PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Cheikh Holk (ranked 2103 p4p, 248 weight class) and Martino Sicari (ranked 3230 p4p, 342 weight class). Martino Sicari told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Holk
vs
Sicari

179 cm
26
165 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

178 cm
19
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Level Up!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Cheikh Holk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Martino Sicari!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Nard Betker and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sicari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sicari keeps the fight on the outside.
Holk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sicari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Holk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sicari manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sicari doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Sicari escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sicari stuns Holk with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Holk moves out of range as Sicari strikes.
Sicari takes a swing at Holk's ribcage but misses.

Holk closes the distance and pushes Sicari back into the cage.
Holk tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sicari avoids it.
Sicari blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holk misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sicari.
Sicari misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sicari throws a punch but it's blocked by Holk.
Holk struggles to land a body shot inside as Sicari controls his hands.
Holk misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Holk.
Sicari looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Holk misses with a hook from the clinch.
Holk blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sicari wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sicari is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Holk stalling the fight.
Holk missing with knees to the body.
Sicari throws a punch but it's blocked by Holk.
Holk definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Holk blocks an uppercut.
Sicari fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Holk fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sicari can't find room to land a body shot as Holk controls the action.
Holk holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Holk blocks a body shot from Sicari.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sicari doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sicari blocks an uppercut.
Sicari blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sicari misses with a short punch on the inside.
Holk throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sicari blocks it with crossed arms.
Holk trying to land knees to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Holk.

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

Holk closes the distance and pushes Sicari back into the cage.
Sicari blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Holk swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Holk throws a head punch that misses.
Sicari lands a right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sicari lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Holk or not.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holk tries to land a knee to the head but Sicari blocks with his arms.
Sicari tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Holk's elbow.
Sicari is trying to break the clinch but Holk is controlling him.

Sicari breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Holk thows a leg kick but Sicari checks it
and Holk takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sicari uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Holk.
Holk looks to clinch
and Sicari counters with a straight right hand.
Sicari just misses with a punch to the body.
Holk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sicari swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Holk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sicari lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Holk or not.
Sicari lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Sicari lands a left hand that snaps the head of Holk backwards.
Still in the clinch, Holk scores with a nice short uppercut.
Holk blocks an uppercut.
Holk missing with knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Holk working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sicari lands with a left to the head.
Sicari scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Holk lands a body punch in the clinch.
Holk misses with a punch to the body.
Holk misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sicari.
Holk swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sicari managing to block the knees to the body from Holk.
Sicari is trying to break free.

Sicari breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sicari misses with a body shot.
Holk is looking to counter the offense by Sicari and move into the clinch.
Holk takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Holk's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sicari connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Holk scrambles back to his feet.
Holk tries to clinch but Sicari moves out of range.
Holk tries to clinch but Sicari moves out of range.
Sicari now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Holk tries to clinch
and Sicari counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martino Sicari 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.

