PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zeke Akintan (ranked 24994 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Botha (ranked 5882 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Akintan
vs
Botha

185 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

188 cm
24
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Can Moonwalk

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zeke Akintan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Junior Botha!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akintan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick by Botha misses
and Akintan counters with a series of strikes. Botha will be more careful next time no doubt.
Botha sizes up Akintan with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Akintan throws a sloppy head kick and Botha moves out of range easily.
Akintan scores with a head kick.

Botha decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Akintan is trying to stand up here but Botha is controlling him well.
Botha controlling the action here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Botha stops Akintan from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Botha looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Botha's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Akintan throws a head kick but Botha moves out of range.
Akintan wants to slow Botha down by chopping away at his legs.
Botha shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Akintan defends it nicely.
Botha fails to land the takedown.
Akintan finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Akintan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Botha avoids the head kick by Akintan.
Akintan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Botha feints the counter takedown.
Akintan bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Botha's head.
Akintan leaves Botha with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
It looked like Akintan was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Zeke Akintan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Botha.
Akintan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Botha throws a sloppy head kick and Akintan moves out of range easily.
Botha fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Akintan avoids the head kick by Botha.
Botha fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akintan misses with a two punch combination.

Botha clinches up against the cage.
Akintan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Akintan being controlled against the cage.
Akintan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Botha prevents Akintan from breaking the clinch.
Botha is trying to pull guard but Akintan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Akintan can't break the clinch.
Akintan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Akintan is trying to break free.
Akintan tries to break free but Botha pushes him back against the cage.

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.
Akintan wants to break free but Botha has control.
Botha prevents Akintan from breaking the clinch.
Akintan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Botha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Akintan pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Botha pushes Akintan up against the cage in a clinch.
Botha lands a body shot.

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

Botha closes the distance and clinches.
Akintan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Akintan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Akintan checks a leg kick.
Akintan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeke Akintan dominated that round.
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.

Akintan tries a head kick but it misses.
Botha avoids the head kick by Akintan.
Botha is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Botha dodges the punch combination from Akintan.
A leg kick checked by Akintan.
Akintan misses with a double jab
enabling Botha to counter with a crisp jab.
Zeke Akintan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Some bone on bone action there as Akintan checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Botha shoots in for a takedown but Akintan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akintan lands with a nice combination. Botha backs away looking to recover.
Akintan scores with a head kick. Botha tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Botha fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akintan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Akintan is looking to score with low kicks.
Botha fails to land with a series of punches.
Zeke Akintan is winning the standup battle so far.
Akintan tries a head kick but it misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Botha fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Akintan, pushing him back against the cage.
Akintan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Botha can do to turn this around?
Akintan wants to break free but Botha has control.
Akintan wants to break the clinch but can't.
Botha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Akintan is defending well for now.

Akintan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Botha rushes Akintan and presses him up against the cage.

Akintan breaks from the clinch.
Akintan showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Botha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akintan tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Akintan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice sprawl there from Akintan as Botha shoots in.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Zeke Akintan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Botha.

Botha moves into the clinch.
Botha has Akintan pressed against the cage, preventing Akintan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Akintan working hard to break the clinch.
Akintan is trying to break free.
Akintan wants to break the clinch but can't.
Akintan has had enough of the clinch but Botha keeps him there for the moment.
Botha can't get the takedown.
Akintan is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Akintan is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Botha successfully pulls guard.
Botha manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Akintan manages to get himself to full guard.

Akintan is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Botha is controlling him.
Botha looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Botha drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Botha jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akintan wants to stand but Botha is controlling the position.
Botha advances position into side control!
Botha is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Botha tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Junior Botha will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Botha dives in for a single leg takedown but Akintan sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Botha scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Akintan doesn't seem bothered though.
Akintan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Botha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Botha moves out of range as Akintan throws a body kick.
Botha changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Akintan tries to avoid it but Botha manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Akintan to the ground. Akintan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Botha tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Botha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Akintan pinned against the cage. Akintan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Zeke Akintan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Botha.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akintan turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Akintan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akintan tries to work over Botha's front leg with a kick but Botha checks it.
An inside leg kick lands from Akintan.
Akintan throws a head kick that misses.
Botha tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Akintan defends well and Botha ends up having to push Akintan into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Botha fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Akintan on the side of the head.
Botha tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Botha fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Akintan misses with a body kick.
Botha moves out of range of the body kick.
Botha shoots in but Akintan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Akintan seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Botha takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Botha fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Akintan throws a low kick but Botha moves out of range easily.
Botha lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Akintan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Botha.
Akintan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Akintan connects with an inside leg kick.
Botha wants to clinch up but Akintan keeps it at a distance.
A combination from Akintan does no damage.
Botha tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Akintan tries to land a front kick but Botha steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botha will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Akintan seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Botha avoids a punch combination nicely.
Akintan throws a series of punches but Botha moves out of range.
A punch combination from Akintan misses.

Botha closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Botha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Akintan's efforts to push away.
Botha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Akintan's efforts to push away.
Akintan is trying to break free.
Botha drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Akintan gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akintan tries to break the clinch but Botha is controlling the position.
Akintan wants to break the clinch but can't.
Akintan is trying to push Botha away but Botha has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Botha breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Akintan throws a head kick that half lands.

Botha gets a clinch.

Botha breaks from the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Akintan throws a sloppy head kick and Botha moves out of range easily.
A nice combination there by Botha.

Botha moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zeke Akintan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Akintan 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:28
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zeke Akintan!