PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Adalberto Hoover (ranked 24724 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahmad Talib (ranked 25035 p4p, 0 weight class). Ahmad Talib has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Adalberto Hoover's chin.

Hoover
vs
Talib

219 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
22
210 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Adalberto Hoover!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ahmad Talib!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Talib swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Talib throws a push kick but Hoover slaps the foot to one side.
Hoover really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Hoover clinches up with Talib and pushes him back against the cage.
Hoover drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hoover tries to stall but Talib uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Talib breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Talib shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hoover napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Hoover tries to bench press Talib off him but Talib keeps the position.
Hoover is working to avoid the ground and pound but Talib connects with a decent elbow.
Hoover tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hoover is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoover striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

Talib decides to stand back up. Talib steps back and let's Hoover get back to his feet.
Talib fails with the takedown.

Hoover has managed to clinch.

Talib has hold of one of Hoover's legs. Hoover is fighting the takedown attempt but Talib gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Hoover keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.
Hoover will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Talib really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hoover. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hoover bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Talib's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Talib tries to strike from the bottom.
Hoover trying to control the position from guard on top but Talib is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hoover got a little sloppy there for a moment and Talib has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hoover has managed to get both his arms back between Talib's legs - danger averted.

Talib looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hoover passes into side control.
You can see the frustration on Talib's face as Hoover controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoover scoring with punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hoover is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Talib is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hoover trying to control the position but Talib is working away.
Talib is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sloppy strikes there by Hoover.
Hoover trying to control the position but Talib is working away.
Talib can't do much from the bottom here.
Talib is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Hoover is staying active.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Hoover dodges the punch combination from Talib.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Talib throws a push kick but Hoover slaps the foot to one side.
Hoover wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
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 Adalberto Hoover will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Talib swats away the attempt to clinch by Hoover.

Talib closes the distance and clinches.
Hoover is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Talib tries for a takedown but Hoover manages to get underhooks.

Talib's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hoover is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Talib scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoover flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Talib not doing much here.
Talib not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hoover gets back to full guard.
Talib passes into half guard.
Hoover is trying to get back to full guard.
Talib trying to control the action but Hoover is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hoover is looking for a sweep. Talib is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Talib stops Hoover from getting back to his feet.
Hoover throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hoover lands with a few short shots to the body.
Hoover is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hoover throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hoover is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Adalberto Hoover is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Talib clinches up with Hoover and pushes him back against the cage.
Hoover is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Talib is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Talib has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hoover uses from the top position.
Talib keeping moving, preventing Hoover from controlling successfully.
Hoover looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Talib trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hoover wants to control from the top but Talib keeps moving.
Talib wants to stand up but Hoover is controlling him.
Hoover is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Hoover takes the fight into the clinch.

Talib escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahmad Talib showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

No luck for Talib with that takedown attempt.
Hoover tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Talib manages to circle out of the way.
Talib fails with the takedown
and Hoover counters with a straight right hand.

Hoover moves into the clinch.
Talib fails to pull guard.
Adalberto Hoover has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ahmad Talib.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Talib as Hoover tries to tie him up.

Talib breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hoover gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Talib stops a takedown attempt from Hoover.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Talib manages to break the clinch.
Hoover misses with a double jab

and Talib moves into the clinch.
Talib lands an uppercut.
Talib wants to take the fight to the mat but Hoover manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Talib breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Talib has Hoover up against the cage in a clinch.

Talib escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Talib tries for a takedown but Hoover sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Talib dodges the punch combination from Hoover.

Talib gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hoover to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Hoover will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Talib controls Hoover momentarily but Hoover frees himself.
Talib working a defensive guard but Hoover passes into half guard.
Adalberto Hoover overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Talib wants to control but Hoover passes into side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Talib tries to improve position but can't.

Hoover is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Talib knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Talib is looking for a sweep.
Hoover works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Talib looking for a sweep but Hoover has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hoover with a couple of short strikes.
Hoover controlling the position easily from mount.
Hoover with the ground and pound from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hoover controlling from the full mount.
Hoover has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Adalberto Hoover showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hoover has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!