PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bupe Mubanga (ranked 22119 p4p, 785 weight class) and Maynor Luis (ranked 22983 p4p, 728 weight class). Bupe Mubanga could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Maynor Luis's chin.

Mubanga
vs
Luis

196 cm
28
235 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

200 cm
27
222 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bupe Mubanga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Maynor Luis!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Edson Gomes and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Luis drives through and clinches with Mubanga against the cage.
Luis wants to take the fight to the mat but Mubanga manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
We've been informed that Luis has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Mubanga slows down the pace here.
Luis wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Mubanga takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Luis stalling in the clinch.
Luis swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Luis wants to take the fight to the mat but Mubanga manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luis jumps guard but Mubanga stands there with Luis around his waist. Luis gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bupe Mubanga has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maynor Luis.

Mubanga drags the fight down to the ground.
We've been hearing good reports from Mubanga'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.
Mubanga avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Luis stopping the sweep attempt from Mubanga.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mubanga is keeping the position for now.
Mubanga manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Luis manages to get himself to full guard.

Luis is adopting a defensive guard.
Mubanga is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Luis wants to stand up but Mubanga is controlling him.
Mubanga postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Luis working a defensive guard here.
Luis keeping moving, preventing Mubanga from controlling successfully.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mubanga tries to free his leg and advance position but Luis is retaining full guard.
Mubanga is stalling in the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Luis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Luis shoots and misses
and Mubanga counters with a nice kick to the body.
Mubanga looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mubanga avoids a punch combination nicely.
Luis tries to clinch up.

Luis rushes Mubanga and presses him up against the cage.
Mubanga prevents Luis from breaking the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mubanga breaks the clinch.
Mubanga tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Luis defends well and Mubanga ends up having to push Luis into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Mubanga tries to clinch up.

Luis has Mubanga up against the cage in a clinch.
Luis tries to pull guard but Mubanga holds him up against the cage and eventually Luis drops back down to his feet.

Luis manages to break the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Luis is defended easily by Mubanga.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Luis with a lazy takedown attempt
and Mubanga counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Maynor Luis has been cut.
Mubanga scores with a head kick. Luis tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mubanga misses with a body shot
and Luis counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bupe Mubanga dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Maynor Luis's cut.
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.

Luis shoots in looking for a takedown but Mubanga manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Luis's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mubanga misses with a wild body shot.
Luis is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Mubanga has managed to clinch.

Luis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Luis shoots in for a double leg but Mubanga sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mubanga closes this distance looking for a takedown but Luis circles away.
Luis fails with the takedown.
Bupe Mubanga has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maynor Luis.
Mubanga fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mubanga shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Luis as he avoids it easily.
Luis tries to counter with a clinch but Mubanga shakes him off and moves away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mubanga.
Luis goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mubanga avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mubanga moves in looking to clinch but Luis pushes him off.
Mubanga shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Luis but Luis pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Luis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice takedown defense from Luis. No joy for Mubanga on that attempt.
Luis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mubanga is looking to clinch.
Mubanga tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Luis counters with a left to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Luis.
Mubanga shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Luis as he avoids it easily.
Luis is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
No luck for Mubanga with that takedown attempt.

Luis moves into the clinch.
Mubanga is looking to take this one to the mat.
Luis tries to land knees in the clinch but Mubanga avoids the damage to the body.

Mubanga breaks from the clinch.
Luis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mubanga keeps the fight on the outside.
Mubanga changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Mubanga moves in looking to clinch but Luis pushes him off.
Luis fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mubanga shoots in but no luck this time.
Luis tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mubanga swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mubanga shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Luis eats them both and turns towards Mubanga to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Mubanga tries to keep at a distance but Luis has taken the fight into the clinch.

Mubanga manages to break the clinch.
Luis fails with a takedown attempt.
Mubanga feinted with a counter takedown.
Mubanga shoots in for a takedown but Luis shows good takedown defense.
Mubanga shoots in for a double leg but Luis sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Luis is looking for the big counter here.
Bupe Mubanga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mubanga tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Luis swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mubanga circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Luis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Luis misses with a takedown

and Mubanga holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mubanga tries a knee to the head but Luis blocks it.
Luis has Mubanga pressed against the cage.
Luis tries to score a body lock takedown but Mubanga shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Mubanga tries to pull guard but Luis won't allow it.
Luis tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mubanga jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Luis walks away with a smile on his face. Mubanga gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Luis shoots in for a takedown but Mubanga shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maynor Luis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Maynor Luis's cut.
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!

Mubanga misses with a takedown attempt - Luis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Luis will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mubanga tries to clinch there but Luis circles away.

Luis clinches up with Mubanga and pushes him back against the cage.
Luis tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mubanga letting Luis take a breather here.
Mubanga tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Luis smiles and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luis tries to close the distance and clinch but Mubanga swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mubanga tried to counter with a leg kick but Luis avoided it.
Mubanga tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Luis swivels and escapes.
As Mubanga backs off Luis throws a huge counter combo but Mubanga manages to avoid it all.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bupe Mubanga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Luis shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Luis.
Luis shoots in looking for a takedown. Mubanga tries to sprawl out of it but Luis keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mubanga manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Luis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Luis tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mubanga manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Luis throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mubanga's waist but Mubanga gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Luis off to one side.
Luis displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mubanga.

Luis clinches up with Mubanga and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mubanga breaks from the clinch.
Mubanga fails with a takedown attempt.
Mubanga misses with a takedown
and Luis counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Mubanga gets tackled into the cage by Luis. Luis maintains the clinch.
Mubanga misses with a hook to the ribs.
Luis trying to land knees to the body.
Luis has had enough of the clinch but Mubanga keeps him there for the moment.
Luis tries to pull guard but Mubanga holds him up against the cage and eventually Luis drops back down to his feet.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mubanga defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Luis.
Luis tries to clinch but Mubanga moves out of range.
No luck for Mubanga with that takedown attempt.

Mubanga moves into the clinch successfully.
Mubanga dodges an elbow strike from Luis.
Mubanga tries to score a body lock takedown but Luis shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Luis with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Luis drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mubanga pulls his leg out and moves away.
Luis closes the distance and clinches up with Mubanga, looking for a takedown. Luis pushes Mubanga against the cage but Mubanga circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luis is looking to clinch but Mubanga is avoiding it.
Mubanga is looking to land body kicks.
Luis tries to counter by closing the distance.
Mubanga throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Luis looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mubanga looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mubanga throws a push kick but Luis slaps the foot to one side.
No luck for Mubanga with that takedown attempt.
Luis shoots in looking for a takedown but Mubanga manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Luis's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mubanga is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Luis.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Luis fails with the takedown

and Mubanga counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mubanga.
Luis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Luis tries to break the clinch but Mubanga is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Maynor Luis.
I think Luis has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maynor Luis!