PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Charles Sobhraj (ranked 2740 p4p, 2532 weight class) and Michal Sykora (ranked 151 p4p, 140 weight class). Sobhraj comes to the cage accompanied by hurragutt. This should be a great matchup!

Sobhraj
vs
Sykora

171 cm
29
135
7 - 8 - 0

170 cm
21
142
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Fast

Brooklyn Threads

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 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Charles Sobhraj!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Michal Sykora!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Anthony Taglia and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sobhraj closes the distance and clinches up with Sykora, looking for a takedown. Sobhraj pushes Sykora against the cage but Sykora circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sykora displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sobhraj.
Sobhraj swats away the attempt to clinch by Sykora.
Sykora fakes the leg kick and cracks Sobhraj in the body.
We've been hearing reports that Sobhraj has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

Sobhraj gets caught flat footed, as Sykora shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sykora throwing strikes from guard but Sobhraj blocks nicely.
Sykora is looking to stand up but Sobhraj won't let him.

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

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sobhraj not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sykora looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Sobhraj is in close to Sykora's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykora wants to stand and escape but Sobhraj is having none of it.
Sobhraj trying to control the position from guard on top but Sykora is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sobhraj sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sykora's guard.
Sykora looks like he's trying to stand up.
Sykora is not content to let Sobhraj control the position.
Ground and pound from Sobhraj.
Sykora tries to kick Sobhraj off but Sobhraj keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sobhraj takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sykora pushes Sobhraj off looking to stand but Sobhraj dives back in and keeps control.
Sobhraj working the head and body with strikes.
Ground and pound from Sobhraj.
Sykora wants to get back to his feet.

Sobhraj is working for a kimura but Sykora is defending it quite comfortably.
Sobhraj lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Sobhraj is looking for a kimura but Sykora is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sobhraj to get the leverage.
Sykora is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sobhraj scores with a couple of nice shots.

Sobhraj is working for a submission of some sort.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sykora looks like he's trying to stand up.
Sykora is in trouble now - Sobhraj has advanced to mount!
Sykora really wants to buck Sobhraj off and get back to his feet.
Sobhraj landing punches.
Sobhraj moves to back control.

Sobhraj patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Sykora is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Sobhraj off. It looks like it's working - Sobhraj slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Sykora displaying calm under pressure there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sobhraj.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Charles Sobhraj. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sykora closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sykora stalling against the cage.
Sykora tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sykora using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sobhraj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sobhraj taking a breather.
Sykora tries to land knees in the clinch but Sobhraj avoids the damage to the body.
Sykora scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Charles Sobhraj has been cut.
Sykora using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sobhraj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sobhraj looking for a takedown.
Sykora crunches a lovely knee into Sobhraj's ribcage.
Sykora prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sobhraj blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sykora with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sykora tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sobhraj avoids it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Charles Sobhraj will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Charles Sobhraj's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sobhraj has a takedown stuffed.
Sykora scores with a kick to the body.
Sobhraj steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sykora. That one must have hurt.
Michal Sykora seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sobhraj is defended easily by Sykora.
Sobhraj connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sykora. Sykora circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body kick from Sykora.
Sobhraj takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Sykora tries to clinch up.
Sykora lands a nice looking kick to the body. Sobhraj takes a step back to recover.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sykora shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sobhraj napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sykora is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sobhraj is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sobhraj tries to bench press Sykora off him but Sykora keeps the position.

Sykora wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sobhraj, who protects the arm well.

Sykora is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sobhraj knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sobhraj sneaks back into half guard.
Sobhraj tries to roll over but Sykora keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sykora not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sykora seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Sobhraj regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sykora trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sykora trying to control the position from guard on top but Sobhraj is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sykora tries to stand but Sobhraj is controlling from the bottom.

Sobhraj is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Sykora decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sykora.
Sobhraj uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sykora.
Sobhraj shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sykora defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Charles Sobhraj. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters circling a little - Sykora finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Michal Sykora is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sykora throws a front kick that sends Sobhraj stumbling back into the cage.
Sykora lands a nice looking kick to the body. Sobhraj takes a step back to recover.
The fighters circling - Sobhraj throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sykora goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Sykora scores with a push kick.
Sykora scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping body kick lands there for Sykora.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sykora lands with a kick to the ribs.
Sykora keeps Sobhraj at a distance using the push kick.
Sobhraj steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sykora. That one must have hurt.
Michal Sykora seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sykora lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Sykora connects with a solid leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sykora.
Sobhraj shoots in for a double leg but Sykora sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sykora scoring well with a low kick there.
Sykora thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Sobhraj if he has to take too many more of those.
Sobhraj blocks a head kick by Sykora.
Sobhraj attempts a counter takedown but Sykora avoids it well and moves away.
Sykora pushes Sobhraj away with a front kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Sykora.
Sykora fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sobhraj has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michal Sykora showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Charles Sobhraj's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Crunch! Sykora slams his shin into Sobhraj's torso.
Sobhraj on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Sykora lands a big head kick that sends Sobhraj tumbling to the mat! Sykora takes a step backwards and waves Sobhraj back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Sobhraj is rocked!
Sykora throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Oh Sobhraj is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sobhraj drops his hands momentarily and Sykora needs no second invitation. He sets himself and throws a perfect high kick, that clips Sobhraj just on the top of the head. Sobhraj drops like a sack of potatoes to the canvas, out cold! Oooooooh yeah! Stick a fork in Sobhraj - he's done!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Michal Sykora!