PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jandre Vorster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Serge Ibaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Vorster
vs
Ibaka

152 cm
29
137 lbs
18 - 4 - 0

170 cm
31
143 lbs
23 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Jandre Vorster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Serge Ibaka!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Andrew Berry and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ibaka throws the left hand but Vorster avoids the punch easily.
Vorster tries to clinch up.
Vorster moves out of range as Ibaka strikes.
Vorster keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Ibaka has Vorster up against the cage in a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ibaka.
Ibaka scores with a hook to the body.
Vorster tries to pull guard but Ibaka won't allow it.
A short right from Ibaka on the inside.
Ibaka scores with a shot to the side of Vorster's head.
Ibaka scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ibaka lands with a short shot to the head.
Ibaka throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Vorster goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ibaka prevents it.
Ibaka digs a right hand underneath Vorster's ribcage. Vorster let out a lung full of air as it connected.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vorster prevents a body shot from Ibaka.
Vorster tries for a takedown but Ibaka manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jandre Vorster. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vorster changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ibaka fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vorster tries to close the distance and clinch but Ibaka swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ibaka throws out a counter right but Vorster avoids it with no problem.
Vorster shoots for a double leg takedown but Ibaka sprawls well. He's pushed Vorster's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ibaka. Vorster does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vorster is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Ibaka as Vorster shoots in.
Vorster is looking to clinch.
Vorster tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ibaka swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ibaka's coach down at England Fight Club MMA was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Ibaka's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Ibaka lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Ibaka ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ibaka connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Vorster shoots and misses
and Ibaka counters with a nice uppercut.
Ibaka goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Ibaka swats away the attempt to clinch by Vorster.
Vorster tries to clinch but Ibaka moves out of range.
Ibaka looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Vorster doesn't manage to clinch there - Ibaka circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ibaka throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Vorster stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ibaka throws a lazy right hand but Vorster sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ibaka lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Ibaka throws a head kick that misses.
Vorster avoids the head kick by Ibaka.
Vorster takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Ibaka is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Ibaka circles away from the clinch attempt.
Vorster slips a jab from Ibaka.
Vorster gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ibaka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ibaka loads up on a big right hand but Vorster slips the punch.
Vorster tries to clinch but Ibaka moves out of range.

Vorster has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ibaka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vorster.
Ibaka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Vorster is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ibaka pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ibaka lands a nice uppercut.
Vorster blocking some punches.
Ibaka missing with knees to the body.
Vorster prevents a body shot from Ibaka.
Ibaka tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Vorster's elbow.
Ibaka is pressed up against the cage. Vorster has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ibaka down to the mat. Ibaka avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Vorster tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ibaka looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Vorster forces Ibaka back against the cage and clinches.
Ibaka lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vorster backwards.
Ibaka lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ibaka working aggressively here.

Vorster ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Vorster no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Vorster not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ibaka trying to control but Vorster is working from the bottom.
We've been hearing good reports from Vorster's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Vorster looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ibaka trying to control but Vorster is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vorster is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Ibaka is sitting in close to Vorster's body. Vorster has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Ibaka is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Ibaka is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Vorster.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:43 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Jandre Vorster!
Jandre Vorster decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.