PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tanner Herro (ranked 3171 p4p, 2276 weight class) and Metbal Skabetti (ranked 455 p4p, 351 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Herro
vs
Skabetti

194 cm
27
224
13 - 15 - 0

192 cm
24
209
8 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tanner Herro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Metbal Skabetti!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Herro drives through and clinches with Skabetti against the cage.
Herro lands a right hand that snaps the head of Skabetti backwards.
Skabetti swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Skabetti lands a shoulder strike.
Herro lands a good knee to the midsection. Skabetti won't want to take too many of those.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Herro.
Skabetti working some nice short punches in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Skabetti.
Herro using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Skabetti has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Skabetti misses with some punches.
Skabetti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Herro trying to land knees to the body.
Skabetti misses with the head strike.
Skabetti lands a hook to the side of the head.
Skabetti landing knees to the body.
Our sources have told us that Herro has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Skabetti on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Herro tries a knee to the head but Skabetti blocks it.
Herro goes for a takedown attempt but Skabetti pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Herro fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Skabetti! But no joy.
Herro is breathing heavily.
Good standup being displayed there by Skabetti as he connects with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Skabetti misses the target.
Tanner Herro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Herro ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Metbal Skabetti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Herro wants to clinch but Skabetti slips to the side
and Skabetti counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Herro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Skabetti swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Herro drives through and clinches with Skabetti against the cage.
Herro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Skabetti's elbow.
A body shot lands from Skabetti.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Herro.
Herro takes a knee right on the jaw!
Skabetti managing to block the knees to the body from Herro.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Herro tries to stall but Skabetti uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Herro trying to land knees to the body.
Herro landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Herro unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skabetti misses with some punches.
Skabetti lands a hook that snaps the head of Herro backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Skabetti misses with a body punch.
Skabetti lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Skabetti fails to land.

Herro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Herro darts in trying to clinch
and Skabetti counters with a stiff right hand.

Herro is rocked!
Herro fails with the takedown
and Skabetti counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Oh Herro is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tanner Herro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Herro moves to clinch but Skabetti breaks away
and Skabetti counters with a beautiful right hand that knocks Herro out cold! What a finish! Skabetti is going crazy, running around the mat, summersaulting off the corner posts and screaming into the cameras. Something tells me he's pretty happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:41 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Metbal Skabetti!
An out of breath Metbal Skabetti thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.