PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Didier Misalooba (ranked 2861 p4p, 317 weight class) and Abraham Durden (ranked 3189 p4p, 345 weight class). Misalooba comes to the cage accompanied by Beyond the Black. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Abraham Durden was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Misalooba
vs
Durden

183 cm
27
183 lbs
11 - 13 - 0

180 cm
27
149 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Didier Misalooba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abraham Durden!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Durden throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Misalooba tries to close the distance and clinch up but Durden swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Misalooba jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Misalooba is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Durden finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Misalooba fails in his attempt to clinch.
Durden throws out a loose jab but Misalooba uses good head movement to avoid it.
Durden tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Misalooba was well out of range. Poor timing from Durden.
Nice uppercut there from Misalooba.
Misalooba lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Durden at a distance.
Durden swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Misalooba.

Durden tries to keep at a distance but Misalooba has taken the fight into the clinch.
Misalooba scores with a shot to the side of Durden's head.
Misalooba avoiding damage.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durden finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Durden scores with a decent looking hook.
Misalooba throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Misalooba closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Durden wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Misalooba is trying to break free.
Misalooba is trying to break the clinch but Durden has him pressed against the cage.
Misalooba blocking some punches.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Durden creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Durden lands a hook that snaps the head of Misalooba backwards.
Durden struggles to land a body shot inside as Misalooba controls his hands.

Durden manages to break the clinch.
Misalooba misses with a hook. Durden ducked under it nicely.
Durden waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Misalooba.
Durden throws out a loose jab but Misalooba uses good head movement to avoid it.
Misalooba throws a big counter combination but Durden scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Misalooba. Durden does a little dance to reset his feet.
Misalooba doesn't manage to clinch there - Durden circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durden throws a big shot that misses.
Durden has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Misalooba is looking to clinch.

Misalooba closes the distance and clinches.

Misalooba breaks from the clinch.
Durden misses with a wild body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Durden scores with a jab to the body.

Misalooba gets a clinch.
Durden swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Durden keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Misalooba's efforts to push away.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Durden throws a head punch that misses.
Misalooba throws an elbow that misses.
Misalooba is struggling to control the position.
Durden swings wildly with an uppercut but Misalooba uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Misalooba wants to get back to striking at distance but Durden won't allow it.
A head punch on the inside from Durden fails to land.
Misalooba cracks Durden with a nice body shot.
Durden tries a body shot but Misalooba blocks it.
I was talking to Misalooba's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Misalooba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Durden throws a hook but Misalooba avoids it easily.
Misalooba appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Misalooba circles away from the clinch attempt.
Misalooba tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Durden paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Durden swings widly with a right hand

and Misalooba counters by moving into the clinch.
Misalooba scores with a shot to the side of Durden's head.
Durden tries a body shot but Misalooba blocks it.
Durden misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Durden scores with a shot to the side of Misalooba's head.
Misalooba's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Misalooba stalling in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Durden.
Durden struggles to land a body shot inside as Misalooba controls his hands.
Durden prevents a body shot from Misalooba.
Durden misses with a punch on the inside.
Durden misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short right from Misalooba.
Misalooba blocks an uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Durden.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Durden tries to work over Misalooba's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Durden misses with a short punch on the inside.

Misalooba gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Misalooba trying to control the position from guard on top but Durden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Durden is pulling down on Misalooba's head. It's preventing any offense from Misalooba, at least for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Abraham Durden will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Durden throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Misalooba.
Durden swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Misalooba pushes Durden up against the cage in a clinch.
Durden has had enough of the clinch but Misalooba keeps him there for the moment.
Durden fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Durden breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Misalooba throws a jab but it's blocked by Durden.
Durden throws a leg kick
and Misalooba counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Durden misses with a right hand
and Misalooba cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durden slips a straight right by Misalooba.
Durden misses with a hook.
Misalooba tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Durden manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Misalooba blocks a jab.
Durden dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Durden throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durden slips under a jab from Misalooba.
Misalooba avoids the body shot from Durden.
Durden tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Misalooba tries to clinch up.
Misalooba's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Durden connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Misalooba scrambles back to his feet.
That kick from Durden tenderised Misalooba's leg. Misalooba is trying to keep his angry face on.
Misalooba tries to clinch but Durden is having none of it.
Abraham Durden seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Misalooba pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Durden looks to land a right hand but Misalooba moved out of range.
Misalooba looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Durden scores with a crisp jab that stopped Misalooba in his tracks.
Misalooba swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Durden.
Durden misses with a hook. Misalooba ducked under it nicely.
Misalooba keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Durden.
Durden throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Misalooba uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Durden.
It looked like Misalooba wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Durden misses with a leg kick
enabling Misalooba to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Durden showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Misalooba.
Durden throws a hook but Misalooba blocks it.
Misalooba tries to clinch up.
Abraham Durden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Misalooba throws a head kick but Durden moves out of range.
Durden fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Misalooba lands a really nice looking cross but Durden seems unphased.
Misalooba lands an overhand right.
Misalooba misses with a left hand
and Durden counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Durden cracks the inside of Misalooba's front leg.
Misalooba blocks a low kick nicely.
Durden pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Durden. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Misalooba with a nice cross.
Durden avoids the body shot from Misalooba.
Misalooba throws a shot from downtown. Durden moves away and avoids it.

