PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Noble Sharp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Macabi Telavi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Sharp
vs
Telavi

171 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

174 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Noble Sharp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Macabi Telavi!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Telavi manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sharp on his heels. He'll look to pass Sharp's guard now, I'm sure.

Sharp working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Telavi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Telavi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Sharp is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Telavi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sharp, up you get!

Telavi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sharp manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

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

Telavi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sharp could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Telavi decides to return to a standing position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Telavi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Telavi decides to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Telavi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sharp sprawls well initially but Telavi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Telavi stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Sharp tries to sprawl but Telavi drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Telavi decides to stand up.

Telavi gets a takedown into half guard.

Sharp kicks Telavi off and gets back to his feet.

Telavi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Sharp pushes Telavi off and scrambles back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Telavi throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Sharp tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Telavi is in Sharp's guard.
Telavi looks winded!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Telavi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

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

Telavi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sharp napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Telavi stands up and beckons Sharp to his feet.
Sharp shoots in but no luck this time.

Telavi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sharp napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Sharp throws Telavi to one side and escapes!

Telavi scores with a takedown into Sharp's guard.

Sharp has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Telavi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Telavi stands and steps away. Sharp gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Telavi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
It looks like Telavi is going to stand back up.

Telavi decides to return to a standing position.

Telavi throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Sharp tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Telavi is in Sharp's guard.
Telavi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Telavi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Telavi gets a takedown into half guard.

Sharp manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Telavi shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Sharp is trying to defend but Telavi finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Telavi postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Sharp to stand up.

Telavi closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sharp's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sharp has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Telavi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Telavi stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Telavi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sharp manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Sharp manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noble Sharp dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sharp gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Telavi to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Sharp had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Telavi defends it easily.

Sharp escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Telavi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Telavi stands up and waves to Sharp to follow him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Telavi shoots in and bounces Sharp off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Noble Sharp overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Telavi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sharp, up you get!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharp tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Telavi defends well and Sharp ends up having to push Telavi into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Telavi gets a double leg takedown into Sharp's guard.

Telavi stands up and waves to Sharp to follow him.

Telavi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Sharp pushes Telavi off and gets back to his feet.

Telavi looking to score a takedown here. Sharp is defending well but Telavi drives through and ends up in Sharp's guard.

Sharp kicks Telavi off and gets to his feet.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Sharp gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Telavi to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Sharp has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Telavi has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sharp stalling in the clinch but Telavi improves position.
Sharp scores with a shoulder strike.
Sharp wants to get back to striking at distance but Telavi won't allow it.
Sharp is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Telavi is trying to break the clinch but Sharp is controlling him.
Telavi is trying to push Sharp away but Sharp has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Sharp tries to pull guard but Telavi won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Noble Sharp. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Telavi wants to get back to striking at distance but Sharp won't allow it.
Telavi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Telavi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sharp looking to slow down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Telavi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sharp tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A frustrated look appears on Telavi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Telavi is trying to break the clinch but Sharp has him pressed against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sharp.
The referee calls for Sharp to work.
Sharp is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Telavi is keeping busy.
Sharp misses with a punch to the body.
Telavi wants to break free but Sharp has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sharp is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Telavi is defending well.
Telavi wants to break the clinch but can't.

Sharp's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

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

Telavi decides to stand back up. Telavi steps back and let's Sharp get back to his feet.

Telavi fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sharp to the ground. Telavi is now in Sharp's guard.

Sharp is working an open guard so Telavi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Telavi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Telavi gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Telavi feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Telavi gets to his feet - Sharp follows without any prompting.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Noble Sharp will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Telavi closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sharp quickly recovers to half guard.

Telavi stands up from half guard.

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

Telavi stands up and beckons Sharp to his feet.

Telavi dives in and scores a takedown into Sharp's guard.

Sharp has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Telavi is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sharp is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Sharp decides to pull guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Telavi gets to his feet. Sharp looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Sharp enables Telavi to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Sharp manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Sharp uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Macabi Telavi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Telavi closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sharp quickly recovers to half guard.

Sharp makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Telavi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Telavi wants to stand but Sharp is controlling his posture from full guard.

Telavi stands up and waves to Sharp to follow him.

Telavi closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sharp quickly recovers to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Telavi tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Telavi decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Telavi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sharp to the mat! Sharp manages to get full guard.
Telavi is looking to stand up but Sharp won't let him.

Sharp is working an open guard so Telavi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Sharp gets caught napping as Telavi dives in and scores a takedown. Sharp manages to retain guard.

Sharp uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Telavi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Telavi stands up and waves to Sharp to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Telavi decides to stand back up. Telavi steps back and let's Sharp get back to his feet.

Telavi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sharp napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Telavi stands up.

Telavi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Telavi stands up and waves to Sharp to follow him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Telavi drives through with a takedown into Sharp's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Telavi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sharp, up you get!

Telavi closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Telavi lands in his opponent's guard.

Telavi stands up from Sharp's guard - Telavi perhaps looking for a knockout.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Sharp enables Telavi to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Sharp manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Sharp wriggles free and stands up.
Macabi Telavi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Noble Sharp is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A right-left combo lands from Telavi.

And that's the end of the fight!
Noble Sharp showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sharp, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Noble Sharp!