PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thulani Imamu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mathew Lacey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Imamu
vs
Lacey

188 cm
27
201 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

190 cm
25
192 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

MFS Outfitters ™
MADE IN GERMANY

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thulani Imamu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mathew Lacey!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lacey has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Imamu finds it's way round the side to connect with Lacey's head.
Imamu tries to clinch but Lacey is having none of it.
Imamu is looking to clinch but Lacey is avoiding it.
Imamu scores with a shot to the body.
Lacey avoids the body shot from Imamu.
Lacey avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Imamu doesn't manage to clinch there - Lacey circles away.
Lacey throws a series of strikes that have Imamu backpedaling.
Imamu takes one on the button.
Lacey tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Imamu was well out of range. Poor timing from Lacey.
Lacey lands a nice shot to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lacey.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lacey uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Imamu.
Imamu will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Lacey lands a nice hook to Imamu's body. Imamu takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lacey scores with a crisp jab that stopped Imamu in his tracks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lacey misses with a looping right.
Lacey looks to land a combination but Imamu avoids it well.
Imamu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lacey moves away.
Imamu doesn't manage to clinch there - Lacey circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Imamu. Lacey does a little dance to reset his feet.
Imamu takes one to the chin there.
Lacey scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Lacey throws a hook but Imamu avoids it easily.
Imamu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lacey.
Lacey shoots in and drives through. Imamu sprawls well.
Lacey shoots in for a takedown but Imamu shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thulani Imamu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mathew Lacey.
Imamu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lacey swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lacey throws a series of punches but Imamu moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Imamu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imamu needs to keep his hands up - Lacey had a free shot at his head there.
Imamu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lacey.
Imamu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lacey.
Lacey misses with a straight right.
The fight stays on the outside here - Imamu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thulani Imamu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lacey lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Imamu circles away quickly and effectively.
Lacey misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lacey keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Lacey bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lacey prevents Imamu from escaping the position.
Lacey sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Imamu is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Lacey prevents Imamu from escaping the position.
Lacey tries to score with some ground and pound. Imamu controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Lacey are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Imamu wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Imamu trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Imamu is breathing heavily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lacey misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Imamu.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lacey. Imamu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lacey connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Imamu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lacey throws a right and a left that Imamu avoids nicely.
Lacey with a hook.
Imamu tries to close the distance and clinch but Lacey swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Imamu tries to clinch but Lacey moves out of range.
Imamu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lacey moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Lacey scores with a jab. Imamu acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Imamu looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Imamu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lacey lands with a straight right. Imamu didn't see that one coming.
Lacey is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Imamu had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Imamu tries to clinch up.
Imamu walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Imamu wants to clinch up but Lacey keeps it at a distance.
Lacey throws a jab when Imamu was well out of range.
Lacey connects with a crisp jab.
Lacey moves away from the strike by Imamu.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lacey scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Lacey drives through with a takedown into guard.
Imamu keeping moving, preventing Lacey from controlling successfully.
Lacey prevents Imamu from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Imamu leaves Lacey with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lacey works Imamu's body with a nice hook.
Imamu is looking to wear down Lacey with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Lacey looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Imamu wants to stand up but Lacey is controlling him.
Lacey looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Lacey missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Imamu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lacey is controlling him.
Imamu can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Lacey controls the pace.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lacey throwing strikes from guard but Imamu blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imamu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lacey won't allow Imamu to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Imamu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lacey.
Imamu misses with a wild body shot.
Jab from Lacey.
Lacey connects with a jab.
Lacey throws a series of strikes that have Imamu backpedaling.
Imamu misses with a jab, cross combination.
Imamu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lacey.
Lacey throws a right and a left that Imamu avoids nicely.
Lacey closes this distance looking for a takedown but Imamu circles away.

Lacey scores a takedown into full mount!
A nice elbow there by Lacey.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lacey lands with some strikes.
Lacey landing punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Imamu is trying to stand.
Lacey dominating with strikes here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lacey lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Lacey with a couple of short strikes.
Imamu is trying to stand up.
Lacey landing shots from mount.
Lacey lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Imamu tries to buck Lacey off but he can't manage it.
Lacey working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Lacey has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
A nice elbow there by Lacey.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lacey putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Lacey putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Imamu is trying to stand.
Lacey lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Imamu hang on?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lacey is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Lacey scoring with strikes but Imamu is staying in there.
Lacey postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Imamu looks a forlorn figure.

Imamu is rocked!
Lacey is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Oh Imamu is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Imamu is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Imamu seems to have got his legs back now.
Lacey landing strikes from the mount.
Lacey lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lacey landing strikes from the mount and Imamu is in trouble!
Imamu is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Lacey putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Mathew Lacey has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lacey has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Imamu's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lacey lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Imamu is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Lacey putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Lacey lands a big elbow.
Lacey working the ground and pound effectively.
Imamu taking shots to the head.
Lacey is landing with some decent strikes but Imamu is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Lacey raining down shots from the mount!
Lacey fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lacey trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Lacey lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mathew Lacey showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lacey throws a series of strikes that have Imamu backpedaling.
Imamu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lacey moves away.
Lacey looks to land a right hand but Imamu moved out of range.
Lacey shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Imamu as he jumps to the side.
Lacey will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Imamu is looking to clinch.
Imamu dodges the punch combination from Lacey.
Imamu slips a jab and a cross from Lacey.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Imamu lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Imamu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lacey misses with a double jab.
Lacey throws an overhand right that lands on Imamu's shoulder, as Imamu tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imamu misses with a straight right.
Lacey dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Imamu lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Imamu darts in and clinches Lacey up against the cage.
Imamu is trying to force a seperation but Lacey has the dominant position.
Lacey misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Imamu.
Imamu wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lacey has him pressed against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Imamu fails to land.
Lacey is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Imamu swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lacey blocks an uppercut.
Lacey is pushing Imamu up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Imamu lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Imamu working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Imamu scores with a shot to the side of Lacey's head.

Lacey pulls guard effortlessly.

Imamu decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Thulani Imamu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thulani Imamu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lacey throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lacey misses with a wild combination.
Lacey circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lacey scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Imamu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Imamu misses with a straight left.
Lacey jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Imamu lands a glancing blow to the side of Lacey's head.
Lacey wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Lacey scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Lacey dives in and grabs Imamu's left leg, looking for a takedown. Imamu pushes down on Lacey's head and hops out.
Thulani Imamu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mathew Lacey.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Lacey!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lacey looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Imamu wants to clinch up but Lacey keeps it at a distance.
Imamu tries to clinch but Lacey is having none of it.
Imamu swings for the body but Lacey moves out of range.
Imamu slips a jab and a cross from Lacey.
Lacey throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Imamu on the side of the head.
Mathew Lacey is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lacey misses with an uppercut.

Imamu rushes Lacey and presses him up against the cage.
Imamu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Imamu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Imamu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lacey misses with a hook. Imamu ducked under it nicely.
Lacey bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Imamu uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Lacey has time to react.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Lacey misses with a straight right.
Imamu looks to throw the jab but Lacey is out of range.
Lacey throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lacey ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Imamu moves away.
Imamu tries to clinch up but Lacey circles away and keeps his distance.
Lacey swats away the attempt to clinch by Imamu.
Imamu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lacey moves away.
Imamu takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lacey looks to land a combination but Imamu avoids it well.
Imamu takes one on the button.
Lacey throws a combination that misses
and Imamu counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lacey thinking.
Imamu is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Lacey.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Thulani Imamu.
I think Lacey 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mathew Lacey!