PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Simba Arubi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Minotari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Arubi
vs
Minotari

185 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Simba Arubi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marco Minotari!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Bruno Hogan and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Minotari throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Arubi.
Minotari cracks Arubi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

It looks like Simba Arubi has been cut.
Arubi avoids a punch combination nicely.
A clash of legs there as Arubi blocks the low kick.
Arubi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Minotari throws a body kick that misses.
Minotari throws a series of punches but Arubi avoids them all with ease.
Arubi closes the distance and clinches up with Minotari, looking for a takedown. Arubi pushes Minotari against the cage but Minotari circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Arubi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Arubi shoots for a double leg takedown but Minotari sprawls well. He's pushed Arubi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Minotari tries a low kick but Arubi avoids it.
A low kick from Minotari is predictable there
and Arubi counters with a left to the body.
Minotari looks gassed!
Arubi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simba Arubi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice combination there by Arubi.
Minotari throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Minotari shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Arubi pinned against the cage. Arubi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Arubi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arubi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Arubi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Minotari pinned against the cage. Minotari gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Arubi thuds his right hand into Minotari's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Minotari keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No luck for Arubi with that takedown attempt.
Arubi fails to land with a series of punches.
Minotari shoots in looking for a takedown. Arubi tries to sprawl out of it but Minotari keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Arubi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Arubi swinging wilding here.
Minotari ducks right into an uppercut from Arubi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Minotari as Arubi shoots in.
Minotari falls off balance throwing a combination

and Arubi counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Minotari!
Arubi lands with some strikes.
Minotari is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Arubi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Minotari hang on?
Minotari is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Arubi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Minotari hang on?
Arubi is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Arubi.
Minotari tries to buck Arubi off but he can't manage it.
Arubi putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Minotari bucks up and throws Arubi to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Minotari misses with a two punch combination.
Minotari misses with a double jab
enabling Arubi to counter with a crisp jab.
Arubi misses with a takedown attempt
and Minotari counters with a left and a right that stings Arubi.
Arubi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Arubi displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Arubi loads up on a big right hand but Minotari slips the punch.
Minotari scores with a hook to the body. Arubi takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arubi slips under a jab.
Arubi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Arubi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Minotari throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Arubi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Minotari has a closed guard, preventing Arubi from standing up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Minotari can do anything to dispel that myth.
Arubi wants to control from the top but Minotari keeps moving.
Arubi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Minotari keeping moving, preventing Arubi from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simba Arubi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Simba Arubi's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Arubi tries to close the distance and clinch but Minotari swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Simba Arubi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Minotari looks to land a combination but Arubi avoids it well.
Minotari throws a series of punches but Arubi moves out of range.
Minotari stuffs the takedown attempt from Arubi. Arubi gets slowly back to his feet.
Arubi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Minotari moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Arubi ducks under a wild hook from Minotari.
Minotari misses with a combination
and Arubi counters with a two punch combo.
Arubi moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Arubi lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arubi shoots in for a takedown but Minotari shows good takedown defense.
A cross from Arubi lands.

Minotari clinches up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Minotari is looking to break free of the clinch but Arubi has double underhooks.

Arubi breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minotari throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Arubi counters with a series of strikes. Minotari will be more careful next time no doubt.
Minotari looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Arubi has his takedown stuffed
and Minotari counters with a series of strikes. Arubi will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simba Arubi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Minotari misses with a combination

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

Minotari breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arubi throws a left and a right that both miss

and Minotari counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Minotari.
Arubi is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Minotari tries to pull guard but Arubi won't allow it.

Minotari breaks from the clinch.
Arubi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Arubi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Arubi lands a nice short elbow.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Arubi connects with a nice short shot to Minotari's temple.
Minotari really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Arubi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Minotari is trying to stand up here but Arubi is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arubi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Arubi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Minotari is trying to stand.
Minotari keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Arubi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Minotari is trying to stand up here but Arubi is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Minotari misses with a few strikes there.
Minotari misses with a two punch combination.
Arubi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Minotari moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arubi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Arubi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Minotari as he avoids it easily.
Arubi throws a left and a right that both miss
and Minotari counters with a good low kick that Arubi was not able to check.
Arubi with a poor takedown
and Minotari makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Minotari moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Arubi scores with a crisp jab that stopped Minotari in his tracks.
Arubi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Minotari wants to land a leg kick but Arubi is out of range.
Arubi has a takedown stuffed.
Minotari misses with a double jab
enabling Arubi to counter with a crisp jab.
Arubi fails with a takedown attempt.
Minotari has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arubi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Minotari counters with a two punch combo.
Arubi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Minotari pinned against the cage. Minotari gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Minotari takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Some wild striking there from Arubi.
Minotari is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Arubi.
Minotari throws the left hand but Arubi avoids the punch easily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Arubi.
Minotari misses with a combination
and Arubi counters with a left to the body.
Arubi tries for a takedown but Minotari sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Minotari shoots for a double leg takedown but Arubi sprawls well. He's pushed Minotari's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simba Arubi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Simba Arubi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Minotari throws a combination that misses
and Arubi counters with a straight right hand.
Minotari stuffs the takedown.
Arubi shoots in but no luck this time.
Minotari connects with a looping right hand.
Minotari swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Arubi.
Minotari misses with a combination
and Arubi counters with a good low kick that Minotari was not able to check.
Arubi fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simba Arubi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arubi swings for the body but Minotari moves out of range.
Arubi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Arubi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Minotari pinned against the cage. Minotari gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arubi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Minotari circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minotari looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Arubi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Arubi tries to close the distance and clinch but Minotari swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Arubi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Minotari.
Minotari throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Arubi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Minotari looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Minotari parries the strikes from Arubi easily there. Arubi is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Minotari to escape.
Arubi lands a decent elbow from side control.
Arubi working the body and head with strikes.
Arubi works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Arubi throwing strikes but Minotari manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arubi manages to get back to half guard.
Arubi is trying to get back to full guard.
Arubi flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Arubi is pressing down on Minotari's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Arubi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Minotari is controlling him.
Arubi trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minotari is looking to stand up but Arubi won't let him.
Arubi throwing short punches from the bottom.
Arubi 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.
Minotari wants to stand but Arubi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Simba Arubi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Arubi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Arubi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Simba Arubi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Arubi lands a big elbow.

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.
Arubi trying to control but Minotari is having none of it.
Arubi dominating with strikes here.
Arubi postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Minotari looks a forlorn figure.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Arubi looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simba Arubi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Arubi, 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 John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simba Arubi!