PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mario Eikmeyer (ranked 809 p4p, 810 weight class) and Horace Cuba (ranked 99 p4p, 100 weight class). 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.

Eikmeyer
vs
Cuba

190 cm
49
272
40 - 60 - 2

200 cm
20
270
10 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

The Dirty Needle Project

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 40 - 60 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mario Eikmeyer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Horace Cuba!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Albert Achterberg and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cuba misses with a body shot.
Cuba throws a lazy uppercut

and Eikmeyer decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cuba's guard.

Eikmeyer thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Eikmeyer drops back, looking for a kneebar! Cuba looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Cuba looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Cuba!

Cuba controls the position.
Eikmeyer is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eikmeyer gets back to half guard.
Cuba wants to take a breather but Eikmeyer is having none of it.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions off his back.

Eikmeyer is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cuba pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Eikmeyer is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cuba pulls his head out easily.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cuba is taking a breather. Eikmeyer says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Eikmeyer looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Eikmeyer is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cuba pulls his head out easily.

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.

Eikmeyer actively working from the bottom here.
Cuba missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Eikmeyer actively working from the bottom here.
Cuba content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Eikmeyer looking for subs from the bottom but Cuba mounts him!
Eikmeyer is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cuba controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuba's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Eikmeyer is wriggling around trying to escape.
Eikmeyer manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Eikmeyer looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cuba sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Eikmeyer defending well though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cuba in particular looking to stall.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions off his back.
Cuba tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Eikmeyer.

Eikmeyer actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eikmeyer tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Cuba has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Eikmeyer is trying to escape the mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cuba controlling from mount.
Eikmeyer tries to reverse the position but Cuba maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Horace Cuba dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cuba misses with a right hand

so Eikmeyer counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mario Eikmeyer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Eikmeyer drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Cuba manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Eikmeyer has Cuba in his guard.

Cuba looking to pass the guard.

Eikmeyer is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Eikmeyer keeping moving, preventing Cuba from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Eikmeyer escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cuba gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cuba sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Eikmeyer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cuba wants to pass the guard but Eikmeyer is keeping the position.

Eikmeyer isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Cuba stacks Eikmeyer on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Cuba!
Eikmeyer is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Eikmeyer managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Cuba.

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.
Eikmeyer is looking for a sweep.
Cuba just content to control the position.
Eikmeyer manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cuba's best efforts.
Cuba is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Eikmeyer actively working from the bottom here.
Cuba is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Eikmeyer looking for subs from the bottom but Cuba mounts him!
Cuba prevents Eikmeyer from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuba throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Eikmeyer because Cuba loaded up on that one.
Eikmeyer is trying to escape the mount.
Eikmeyer is working hard here to advance position.
Cuba content just to control the position here.
More stalling from Cuba.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eikmeyer is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cuba tries to control but Eikmeyer wriggling away.
Cuba controlling from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Eikmeyer is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Horace Cuba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Eikmeyer misses with a takedown attempt
and Cuba counters with a straight right hand.
Cuba misses with an uppercut.
Eikmeyer tries to counter with a takedown but Cuba is quick to defend against it.
Cuba misses the jab.
Eikmeyer feinted with a counter takedown.
Eikmeyer fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cuba avoids it really well and circles away.
Cuba is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eikmeyer shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cuba as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mario Eikmeyer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Cuba enables Eikmeyer to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Cuba manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuba pulls Eikmeyer in close to his closed guard and prevents Eikmeyer from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Eikmeyer drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Cuba dives on top into guard.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Cuba must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cuba controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Eikmeyer keeping moving, preventing Cuba from controlling successfully.

Eikmeyer is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Cuba's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Cuba has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Cuba avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cuba tries to free his leg and advance position but Eikmeyer is retaining full guard.

Eikmeyer has an active guard here but Cuba has managed to pass into half guard.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Eikmeyer actively working from the bottom here.

Eikmeyer looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuba slows the pace down in half guard.
Cuba is continuing to stall.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Eikmeyer works his way to full guard. Good work.
Cuba loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four 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.

Eikmeyer has his foot on Cuba's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cuba works his way back into a safe position though.

Eikmeyer looking for subs off his back but Cuba has passed one foot through into half guard.
Cuba tries to pass the half guard into mount. Eikmeyer knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Mario Eikmeyer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eikmeyer avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cuba.
Cuba throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cuba throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cuba trying to control from half guard but Eikmeyer is working away.
Cuba not doing much here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Horace Cuba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cuba has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Horace Cuba!
Horace Cuba spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.