PBP Commentary

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

Webster
vs
Labamba

165 cm
20
177 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

183 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ervin Webster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jake Labamba!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Sergei Dronov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Labamba throws a nice inside leg kick.
Labamba moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Labamba misses with a jab, cross combination.

Webster drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Webster content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Labamba is trying to work for a sweep but Webster has mounted him!
Webster has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Labamba's face.
Webster content just to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Labamba sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Webster is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Webster landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Webster thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Webster looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Labamba with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Webster missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Webster prevents Labamba from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Labamba tries to kick Webster off in order to stand up. Webster Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Labamba struggling a bit here.
Webster could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Labamba takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Webster has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Labamba tries to bench press Webster off him but Webster keeps the position.
Webster in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Webster staying calm.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Labamba can do anything to dispel that myth.
Labamba parries the strikes from Webster easily there. Webster is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Labamba to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labamba is pushing Webster's head away, looking to escape. Webster manages to hold on to the position though.
Labamba is trying to escape the position but Webster is controlling the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Webster ducks right into an uppercut from Labamba.
Webster looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Labamba is fending him off so far but Webster persists. Nope, Labamba circles away and we're back to standing.
Webster slips a jab and a cross from Labamba.
Webster feinted with a counter takedown.
Labamba lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Labamba there.
Labamba tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Webster was well out of range. Poor timing from Labamba.
Webster shoots in looking for a takedown. Labamba tries to sprawl out of it but Webster keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Labamba manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice shot by Labamba.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jake Labamba will probably get the nod.
That's time! Webster's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Webster slips a jab and a cross from Labamba.
Labamba comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Labamba turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Labamba lands with a shot to the body.
Webster takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Labamba lands a jab to the nose.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Webster drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Labamba throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Webster takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Labamba dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Webster. That did some damage!
Labamba scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Labamba lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Labamba lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A nice combination there by Labamba.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A punch combination from Labamba misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Labamba's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Labamba duly obliges.
Jake Labamba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Webster shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Webster controlling the pace.
Labamba is trying to escape back to his feet but Webster uses the scramble to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Webster creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Labamba sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ervin Webster overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Webster wants to lay and pray for a moment but Labamba keeps working.
Webster remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Webster gets to mount! Labamba was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Labamba is in a horrible position here. Webster smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's four 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.
Webster content just to control the position here.
Labamba is looking to improve his position but Webster isn't that keen on the idea.
Labamba takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Webster putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Webster controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Labamba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Webster closes the distance and clinches up with Labamba, looking for a takedown. Webster pushes Labamba against the cage but Labamba circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Labamba! But no joy.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Webster.
Labamba lands the left hand.
Horrible takedown attempt by Webster or perhaps it was just good defense by Labamba, which made it look bad.
Labamba tries a quick counter leg kick but Webster is wise to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ervin Webster. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Labamba misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Labamba does no damage.
Webster quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
The crowd cheers as Labamba lands an impressive looking overhand right. Webster doesn't seem phased though.
Labamba cracks Webster with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Labamba lands a jab to Webster's midsection.
Jake Labamba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Labamba throws a series of strikes that have Webster backpedaling.
Labamba cracks Webster with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Labamba ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Labamba throws a shot to the body.
Webster gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Labamba swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Webster counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Webster stops Labamba from standing up.
Webster in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Webster loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Labamba wants to get back to his feet but Webster is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Webster working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Webster postures up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Webster seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Labamba shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Webster eats them both and turns towards Labamba to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Labamba lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Labamba changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Jake Labamba is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Webster avoids the body shot from Labamba.
Labamba misses with a leg kick

and Webster counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Webster working the head and body with strikes.
Webster controlling the action here.
Webster throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Webster missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Labamba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Labamba winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Labamba!