PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between YUCEL BABA (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Logan Darke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

BABA
vs
Darke

185 cm
22
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
19
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, YUCEL BABA!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Logan Darke!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Paul Tew and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
BABA is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Darke tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and BABA counters with a single leg into guard. Darke didn't expect that.
Darke keeping moving, preventing BABA from controlling successfully.
BABA advances position into side control!
Darke is looking for a sweep.
BABA throws a strike aimed at the side of Darke's head but Darke avoids it well.

BABA stands up and we're back to a striking position.
BABA throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

BABA clinches up against the cage.

Darke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

BABA shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Darke's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

BABA gets to his feet - Darke follows without any prompting.
BABA looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darke shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
BABA tries to kick Darke off but Darke keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Darke wants to get back to his feet.
Darke stops BABA from getting back to his feet.
BABA is looking to get back to full guard here but Darke has managed to pass to side control instead.
BABA is breathing heavily.
Darke raining down shots from the mount!
Darke trying to control but he's not successful this time.
BABA tries to get back to half guard but can't.
BOOM! Darke connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darke controlling from mount.
Darke punishing his opponent with strikes.
Darke lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Darke working BABA over with strikes here.
Darke content just to control the position here.
Darke cracks BABA with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Darke working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Darke avoids the attempt from BABA to control.
BABA is looking to get to half guard.
Darke lands a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BABA wants to try and get back to his feet.
Darke controlling from the full mount.
Darke wants to control the pace but BABA is squirming around nicely.
BABA is trying desperately to improve position.
Darke trying to control but BABA is having none of it.
Darke controlling from mount.

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.
BABA working to try and regain half guard.
Darke looking to control but BABA is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
BABA manages to regain half guard. Good work.
BABA wants to get back to full guard.
Darke tries to stand but his hand is stuck under BABA.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
BABA trying to control here.
Darke frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that YUCEL BABA will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Darke has his takedown stuffed

and BABA counters by clinching up.
Darke avoiding damage as BABA throws knees to the body.

BABA drags the fight down to the ground.
Darke trying to control but BABA is working from the bottom.

Darke stands and steps away. BABA gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
BABA throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
BABA lands with a shot to the body.
BABA swats away the attempt to clinch by Darke.
Darke fails in his attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
BABA doesn't manage to clinch there - Darke circles away.
BABA throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
BABA tries to clinch up

and Darke holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
BABA tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Darke smiles and moves away.

Darke moves into range and clinches up with BABA.

Darke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Darke gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and BABA counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Darke prevents the takedown attempt.
Darke lands with a light punch inside.

Darke breaks the clinch.
BABA fakes the leg kick and cracks Darke in the body.
BABA wants to clinch but Darke slips to the side

and Darke counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for BABA!
The referee warns BABA that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Darke sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Darke has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
BABA is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Darke is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. BABA can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
BABA tries to reverse the position but Darke maintains control.
BABA wants to control but Darke is having none of it.
BABA wants to get back to his feet.
BABA really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
BABA flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Darke looking to ground and pound but BABA is blocking nicely.
BABA tries to buck Darke off but he can't manage it.
BABA is in all sorts of trouble here.
BABA throwing punches despite being mounted.
BABA is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BABA gets back to half guard.

BABA has one foot on Darke's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Darke breaks from the clinch.

BABA gets caught flat footed, as Darke shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Darke sitting in guard, not really doing much.
BABA wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Darke is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Darke trying to control the position from guard on top but BABA is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darke passes BABA's left leg - he's now in half guard.

BABA is defending against the submission attempts here by Darke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darke landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
BABA strikes from the bottom but Darke passes into mount!
Darke lands a big shot there that rocks BABA but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Darke prevents BABA from getting the reversal.
A nice elbow there by Darke.
Darke landing strikes from the mount and BABA is in trouble!
Darke lands a big elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darke trying to control but BABA is having none of it.
Darke lands with some vicious ground and pound - can BABA hang on?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Logan Darke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

BABA wants to clinch
and Darke makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
BABA misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A swing and a miss from BABA.
Darke tries to clinch but BABA moves away
and BABA counters with a head kick.
BABA has his takedown stuffed
and Darke finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Darke 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.
BABA wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Darke is now in half guard.
BABA is looking to improve his position.
Darke drops an elbow to the side of BABA's head.
BABA is trying to stand back up but Darke is controlling him
BABA manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
BABA wants to stand but Darke is controlling the position.
Darke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
BABA bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Darke's guard.

Darke isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. BABA stacks Darke on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by BABA!
BABA landing strikes.
Darke wants to control but BABA postures up.
BABA misses with the ground and pound.
Darke gets back to half guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Darke rushes BABA and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

BABA escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
YUCEL BABA seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

BABA instigates a clinch.
BABA lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Darke breaks the clinch.
BABA wants to clinch
and Darke counters with a nice uppercut.
BABA looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
BABA avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
YUCEL BABA is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
BABA wants to clinch

and Darke counters with a shoot takedown. BABA fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darke stops BABA from standing up.

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

Darke instigates a clinch.
Darke wants to get back to striking at distance but BABA won't allow it.
Darke working aggressively here.

BABA escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
BABA tries to clinch
and Darke counters with a one-two to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

BABA gets a takedown into half guard.

Darke is rocked!
BABA winds up and cracks Darke with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Darke is still in real trouble! Can BABA finish him?

BABA decides to stand and escape the position.

BABA drives through and clinches with Darke against the cage.

BABA escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

BABA closes the distance and clinches.

BABA looking to score a takedown. He gets a body lock and scores a very heavy trip takedown. That's knocked the wind out of Darke! BABA lands strikes from the mount and the ref steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Slam). YUCEL BABA!