PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo De Lima (ranked 2374 p4p, 138 weight class) and Claus Haba (ranked 3098 p4p, 170 weight class). De Lima comes to the cage accompanied by Linkin Park - Numb. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

De Lima
vs
Haba

178 cm
27
145 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

150 cm
19
138 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rodrigo De Lima!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Claus Haba!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Lima throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Haba misses the shot to the body.
De Lima misses with a body shot.
De Lima looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Haba takes a shot to the body in his stride.
We've been hearing reports that De Lima has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
De Lima throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Haba is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

De Lima gets tackled into the cage by Haba. Haba maintains the clinch.
De Lima fails to pull the fight into his guard.
De Lima avoiding damage as Haba throws knees to the body.
Haba content to slow the pace in the clinch.
De Lima tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Haba smiles and moves away.

Haba takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haba dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

De Lima is fighting off a takedown attempt but Haba is just too persistent for him and manages to trip De Lima to the mat. De Lima regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Lima preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Haba loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
De Lima keeping moving, preventing Haba from controlling successfully.
Haba is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Haba trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Haba trying to control but De Lima is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. De Lima is keeping the position for now.
Haba throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as De Lima works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

De Lima looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Haba throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Haba is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Haba looking to sit in guard and control but De Lima gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

De Lima trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
De Lima wants to control from the top but Haba keeps moving.
Haba trying to keep a closed guard but De Lima is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
De Lima trying to control the position from guard on top but Haba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
De Lima passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Lima wants to take a breather but Haba manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for De Lima.
Haba keeping full guard, as De Lima tries to pass.

Haba is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. De Lima is aware though and is defending well.
Haba is trying to control the position but De Lima postures up.

Haba is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
De Lima will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
De Lima passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haba is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
De Lima tries to move into full mount but can't pass Haba's legs.
De Lima trying to control the action but Haba is working from the bottom.
Haba wants to control but De Lima postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Haba tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Claus Haba will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Haba showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from De Lima.
A decent looking cross lands there for De Lima.
Haba takes one on the button.

De Lima gets caught flat footed, as Haba shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Haba is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Haba with a flurry of punches that miss.

De Lima throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Haba sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haba pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. De Lima is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

De Lima working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Haba doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Haba manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Haba trying to control the position from guard on top but De Lima is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
De Lima looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

De Lima working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Haba doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Haba manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Claus Haba has got the better of the ground game so far.

De Lima throws his legs up looking for a submission but Haba uses it to pass to side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

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.
De Lima can't do much from the bottom here.
Haba trying to control the action but De Lima is working from the bottom.
Haba tries to advance to mount but De Lima denies him.
De Lima sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
De Lima tries to get to full guard but Haba has control of the leg.
De Lima wants to control but Haba is keeping busy and won't allow it.
De Lima tries to get to full guard but Haba has control of the leg.

Haba wants to work for an arm triangle but De Lima is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Lima is trying to control but can't.
De Lima gets back to full guard.
Haba trying to control but De Lima is working from the bottom.
Haba tries to free his leg and advance position but De Lima is retaining full guard.
Haba loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
De Lima keeping moving, preventing Haba from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
De Lima misses with a double jab

and Haba counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Lima is trying to get back to full guard.

Haba looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
De Lima gets full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
De Lima is trying to hold Haba in close to prevent damage but Haba has managed to pass into half guard.
Haba seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but De Lima does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Claus Haba 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!

Haba avoids the body shot from De Lima.
De Lima with a hook.
Haba throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
De Lima is looking for a counter combo.
No joy there for De Lima, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
De Lima throws a nice looking combination but Haba bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Haba is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
De Lima looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
De Lima scores with a jab. Haba acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
De Lima throws a right hand that Haba ducks under and follows up with a left that Haba also avoids with ease.
Haba misses the shot to the body.
Rodrigo De Lima is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Haba tried to score with a low kick but De Lima checks it.
A leg kick checked by De Lima.
De Lima shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Haba eats them both and turns towards De Lima to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
De Lima throws a right and a left that Haba avoids nicely.
Haba throws a low kick but De Lima moves out of range easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Haba shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

De Lima actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haba is working for a kimura but De Lima is defending it quite comfortably.
Haba wants to advance to full mount but De Lima doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
De Lima is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Haba engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
De Lima controlling Haba's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Haba trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but De Lima manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Haba is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
De Lima trying to control the position from guard on top but Haba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Haba is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Haba looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Haba not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Haba looking for submissions from the bottom but instead De Lima passes into half guard.

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

De Lima is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Haba has managed to free his arm - good work.
De Lima prevents Haba from improving his position.

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.
De Lima trying to control from half guard but Haba is working away.
Haba wants to improve his position but De Lima is controlling well.
Claus Haba is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Haba tries to regain full guard. Instead though, De Lima has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Haba is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodrigo De Lima showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Haba has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!