PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dragon Li Chai (ranked 1061 p4p, 1622 weight class) and Claus Haba (ranked 66 p4p, 91 weight class). Claus Haba will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Chai
vs
Haba

165 cm
24
146
6 - 1 - 0

150 cm
24
138
11 - 2 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Money Inc. (160Q with Proof ) 165$
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dragon Li Chai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Claus Haba!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Haba clinches.
Haba with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Chai tries to pull guard but Haba forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Haba tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chai avoids it.
Haba scores with a shot to the side of Chai's head.
Haba misses with a knee to the head.
Chai jumps guard but Haba stands there with Chai around his waist. Chai gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Haba'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.
Haba lands a nice knee to the body.
Haba working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Chai tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dragon Li Chai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chai fails to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haba crunches a lovely knee into Chai's ribcage.
Chai is trying to pull guard but Haba turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Chai blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Chai tries to pull guard but Haba forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Haba lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Chai is trying to pull guard but Haba turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Chai has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Chai jumps guard but Haba turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chai tries to pull guard but Haba forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Haba tries to land knees in the clinch but Chai avoids the damage to the body.
Haba looking to stall.
Chai is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Haba to keep the fight standing.
Chai blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Haba connects with a nasty looking knee right to Chai's face.
Chai is trying to pull guard but Haba has him pressed against the cage.
Chai tries to pull guard but Haba forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Chai tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Haba lands a good knee to the midsection. Chai won't want to take too many of those.
Chai tries to pull guard but Haba holds him up against the cage and eventually Chai drops back down to his feet.
Chai is trying to pull guard but Haba turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Haba lands a body punch in the clinch.
Haba stalls.
Haba lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Haba cracks Chai with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chai tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Haba just stands there and leans against the cage.
Chai tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Haba just stands there and leans against the cage.
Haba crunches a lovely knee into Chai's ribcage.
Chai tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Haba just stands there and leans against the cage.
Chai tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Haba just stands there and leans against the cage.
Haba displaying some good clinch control by pressing Chai up against the cage.
Chai takes a knee to the side of the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Haba with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Chai tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Haba smiles and moves away.

Chai gets a takedown into half guard.
Haba is trying to stand back up but Chai is controlling him

Haba looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chai trying to control the action but Haba is working from the bottom.
Chai will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Haba looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Haba actively working from the bottom here.
Haba wants to get back to his feet.

Chai seems to be looking for submissions.

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.

Haba looking for submissions off his back.
Haba is in trouble now - Chai has advanced to mount!
Chai takes Haba's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Haba is in trouble.
Haba trying to get back to his feet but Chai is in full control for now.

Haba defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Chai's arms.
You can see the frustration on Haba's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chai closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Haba is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Chai working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Chai is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Haba is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Chai is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Haba has escaped the position, nice work there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haba tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haba wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Dragon Li Chai overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Chai wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Haba, who protects the arm well.
Haba gets back to half guard.
Chai passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Haba!
Chai trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Haba working to try and regain half guard.
Haba felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Haba looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haba is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Haba tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Chai wants to control the pace but Haba is squirming around nicely.
Haba squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Chai controlling from the full mount.
Chai takes Haba's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Haba is in trouble.

Chai working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haba wants to escape the position.
Haba is still trying to improve position.

Haba defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Chai's arms.

Chai is persistently looking for the submission but Haba is defending it well.

Chai is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Chai is persistently looking for the submission but Haba is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Chai has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Haba prevents Chai from getting a body triangle.
Chai keeps control of the position as Haba tries to break free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Chai tightening his grip on Haba, looking for the choke.

Chai tightening his grip on Haba, looking for the choke.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chai doesn't have the hooks in and Haba manages to turn into his guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dragon Li Chai dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Haba throws a body shot but no joy.
Chai dives in for a single leg takedown but Haba sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Chai fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Chai tries to pull guard but Haba holds him up against the cage and eventually Chai drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dragon Li Chai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Haba controlling the action here for a moment.
Knees to the body from Haba.
Chai avoiding damage as Haba throws knees to the body.
Chai is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Haba to keep the fight standing.
Chai fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A bit of stalling here from Haba.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chai jumps guard but Haba turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A right hook to the body lands for Haba.
Haba has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Chai jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Haba walks away with a smile on his face. Chai gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Haba lands a right hook to the body.
Haba misses with a few strikes there.
Chai drops down looking for a counter takedown but Haba sprawls and moves away.
Chai looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haba keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Haba fails in his attempt to clinch.
Haba throws a body shot but no joy.
Chai tries for a takedown but Haba circles away easily
and Haba counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Chai thinking.
Chai has a takedown stuffed.
Haba unleashes a big counter combination but Chai bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Claus Haba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Chai tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Haba swivels and escapes.
Haba connects with a good straight punch right through the guard and follows up with a right hook and a left hook! That last one sent Chai tumbling to the canvas! Haba pours on the pressure with more strikes and the referee has no hesitation diving in to stop the fight! Chai was done - good stoppage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Claus Haba!