PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ping Pong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Krunoslav Slabinac (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.

Pong
vs
Slabinac

186 cm
21
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ping Pong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Krunoslav Slabinac!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slabinac looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pong lands a jab-cross combination.
Slabinac takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Slabinac looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pong throws a one two combo.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Slabinac crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Pong - the referee stops the clock and Slabinac gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Pong. Slabinac manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Pong tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Slabinac paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Slabinac closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pong circles away.
Ping Pong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Krunoslav Slabinac.
Slabinac looks gassed!
Pong lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Slabinac is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Pong.
Pong lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Pong.
Pong scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Pong throws a nice outside leg kick.
Slabinac shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pong but Pong pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Slabinac takes a kick to the side of the head.
Pong drops Slabinac with a right and a left! Pong comes rushing in but Slabinac regains his composure and manages to keep Pong in guard.

Slabinac is rocked!
Pong wants to stand but Slabinac is controlling his posture from full guard.
Slabinac is still in real trouble! Can Pong finish him?

Pong gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Slabinac seems to have recovered his senses.
Pong tries to close the distance and clinch up but Slabinac swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pong gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Pong wants to stand up but Slabinac is controlling him.
Slabinac seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Pong wants to stand up but Slabinac is controlling him.
Pong trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Slabinac is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Slabinac prevents Pong from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slabinac seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Krunoslav Slabinac just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Slabinac shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Slabinac sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pong wants to get back to his feet.
Slabinac takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pong tries to buck Slabinac off but he can't manage it.
Slabinac controlling the position easily from mount.
Pong has given up his back here. Will Slabinac look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Slabinac trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Pong doesn't escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Krunoslav Slabinac just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Slabinac changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Pong looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Slabinac in side control, just content to control the action for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ping Pong dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Slabinac gets a takedown into half guard.
Slabinac performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Slabinac tries to pass to full mount but Pong defends it.
Pong wants to get back to his feet.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Slabinac in particular looking to stall.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Slabinac trying to pass the guard but Pong defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pong is trying to stand.
Slabinac passes to side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Slabinac's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Pong here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Krunoslav Slabinac just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Slabinac looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Slabinac slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slabinac won't allow Pong to get back to his feet.
Slabinac seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pong is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Slabinac controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Despite being in the dominant position, Krunoslav Slabinac just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Slabinac scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Slabinac moves into full mount!
Krunoslav Slabinac has got the better of the ground game so far.

Slabinac stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Slabinac shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Slabinac content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Krunoslav Slabinac 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! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Pong moves in looking to clinch but Slabinac pushes him off.
Pong is looking to clinch but Slabinac is avoiding it.
Slabinac fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pong fails with an attempt to clinch.

Slabinac scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pong is looking to escape.
Slabinac content to control rather than advance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pong is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slabinac is taking a breather. Pong says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Slabinac has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Slabinac content just to control the position here.
Slabinac mounts Pong! Really nice guard pass there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slabinac sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Despite being in the dominant position, Krunoslav Slabinac just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Slabinac fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Slabinac circles away from the clinch attempt.

Slabinac fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pong sprawls well initially but Slabinac persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Slabinac in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pong wants to get back to his feet.
Slabinac perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Pong is trying to stand.
Slabinac is controlling the pace.

Despite being in the dominant position, Krunoslav Slabinac just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Slabinac fails with the takedown.
Ping Pong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Krunoslav Slabinac.

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.
Slabinac shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pong as he avoids it easily.
Pong tries to clinch up.
Ping Pong is winning the standup battle so far.
Pong tries to clinch up but Slabinac circles away and keeps his distance.
Pong is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Slabinac fails with the takedown.

Slabinac scores with a takedown into Pong's guard.
Pong is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Slabinac seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Krunoslav Slabinac comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Slabinac 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Krunoslav Slabinac!