PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Southern Goon (ranked 3463 p4p, 358 weight class) and Almedin Hafizovic (ranked 7191 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Goon
vs
Hafizovic

180 cm
25
162 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Southern Goon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Almedin Hafizovic!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Dean Styles and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Goon misses.
Goon loads up on a big right hand but Hafizovic slips the punch.
Hafizovic tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Goon paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A little feinted left hand from Goon on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Horrible takedown attempt by Hafizovic or perhaps it was just good defense by Goon, which made it look bad.
Hafizovic shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Goon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hafizovic fails in his attempt to clinch.
An attempted straight right counter from Goon misses the target.
Goon misses with a looping left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Goon showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hafizovic.
Goon takes a swing at Hafizovic's ribcage but misses.
Goon checks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hafizovic throws a push kick but Goon slaps the foot to one side.
Goon scores with a jab to the head.
Goon with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Goon circles away from the clinch attempt
and Goon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hafizovic shoots in but no luck this time.
Southern Goon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Almedin Hafizovic.
Goon throws a lazy right hand but Hafizovic sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Goon throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice defenses there by Hafizovic.
Goon misses with an uppercut.
Goon stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Goon wants it to stay on the feet.
A little feinted left hand from Goon on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Goon lands a nice looking body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hafizovic tries a head kick but it misses.
Goon scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Goon misses with a few strikes there.
Goon lands with an overhand left.
Hafizovic misses with a takedown attempt
and Goon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hafizovic looks winded!
A slow jab from Goon misses its intended target.
Hafizovic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Goon defends it nicely.
Goon cracks Hafizovic with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goon loads up on a big right hand but Hafizovic slips the punch.
Hafizovic fails to land the takedown.
Hafizovic misses with a takedown attempt
and Goon counters with a straight right hand.
Goon scores with a punch to the head.
Goon's jab looks to have found its range, popping Hafizovic under the eye.
Hafizovic displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Goon throws out the jab.
Hafizovic is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Hafizovic takes one on the button.
Hafizovic takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Goon is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Goon scores with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Goon connects with a body shot that sends Hafizovic's belly button to the back.
Southern Goon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hafizovic slips a jab from Goon.
Hafizovic with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Goon to score with a decent uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hafizovic looks for the body kick but Goon saw that one coming.
Goon bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Hafizovic's head.
Hafizovic lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Goon throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hafizovic stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Goon throws a nice looking combination but Hafizovic bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hafizovic misses with a double jab.
Goon swats away the attempt to clinch by Hafizovic.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Southern Goon dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Goon throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Goon waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hafizovic.
Goon tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Goon throws a hook but Hafizovic blocks it.
Goon darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hafizovic gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Goon counters with a straight right hand.
A shot to the liver by Goon. Beautiful body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hafizovic wants to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Goon.
Hafizovic is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Southern Goon is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left lands for Goon.
Hafizovic shoots and misses
and Goon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Goon lands a slapping body shot.
Hafizovic is breathing heavily.
Hafizovic displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Goon throws out the jab.
Goon scores with a hook.
Goon lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Hafizovic backs up against the cage.
Hafizovic misses with a takedown
and Goon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Southern Goon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Almedin Hafizovic.
Jab, jab by Goon - just one landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goon scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Almedin Hafizovic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Goon lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hafizovic looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Goon is fending him off so far but Hafizovic persists. Nope, Goon circles away and we're back to standing.
Goon scores with a decent looking hook.
Goon throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Goon fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hafizovic manages to avoid it.
Hafizovic throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Goon.
Hafizovic shoots for a takedown but Goon saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Goon swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Goon misses with a straight left.
Goon scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goon cracks Hafizovic with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Goon slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Hafizovic fails with the takedown
enabling Goon to counter with a crisp jab.
Goon scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hafizovic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Goon uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Hafizovic has time to react.
Goon misses with a looping left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Goon digs a good body shot into Hafizovic's ribs.
Goon scores with a body shot.
Hafizovic shoots for a takedown but Goon saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Goon will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Goon throws a nice looking combination but Hafizovic bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hafizovic tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Goon manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Almedin Hafizovic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Goon fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Hafizovic steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Goon.
A decent looking cross lands there for Goon.
A looping hook to the body misses from Goon. Hafizovic does a little dance to reset his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Southern Goon dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Goon scores with a nice head shot.
Hafizovic throws a head kick that misses.
Hafizovic closes the distance and clinches up with Goon, looking for a takedown. Hafizovic pushes Goon against the cage but Goon circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hafizovic takes one to the side of the head.
Hafizovic misses with a takedown
and Goon counters with a straight right hand.
Goon swings for the body but Hafizovic moves out of range.
Goon leaves Hafizovic with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Southern Goon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Almedin Hafizovic.
Hafizovic takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Goon scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hafizovic moves away from the strike by Goon.
Goon connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hafizovic misses with a takedown
and Goon counters with a left to the body.
Goon lands a lovely overhand right.
A left lands for Goon.
Hafizovic on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Goon lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Hafizovic backs up against the cage.

Hafizovic is rocked!
Hafizovic shoots for a takedown but Goon saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
As Hafizovic looks to move away, Goon throws a big counter combo but Hafizovic just gets out of the way.
Goon lands with a hook. Hafizovic tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Goon will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hafizovic misses with a looping right.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Hafizovic might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Goon has got the better of the exchanges.
Hafizovic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hafizovic has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Goon finds it's way round the side to connect with Hafizovic's head.
Goon ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Goon throws the left hand but Hafizovic avoids the punch easily.
Hafizovic takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Goon lands with a nice combination. Hafizovic backs away looking to recover.
Goon throws a right and a left that both miss.
Goon lands a jab to the nose.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goon throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Goon connects with a body shot.
Goon tries to bum rush Hafizovic with a series of wild strikes but Hafizovic uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Goon throws a hook but Hafizovic blocks it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hafizovic.
Hafizovic on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Goon lands a jab to the head.
Goon scores with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hafizovic tries to clinch up but Goon circles away and keeps his distance.
Hafizovic is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hafizovic slips under a jab.
Hafizovic looks for a takedown but Goon sprawls well.
Goon sizes up Hafizovic with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Goon throws a body punch but Hafizovic moves out of range.
Almedin Hafizovic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hafizovic wants to clinch but Goon slips to the side
and Goon counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Southern Goon showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Goon has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:25
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:25
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Southern Goon!