PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Moses Makwame (ranked 7407 p4p, 391 weight class) and Sam Roberts (ranked 6793 p4p, 377 weight class). Makwame comes to the cage accompanied by House of Pain - Jump Around. Moses Makwame has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Makwame
vs
Roberts

163 cm
18
143 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
18
146 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Moses Makwame!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sam Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Vladimir Khabensky and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberts lands a nice shot that snaps Makwame's head back.
Roberts misses with a right hand
and Makwame counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Makwame misses with a head kick.
Roberts scores with a hook to the body. Makwame takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Roberts jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Roberts cracks Makwame with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Roberts scores with a jab to the head.
Roberts lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Roberts lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Nice shot lands for Makwame.
Roberts cracks Makwame with a right hand to the side of the head.
Roberts is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Roberts cracks a nice hook into Makwame's ribs.
Makwame definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Roberts scores with a sloppy right hand. Makwame should have avoided that one.
Roberts paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makwame on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Roberts has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Makwame pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Roberts misses with a left hand
and Makwame counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sam Roberts seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roberts throws a poor cross that misses
and Makwame counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Roberts tests Makwame's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Roberts has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Makwame finds it's way round the side to connect with Roberts's head.
Roberts misses with a straight right.
Makwame throws a body punch but Roberts moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Roberts throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Roberts misses with a hook to the body

and Makwame counters by clinching up.
Makwame stalls.
Roberts tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Makwame smiles and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts lands a nice shot that snaps Makwame's head back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Roberts with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Roberts misses with a lunging right hand

and Makwame counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Makwame might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Makwame throws a big elbow that misses.
Roberts is looking to stand up but Makwame isn't so interested in that idea.
Makwame trying to control the position from guard on top but Roberts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Makwame postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Makwame trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Makwame drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Makwame jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Roberts keeping moving, preventing Makwame from controlling successfully.
Makwame with a flurry of punches that miss.
Makwame pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Roberts is keeping the position for now.

Makwame thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Makwame thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Makwame with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four 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.

Makwame is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Roberts swings widly with a right hand

and Makwame counters with a shoot takedown. Roberts fights it but they end up in guard.

Makwame is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Makwame is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Makwame passes Roberts's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Makwame throwing shots but Roberts is blocking nicely.

Makwame is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Makwame is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Roberts defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sam Roberts will probably get the nod.
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.

Roberts throws a looping overhand right but Makwame ducks down to avoid it.
Makwame moves forwards but Roberts connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Makwame takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Roberts misses with an uppercut.
Makwame drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Roberts scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Sam Roberts seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Makwame has taken the fight to the clinch.
Makwame has Roberts pressed against the cage, preventing Roberts from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Makwame is pushing Roberts up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roberts wants to break free but Makwame has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Makwame pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Makwame on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Roberts scores with a jab to the head.
Roberts tests Makwame's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sam Roberts is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A shot to the liver by Roberts. Beautiful body shot.
Roberts misses with a looping left.
Makwame gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Roberts defending well as Makwame loads up on a big left hand.

Makwame drives through and clinches with Roberts against the cage.

Makwame gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Roberts regains guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Roberts preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Roberts keeping moving, preventing Makwame from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makwame sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Roberts's guard.

Makwame seems to be looking for submissions.

Makwame is trying to work for a kimura but Roberts is defending well.
Moses Makwame overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Roberts is defending against the submission attempts here by Makwame.

Makwame is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Roberts has managed to free his arm - good work.

Makwame is working for a kimura but Roberts is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Makwame seems to be looking for submissions.
Makwame wants to free his trapped foot but Roberts is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Makwame seems to be working for a kimura but Roberts defends the submission attempt.

Makwame is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Roberts defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Makwame is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Roberts defends it well.

Makwame is trying to work for a kimura but Roberts is defending well.
Makwame is trying to control. Roberts wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Makwame seems to be working for a kimura but Roberts defends the submission attempt.

Makwame seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Roberts showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Nice defenses there by Makwame.
Makwame tries a head kick but it misses.
Makwame takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Roberts lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Makwame looks to land a body kick but Roberts moved away.
Makwame walks into a stiff left hand from Roberts.
Roberts misses with a wild body shot.
Makwame has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Roberts finds it's way round the side to connect with Makwame's head.

Makwame bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Makwame wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Roberts, who protects the arm well.

Makwame wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Roberts, who protects the arm well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Makwame is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Roberts is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Makwame tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Makwame has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Roberts tries to escape but Makwame is in control.

Makwame working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The ground and pound from Makwame seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's two 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.
Roberts gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Makwame is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Roberts throws a lazy right hand but Makwame sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The crowd cheers as Makwame lands an impressive looking overhand right. Roberts doesn't seem phased though.
Roberts is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A swing and a miss from Roberts.
Makwame is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Roberts throws an off balance right hand
and Makwame counters with an inside leg kick.
Makwame slips a straight right by Roberts.
Roberts takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Roberts paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Roberts walks into a straight right hand from Makwame.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Makwame makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Roberts scores with a jab to the head.
Makwame throws a wild body kick that Roberts sees coming a mile off.
Makwame swings for the body but Roberts moves out of range.

Roberts gets tackled into the cage by Makwame. Makwame maintains the clinch.

Makwame lands a takedown into guard.

Makwame drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Roberts manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Makwame has Roberts in his guard.

Makwame is looking for a triangle but Roberts pushes his legs off easily.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Makwame is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Roberts is aware though and is defending well.

Makwame has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Roberts doesn't defend quickly enough and Makwame has managed to lock this one up! Can Roberts escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Makwame on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Moses Makwame!
After winning the bout, Moses Makwame thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.