PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Makana Berzebal (ranked 3754 p4p, 4796 weight class) and Kagiso Lekobe (ranked 323 p4p, 342 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Berzebal
vs
Lekobe

170 cm
25
150
1 - 1 - 0

176 cm
25
146
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

PWNAGE™
White Gorilla

White Gorilla

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Makana Berzebal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kagiso Lekobe!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Berzebal. No joy for Lekobe on that attempt.
Berzebal throws a body shot but no joy.

Berzebal gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Berzebal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Berzebal closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lekobe to the mat! Lekobe manages to get full guard.
Lekobe looks winded!
Berzebal slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Lekobe has control of Berzebal's left arm, preventing Berzebal from doing any damage.
Berzebal is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Berzebal stopping the sweep attempt from Lekobe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berzebal missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Berzebal not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Berzebal pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lekobe is keeping the position for now.
Berzebal showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Berzebal closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Lekobe's guard.
Berzebal working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Berzebal tries to stand but Lekobe is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berzebal content to stall in guard here.
Berzebal postures up.
Berzebal distracts Lekobe with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Berzebal wants to stand but Lekobe has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Berzebal wants to stand and escape but instead Lekobe has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berzebal is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lekobe is controlling him.
Berzebal throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Lekobe wants to control from the top but Berzebal keeps moving.
Berzebal tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Berzebal has Lekobe pulled in close to control his posture.
Lekobe preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four 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.
Lekobe is trying hard to land a takedown here. Berzebal sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Berzebal shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Berzebal showed some decent athleticism there.

Lekobe looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Berzebal takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Berzebal seems to be working for a kimura but Lekobe defends the submission attempt.
It looks like Berzebal is going to stand back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Makana Berzebal dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Berzebal shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Lekobe working a defensive guard here.
Makana Berzebal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lekobe keeping moving, preventing Berzebal from controlling successfully.
Berzebal wants to pass the guard but Lekobe is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lekobe wants to stand and escape but Berzebal is having none of it.
Lekobe is breathing heavily.
Berzebal scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berzebal controlling from the top position.

Lekobe had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Berzebal defends it easily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Berzebal gets the takedown into side control.
Berzebal working the head and body with strikes.
Berzebal tries to move to mount but Lekobe blocks the move with his legs.
Lekobe is letting Berzebal control him for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berzebal's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Lekobe has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Berzebal wants to stand but Lekobe has his arm trapped.
Berzebal controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Berzebal looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Berzebal connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Lekobe some visible discomfort.
Berzebal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lekobe keeps working.
Berzebal working away.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Lekobe is letting Berzebal control him for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Berzebal drives through with a takedown into Lekobe's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berzebal wants to get up but he can't break Lekobe's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Lekobe is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Berzebal working some strikes from top position.
Lekobe trying to keep a closed guard but Berzebal is proving a slippery customer.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Berzebal content to stall in guard here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Makana Berzebal dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Berzebal looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Lekobe!
Berzebal creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Berzebal looks up at the clock and then as Lekobe takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Berzebal smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Berzebal thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lekobe is trying to escape the position but Berzebal is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Lekobe's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Lekobe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Berzebal goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Lekobe rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Berzebal's guard! Nice work there by Lekobe!

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

Lekobe wants to stand and escape but Berzebal is having none of it.
Berzebal would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berzebal looking to pass the guard.
Berzebal wants to stand and escape but instead Lekobe has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Berzebal tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Berzebal is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lekobe can do to turn this around?
Berzebal manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lekobe manages to get himself to full guard.

Berzebal is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lekobe keeping full guard, as Berzebal tries to pass.
Berzebal content to stall in guard here.
Further stalling from Berzebal.
Berzebal cracks Lekobe with a solid left hand.

That's four 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.
Berzebal would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Berzebal is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lekobe shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lekobe drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Kagiso Lekobe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Makana Berzebal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Berzebal attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Makana Berzebal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Berzebal has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Makana Berzebal!