking for a sweep. Not yet Mancine, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancine not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Babitu must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Babitu wants to get up but he can't break Mancine's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Babitu engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Mancine looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Babitu passes into side control.
Mancine is letting Babitu control him for a moment.
Ray Mancine has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Babitu passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Mancine!
Mancine is looking to get to half guard.
Babitu sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mancine wants to hold on but Babitu pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancine is wriggling around trying to escape.
Babitu takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Mancine tries to reverse the position but Babitu maintains control.
Mancine has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Babitu's lack of action.
Mancine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Mancine looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Babitu perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Mancine with a hook.
Babitu scores with a nice strike.
Mancine shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Babitu pinned against the cage. Babitu gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Babitu throws a nice outside leg kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Babitu connects with a body shot that sends Mancine's belly button to the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joeli Babitu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Babitu has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joeli Babitu!
Joeli Babitu spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.