Misalooba has managed to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Misalooba breaks the clinch.
Misalooba slips a jab from Durden.
Durden dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Durden gets a clinch.
Misalooba working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Misalooba breaks from the clinch.
Durden lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Durden.
Misalooba dodges the punch combination from Durden.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Durden, right into the meat.
Durden circles away from the clinch attempt.
Durden tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Misalooba was well out of range. Poor timing from Durden.
Misalooba lands with an uppercut that bounces Durden off the cage and back into range.
Misalooba tries to clinch but Durden moves out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Misalooba scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durden swings for the body but Misalooba moves out of range.
Misalooba tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Durden manages to circle out of the way.
Misalooba fails with an attempt to clinch.
Durden throws a nice outside leg kick.
Durden circles away from the clinch attempt.
Durden scores with a nice right hand.
Misalooba misses with a jab, cross combination.
Misalooba ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Decent striking displayed by Misalooba there.
Misalooba tries to clinch but Durden moves out of range.
Misalooba misses with a looping right.
Durden connects with a good right hand that stumbles Misalooba. Misalooba circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Nice defenses there by Misalooba.
Misalooba scores with a nice strike.
Misalooba moves out of range as Durden strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Durden feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Misaloobas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Misalooba throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Abraham Durden will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Misalooba's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Misalooba slips a straight right by Durden.
Misalooba fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Durden looks to score with a jab to the body but Misalooba is just out of range.
Durden pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Misalooba gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Misalooba lands a nice shot to the body.
Misalooba tries to clinch there but Durden circles away.
Durden's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Misalooba connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Durden scrambles back to his feet.
Durden scores with a hook.
Durden looks to score with a jab to the body but Misalooba is just out of range.
A jab from Durden misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A swing and a miss from Durden.
Misalooba keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Durden is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Durden connects with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Misalooba chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Durden can pounce on him.
Misalooba throws a poor cross that misses
and Durden counters with an outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durden is looking to slow Misalooba down with leg kicks.
Durden throws the kick towards the body but Misalooba avoids it.
As Durden tries to get set, Misalooba tries to push him back and clinch up but Durden manages to avoid the attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Durden misses the target.
Durden scores with a leg kick.
Misalooba lands an overhand right.
Misalooba lands with a hook. Durden tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Misalooba looks to clinch
and Durden counters with an inside leg kick.
Misalooba tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Durden was well out of range. Poor timing from Misalooba.
Durden throws a leg kick but Misalooba sees it coming and moves out of range.
Misalooba tries to close the distance and clinch but Durden swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Misalooba checks a low kick from Durden.
As Durden tries to get set, Misalooba tries to push him back and clinch up but Durden manages to avoid the attempt.
Misalooba takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Durden takes a jab right on the kisser.
Misalooba on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Durden scoring well with a low kick there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice cross by Durden.
The fight stays on the outside here - Misalooba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A countering left hand to the body from Durden misses.
Durden swings for the body but Misalooba moves out of range.
Nice jab there from Durden.
Misalooba throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Durden on the side of the head.
Durden throws a big shot that misses.
Misalooba avoids the body shot from Durden.

Misalooba fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Durden, pushing him back against the cage.
Durden misses with the head strike.
A hook to the body from Durden.

Misalooba manages to break the clinch.
Misalooba is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Durden looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Durden throws a jab but it's blocked by Misalooba.
Misalooba tries to close the distance and clinch but Durden swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Durden fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Misalooba manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durden throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Durden jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Durden tests Misalooba's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Misalooba rushes Durden and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Didier Misalooba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Misalooba lands a right hand that snaps the head of Durden backwards.
Durden lands a shot to the body.
Durden has a couple of punches blocked by Misalooba.
A head punch on the inside from Durden fails to land.
Durden struggles to land a body shot inside as Misalooba controls his hands.
A right handed body shot lands from Durden.
Misalooba lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Misalooba prevents a body shot from Durden.
Didier Misalooba has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Misalooba swings wildly with an uppercut but Durden uses good head movement to avoid it.
Misalooba blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durden misses with some punches.
Durden tries to throw a body punch but Misalooba avoids it by throwing Durden back against the cage.
Durden letting Misalooba take a breather here.
Misalooba manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Durden tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Misalooba breaks the clinch.
Misalooba throws a right hand that misses
enabling Durden to counter with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Durden connects with a solid leg kick.
A big right from Misalooba misses.
That kick from Durden tenderised Misalooba's leg. Misalooba is trying to keep his angry face on.
Abraham Durden is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Misalooba connects with a nice looking jab.

Durden is rocked!

And that's the end of the fight!
Abraham Durden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Durden 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abraham Durden!