Sicari throws a right and a left that Holk avoids nicely.
Holk tries to counter by clinching up but Sicari breaks away and moves out of range.
Holk tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sicari scores with the left hand. Holk knows he should have avoided that one.
Sicari throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Holk sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Holk walks into a straight right hand from Sicari.
A jab from Sicari misses.
Holk on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Holk tries to clinch there but Sicari circles away.
Cheikh Holk seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holk misses with a straight left.
Holk tries to clinch but Sicari moves out of range.
Sicari swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Holk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Despite the aggression on Sicari's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Holk takes a shot right to the bread basket.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sicari lands a lovely overhand right.
Sicari misses with a straight right.
Sicari moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sicari throws out a powerful jab.
Holk moves in looking to clinch but Sicari pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holk fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holk fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holk throws a big shot that misses.
Sicari stuns Holk with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Holk lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Holk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Holk moves away from the strike by Sicari.
Holk moves in looking to clinch but Sicari pushes him off.
Holk walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Martino Sicari seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sicari keeps the fight on the outside.
Sicari connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Holk fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holk doesn't manage to clinch there - Sicari circles away.
Holk moves in looking to clinch but Sicari pushes him off.
It seemed like Sicari was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sicari has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Holk misses with a left hand
and Sicari counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Holk defending well as Sicari loads up on a big left hand.
Holk tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sicari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Holk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sicari manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sicari is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Holk is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sicari takes one on the button.
A jab from Holk misses.
Sicari has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Holk clinches up with Sicari and pushes him back against the cage.
Holk misses with a knee to the head.
Holk prevents Sicari from breaking the clinch.
Holk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Holk throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sicari blocks it with crossed arms.
Sicari tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch on the inside from Holk fails to land.
Holk tries to throw a body punch but Sicari avoids it by throwing Holk back against the cage.
Holk tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sicari avoids it.
Holk keeps control of Sicari as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Holk tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Sicari manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holk wants to clinch up but Sicari keeps it at a distance.
Holk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sicari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sicari circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sicari shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Holk eats them both and turns towards Sicari to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Sicari waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Holk.
A punch lands to the side of Holk 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Holk rushes Sicari and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sicari goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sicari blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sicari blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Still in the clinch, Sicari scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sicari blocking some punches.
Sicari blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A short left from Sicari.

Sicari pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A punch combination from Sicari misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holk fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sicari throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sicari keeps the fight on the outside.
Holk fails with an attempt to clinch.
It seemed like Sicari was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sicari rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Holk moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Holk jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sicari misses the jab.
Holk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sicari lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Holk moves in looking to clinch but Sicari pushes him off.
Holk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Holk fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sicari lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Holk circles away quickly and effectively.
Holk takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sicari uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Holk has time to react.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martino Sicari showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Holk tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sicari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Holk connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Holk gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sicari is working Holk over against the cage.
Holk using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sicari has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Holk misses with the head strike.
Sicari is trying to break free.
Holk throws a head punch that misses.
Sicari avoiding damage as Holk throws knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sicari.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holk misses with a knee to the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sicari.
Holk keeps control of Sicari as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sicari is trying to force a seperation but Holk has the dominant position.
Sicari misses with a punch on the inside.
Cheikh Holk has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holk swings wildly with an uppercut but Sicari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sicari misses with a punch on the inside.
Holk misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sicari blocking some punches.
Sicari prevents a body shot from Holk.
Sicari managing to block the knees to the body from Holk.
Holk misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sicari.
Sicari lands a left hand that snaps the head of Holk backwards.
Holk working aggressively here.
Holk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Sicari stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Holk has a couple of punches blocked by Sicari.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sicari.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sicari blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sicari misses with a hook from the clinch.
Holk misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sicari.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sicari.
Holk tries to land a knee to the head but Sicari blocks with his arms.

Sicari breaks the clinch.
A jab lands there for Sicari.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Holk tries to clinch but Sicari is having none of it.
Holk is looking to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sicari looks to land a combination but Holk avoids it well.
Sicari misses with a hook.
Sicari swats away the attempt to clinch by Holk.
Holk tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sicari swats away the attempt to clinch by Holk.
Sicari throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Holk seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sicari misses the jab.
Holk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sicari! But no joy.
Holk is looking to clinch but Sicari is avoiding it.
Holk tries to clinch but Sicari is having none of it.
Holk misses the jab.
Sicari lands a head shot.
Sicari throws a shot to the body.
Martino Sicari is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sicari misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Holk clinches up against the cage.
Sicari blocking some punches.
Holk throws a head punch that misses.
Holk with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sicari is trying to push Holk away but Holk has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Holk fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holk is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sicari is defending well for now.

Sicari's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Holk looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Holk fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holk tries to clinch but Sicari moves out of range.
Sicari darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Holk is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Holk doesn't manage to clinch there - Sicari circles away.
Holk moves to clinch but Sicari breaks away
and Sicari counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sicari scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Sicari swats away the attempt to clinch by Holk.
Jab, jab by Sicari - just one landing.
Sicari connects with a single shot there.
Cheikh Holk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sicari missing with a left hand there. Holk was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martino Sicari comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sicari winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martino Sicari!