PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Eddie Malingo (ranked 1112 p4p, 112 weight class) and Balbus Michael (ranked 1793 p4p, 176 weight class). Malingo's entrance music is Disturbed - Sound of silence. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Malingo
vs
Michael

180 cm
31
151 lbs
19 - 11 - 1

178 cm
32
150 lbs
19 - 11 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 19 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eddie Malingo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 11 - 2, fighting out of New York, Balbus Michael!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michael takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Malingo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Michael appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Malingo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Michael connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Michael throws the left hand but Malingo avoids the punch easily.
A bone on bone clash there as Michael blocks the leg kick.
Michael lands the left hand.
Malingo takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Malingo lands a nice hook to Michael's body. Michael takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Michael takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Michael throws a jab but it's blocked by Malingo.
Michael throws a big shot that misses.
Michael takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Malingo's corner calls for a 1-2. Malingo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Michael slips a straight right by Malingo.
Michael throws a fast counter high kick but Malingo manages to duck under it in time.
A shot to the body from Malingo misses
and Michael counters with a low kick, right behind Malingo 's knee.
Malingo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Michael.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Michael staying out of range there.
Michael dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Michael cracks Malingo with an open hand slap.
Michael takes one on the button.
Malingo misses with a looping left.
Malingo backing away here, and Michael unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Malingo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A big right from Malingo misses.
Malingo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Michael lands a body shot.
Michael lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Malingo at a distance.
Malingo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Michael chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Malingo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A little jabbing left from Michael on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michael throws a head kick but Malingo moves out of range.
Michael looks to score with a jab to the body but Malingo is just out of range.
Michael slips a jab from Malingo.
Michael drops his hands momentarily and Malingo takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Malingo looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Michael throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Malingo attempts a counter takedown but Michael avoids it well and moves away.
Michael dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Malingo darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Michael throws a nice outside leg kick.
Malingo scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Malingo is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Michael slips a straight right by Malingo.
Michael shapes to counter with a head kick.
Malingo swings widly with a right hand
and Michael counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Malingo thinking.
Michael throws a body shot but no joy.
Malingo throws an off balance right hand
letting Michael counter with a right hand.
Michael avoids the body shot from Malingo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malingo swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Michael counters with a nice uppercut.
Malingo lands a nice shot to the body.
Malingo paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Malingo misses the shot to the body.
Malingo takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Malingo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Michael.
Michael takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Malingo misses with a jab to the body
and Michael counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Malingo lands a lovely overhand right.
Michael keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A countering left hand to the body from Michael misses.
Malingo misses with a hook
and Michael counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Michael misses with a low kick.
Malingo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Michael.
Malingo swings widly with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Malingo lands with a right hand.
Malingo lands with a good body shot.
Malingo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Michael.
Malingo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Malingo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Malingo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Michael misses with a low kick.
Malingo tries to bum rush Michael with a series of wild strikes but Michael uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Malingo feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Michaels jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Malingo wants to slow Michael down by chopping away at his legs.
Michael throws a leg kick that is checked
enabling Malingo to counter with a crisp jab.
Malingo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Malingo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Malingo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Michael moves away.
A left and a right from Malingo both land. Nice combination.
Malingo throws a jab but it's blocked by Michael.
Michael just misses with a punch to the body.
Michael throws a low kick, looking for Malingo's leg but Malingo calmly moves out of range.
Malingo lands with a thumping leg kick.
Malingo throws a body punch but Michael moves out of range.
Michael showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Malingo.
Malingo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Eddie Malingo is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circle momentarily. Michael darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Malingo throws a jab when Michael was well out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Malingo. That snapped Michael's head back.
Malingo scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Michael is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael misses with a wild combination.
Michael is still on wobbly legs! Can Malingo finish him?
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Michael might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Malingo has got the better of the exchanges.
Malingo throws an overhand right that drops Michael like a sack of potatoes! Malingo dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:10 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Eddie Malingo!
A very excited looking Eddie Malingo made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.