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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Papa Legba (ranked 528 p4p, 671 weight class) and Arjan Bhullar (ranked 77 p4p, 103 weight class). Bhullar comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Daniel Cormier - All About That Cake kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 178 cm
27
185
15 - 5 - 0 |
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180 cm
38
185
37 - 22 - 1 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Papa Legba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 22 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Arjan Bhullar!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Paul Tew and Steven Brown.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bhullar ducks under a wild hook from Legba.
It seemed like Bhullar was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Bhullar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Legba closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Legba lands in his opponent's guard.
Bhullar working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Legba doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Legba manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bhullar keeping moving, preventing Legba from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Legba stops Bhullar from standing up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Legba trying to control but Bhullar is working from the bottom.
The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Legba misses with a looping right.
Bhullar let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Legba wants to clinch but Bhullar slips to the side
and Legba takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bhullar takes a swing at Legba's ribcage but misses.
Legba throwing a counter right hand but Bhullar manages to avoid it.
Legba with a lazy takedown attempt
and Bhullar counters with a nice uppercut.
Legba scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Legba fails in his attempt to clinch.
Legba throws out a loose jab but Bhullar uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bhullar bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legba bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Bhullar's head backwards.
Legba misses the body punch
enabling Bhullar to counter with a crisp jab.
Legba clinches up with Bhullar and pushes him back against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Legba throws a punch but it's blocked by Bhullar.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Legba.
Legba has Bhullar pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bhullar manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Legba lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Bhullar presses Legba against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Legba tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bhullar blocks an uppercut.
Bhullar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Legba swings wildly with an uppercut but Bhullar uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bhullar tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bhullar looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Legba lands a shoulder strike.
Legba is working Bhullar over against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Legba.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bhullar lands a body shot.
Legba misses with a body punch.
Legba working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bhullar wants to get back to striking at distance but Legba won't allow it.
Bhullar stalling.
Bhullar breaks from the clinch.
Legba misses with a wild body shot.
Bhullar takes a swing at Legba's ribcage but misses.
Bhullar takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Bhullar keeps the fight on the outside.
Bhullar doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Legba manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bhullar on his heels. He'll look to pass Bhullar's guard now, I'm sure.
Legba preventing the sweep.
Legba slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bhullar keeping moving, preventing Legba from controlling successfully.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bhullar looking for a sweep. Not yet Bhullar, not yet.
Legba thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Legba trying to control the position from guard on top but Bhullar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Bhullar lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Legba working a defensive guard here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Papa Legba dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!
Legba uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bhullar.
Bhullar digs a good hook to Legba's body.
Bhullar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Legba is fending him off so far but Bhullar persists. Nope, Legba circles away and we're back to standing.
Legba moves out of range as Bhullar strikes.
Bhullar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Legba throwing a counter right hand but Bhullar manages to avoid it.
Legba throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Bhullar stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Legba misses with a wild body shot.
Legba gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Legba blocks a body shot from Bhullar.
Bhullar lands a hook to the side of the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Bhullar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Legba.
Bhullar lands a takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Legba trying to control the position.
Legba looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Bhullar lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Bhullar wants to control from the top but Legba keeps moving.
Bhullar slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Legba looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Bhullar has picked Legba up and slammed him! Legba can't keep hold of the triangle and Bhullar manages to pass to side control!
Bhullar works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Legba wants to control but Bhullar postures up.
Legba is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Bhullar off and has taken his back!
Bhullar is trying to break free.
Legba is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Bhullar is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Legba off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bhullar tries to roll but Legba sticks to his back.
Legba working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bhullar rolls, trying to escape but Legba keeps control of the position.
Legba doesn't have the hooks in and Bhullar manages to turn into his guard.
Legba looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Legba throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Legba is looking for a triangle but Bhullar pushes his legs off easily.
Legba is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Arjan Bhullar has got the better of the ground game so far.
Legba is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bhullar is aware though and is defending well.
Bhullar working some strikes from top position.
Bhullar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Legba keeping moving, preventing Bhullar from controlling successfully.
Legba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
That's four 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.
Legba is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bhullar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Legba swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Legba is trying to keep Bhullar in close.
Legba had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bhullar defends it easily.
Bhullar scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Legba trying to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Arjan Bhullar will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.
Bhullar misses with a wild body shot.
Legba missing with a left hand there. Bhullar was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bhullar let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Bhullar has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Bhullar moves out of range of the strikes.
A telegraphed right hand from Legba misses the target.
Bhullar on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Bhullar takes one on the button.
It looks like Arjan Bhullar has been cut.
Bhullar throws a body shot but no joy.
Legba is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Bhullar.
Legba throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Legba moves out of range of the strikes.
A decent looking cross lands there for Legba.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot lands for Legba.
Legba closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bhullar circles away.
Bhullar misses with a straight left.
Bhullar avoids the body shot from Legba.
Legba wants to clinch up but Bhullar keeps it at a distance.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Bhullar circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bhullar lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Legba takes one to the chin there.
Bhullar misses the jab.
Bhullar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Legba manages to avoid it.
Bhullar misses with an uppercut. Legba saw that one coming.
Bhullar misses with a body shot.
Legba shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bhullar pinned against the cage. Bhullar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bhullar jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Legba misses with a takedown attempt
and Bhullar counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Papa Legba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Legba swings wildly with an uppercut but Bhullar uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bhullar pressing his opponent against the cage.
Legba misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bhullar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Papa Legba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight moves into the clinch position.
Legba throws a head punch that misses.
Legba is fighting off a takedown attempt but Bhullar is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Legba to the mat. Legba regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bhullar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Legba works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bhullar throws a big right hand that misses.
Legba is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bhullar is aware though and is defending well.
Bhullar trying to control but Legba is working from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bhullar's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bhullar works over Legba with some ground and pound from guard.
Legba has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Bhullar is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Legba.
Legba regains half guard.
Legba on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Legba looking for submissions off his back.
Legba wants to control but Bhullar is keeping busy and won't allow it.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Legba actively working from the bottom here.
Bhullar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Legba does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Legba makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Legba.
Legba throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Legba working a defensive guard but Bhullar manages to pass into side control anyway.
And that's the end of the fight!
Arjan Bhullar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bhullar 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 William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arjan Bhullar!
After the fight, Arjan Bhullar was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
42% |
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