PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Lyubenov (ranked 793 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phillip Haba (ranked 1855 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Lyubenov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lyubenov
vs
Haba

182 cm
27
170 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

185 cm
27
178 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ivan Lyubenov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Phillip Haba!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Winston Alpacca and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Haba throws a poor cross that misses
and Lyubenov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Lyubenov has managed to clinch.
Lyubenov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lyubenov tries to throw a body punch but Haba avoids it by throwing Lyubenov back against the cage.
Haba misses with the head strike.
Lyubenov has Haba pressed against the cage, preventing Haba from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lyubenov misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Haba.
Lyubenov definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Haba takes a shot to the head.
A hook to the body from Lyubenov.
Lyubenov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Haba breaks from the clinch.
Lyubenov ducks under a wild hook from Haba.
Lyubenov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haba swinging wildly here.
Haba rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lyubenov counters with a nice uppercut.
Ivan Lyubenov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lyubenov changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Lyubenov rushes Haba and presses him up against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lyubenov lands a hook that snaps the head of Haba backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lyubenov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lyubenov lands a nice shot to the body.
Lyubenov tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Haba's elbow.
Nice body punch from Haba.
Lyubenov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Haba blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Haba stalling in the clinch but Lyubenov improves position.
Haba blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Haba doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lyubenov misses with the head strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Haba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Haba steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lyubenov.
Lyubenov misses with a hook.
Lyubenov scores with a jab.
Lyubenov throws a sloppy body shot
and Haba counters with a nice uppercut.
Nice shot lands for Haba.
Lyubenov doesn't manage to clinch there - Haba circles away.
Haba waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lyubenov.
Lyubenov stuns Haba with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haba throws out a loose jab but Lyubenov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lyubenov cracks Haba with a good jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lyubenov wants to clinch.

Lyubenov drives through and clinches with Haba against the cage.

Haba breaks the clinch.
Lyubenov lands with a right hand.
A shot to the body from Haba misses
and Lyubenov counters with a left to the body.
Haba takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lyubenov throws a jab when Haba was well out of range.
Haba avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Haba clobbers Lyubenov with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Lyubenov cracks a nice hook into Haba's ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Haba misses.

Lyubenov has taken the fight to the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Lyubenov scores with a nice short uppercut.
Lyubenov tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Haba's elbow.
Good body shot from Lyubenov.
Lyubenov misses with some punches.
Haba looking to slow down the pace here.
Lyubenov misses with the head strike.
Lyubenov lands a shoulder strike.
Haba cracks Lyubenov with a nice body shot.
Haba can't find room to land a body shot as Lyubenov controls the action.
Haba misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lyubenov.
Lyubenov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Haba blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Lyubenov.
Lyubenov lands with a short shot to the head.
Haba takes a shot to the head.
Good body shot from Lyubenov.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lyubenov lands a hook to the side of the head.
Haba looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Haba fails to land.
Lyubenov lands with a right to the head.
Lyubenov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Haba is trying to break the clinch but Lyubenov is controlling him.
Lyubenov lands with a light punch inside.
Lyubenov lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Haba backwards.

Haba is rocked!
Haba doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Haba is still on wobbly legs! Can Lyubenov finish him?
Lyubenov has a couple of punches blocked by Haba.
Haba blocking some punches.
Lyubenov misses with the head strike.
Haba wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lyubenov has him pressed against the cage.
Nice body punch from Lyubenov - that landed with a thud.
Haba working hard to break the clinch.
Lyubenov swings wildly with an uppercut but Haba uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lyubenov throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Haba.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lyubenov.
Lyubenov is working Haba over against the cage.
Lyubenov digs a right hand into Haba's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Haba's gas tank.
A left hand lands to the body for Lyubenov.
Lyubenov misses with the head strike.
Lyubenov misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Haba.
Lyubenov working aggressively here.
Haba blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Lyubenov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Haba blocks an uppercut.
Lyubenov throws a head punch that misses.
Lyubenov lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Haba.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lyubenov has a couple of punches blocked by Haba.
Lyubenov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Haba blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Haba seems to have recovered his senses.
Lyubenov lands with a left to the head.
Lyubenov is leaning against Haba and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Lyubenov lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Lyubenov creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Haba's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Haba drops to his knees and Lyubenov pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ivan Lyubenov!
A very excited looking Ivan Lyubenov rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.