PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thulani Imamu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dom Holch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Imamu
vs
Holch

188 cm
28
201 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

179 cm
26
199 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thulani Imamu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dom Holch!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holch throws a body punch but Imamu moves out of range.
Imamu lands with a nice combination. Holch backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Dom Holch has been cut.
Imamu throws a lazy uppercut
and Holch counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Imamu thinking.
Imamu throws a combination that misses

and Holch counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Imamu wants to get back to his feet.
Holch tries to pass the half guard into mount. Imamu knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Imamu has hold of Holch's hands but Holch slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Holch has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Holch missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Imamu wants to get back to his feet.
Holch throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Imamu avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Holch.
Imamu looks like he's trying to stand up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Holch thows a huge punch but Imamu dodges it nicely.
Holch not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Holch thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Imamu's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holch wants to pass to mount but Imamu is defending the position.
Holch not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Holch looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Imamu pushes Holch off looking to stand but Holch dives back in and keeps control.
Holch lands with a punch from half guard.
Imamu is trying to stand.
Imamu is breathing heavily.
Holch throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Holch not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Holch thows a huge punch but Imamu dodges it nicely.
Imamu is trying to stand back up but Holch is controlling him
Holch throwing shots but Imamu is blocking nicely.
Holch tries to pass the half guard into mount. Imamu knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Holch prevents Imamu from standing back up.
Imamu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Holch throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holch slips a nice elbow through Imamu's hands, connecting with Imamu's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holch throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Holch stops Imamu from getting back to his feet.
Holch thows a huge punch but Imamu dodges it nicely.
Imamu avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Holch.
Imamu pushes Holch off looking to stand but Holch dives back in and keeps control.
Holch looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Holch prevents Imamu from standing back up.
Holch is keen to just control but Imamu is a slippery customer.
Imamu has hold of Holch's hands but Holch slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Holch not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Holch looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Imamu is trying to stand.
Holch wants to free his trapped foot but Imamu is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Imamu looks like he's trying to stand up.
Holch not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holch missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Holch throwing shots but Imamu is blocking nicely.
Imamu pushes Holch off looking to stand but Holch dives back in and keeps control.
Holch throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Imamu blocking the ground and pound attempt from Holch.
Holch thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Imamu has hold of Holch's hands but Holch slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Holch is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Imamu!
Imamu taking shots to the head.
Imamu wants to try and get back to his feet.
The referee warns Imamu that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee warns Imamu that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Holch looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Holch with a couple of short strikes.
Holch punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holch putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Holch raining down shots from the mount!
Imamu taking shots to the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Holch wants to control the pace but Imamu is squirming around nicely.
Holch is landing with some decent strikes but Imamu is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Holch tries to control but Imamu wriggling away.
Imamu is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Holch is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Imamu is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Holch dominating with strikes here.
Holch tries to control but Imamu wriggling away.
Imamu is bucking up trying to escape but Holch cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dom Holch dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dom Holch's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Imamu falls off balance throwing a combination
and Imamu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Thulani Imamu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Imamu falls off balance throwing a combination

and Holch counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Holch.
Holch trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Imamu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Holch is controlling him.
Holch postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Holch working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Holch won't allow Imamu to get back to his feet.
Holch stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Imamu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Holch won't allow Imamu to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Holch not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Holch trying to control the position from guard on top but Imamu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Holch working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Imamu wants to stand and escape but Holch is having none of it.
Holch in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Holch trying to control the position from guard on top but Imamu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Imamu wriggles free and stands up.
Imamu moves to clinch but Holch breaks away

and Holch counters with a single leg into guard. Imamu didn't expect that.
Holch thows a big elbow that misses.
Holch with a flurry of punches that miss.
Holch pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Imamu is keeping the position for now.
Holch prevents Imamu from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holch scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Holch pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Imamu is keeping the position for now.
Holch is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Imamu keeping moving, preventing Holch from controlling successfully.
Imamu wants to get back to his feet but Holch is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Holch trying to control but Imamu is working from the bottom.
Holch working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Imamu's head.
Holch content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Holch stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Imamu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Holch won't allow Imamu to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holch working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Holch chips away with some ground and pound.
Holch lands a couple of digs.
Holch stops Imamu from standing up.
Holch trying to control the position from guard on top but Imamu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holch lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Holch trying to control the position from guard on top but Imamu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holch content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Imamu is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Imamu keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Holch's efforts to push away.
Imamu wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Holch works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A right handed body shot lands from Holch.
A head punch on the inside from Holch fails to land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Holch.

Holch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Holch swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Imamu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Holch.
Holch misses with a series of wild punches.
Imamu gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
No luck for Holch with that takedown attempt.
Holch is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Holch fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Imamu manages to avoid it.
Imamu lands with a right hand.

Imamu moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dom Holch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dom Holch's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Nice uppercut there from Holch.
Imamu defending well as Holch loads up on a big left hand.
Imamu misses with a right hand
and Holch counters with a stiff right hand.
Holch rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Holch takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Imamu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Thulani Imamu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Imamu looks to score with a jab to the body but Holch is just out of range.
Holch misses with a wild combination.
Holch's jab looks to have found its range, popping Imamu under the eye.
Holch throws a sloppy head kick and Imamu moves out of range easily.
Holch sizes up Imamu with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Holch has a takedown stuffed.
Imamu doesn't manage to clinch there - Holch circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holch throws a head kick but Imamu moves out of range.
Imamu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Holch throws a head kick but Imamu moves out of range.
Holch ducks under a wild hook from Imamu.
Imamu moves out of range of the strikes.
Imamu throws an off balance right hand

and Holch counters with a nice double leg into side control. Imamu won't be happy with that.
Imamu tries to escape but Holch is in control.
Holch landing a few strikes.
Imamu pushes Holch away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Holch gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holch postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Holch fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Imamu is pushing Holch's head away, looking to escape. Holch manages to hold on to the position though.
Imamu takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Holch lands a nice forearm strike.
Thulani Imamu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dom Holch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holch slows the pace down.
Imamu is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Holch asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Imamu is not content to let Holch control the position.
Holch advances nicely into full mount.
Holch lands a nice shot to the head.
Holch controlling the pace for now.
Holch breaks from Imamu's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Holch looking to control and managing it successfully.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Holch lands with some strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holch lands a big elbow.
Holch wants to control the pace but Imamu is squirming around nicely.
Holch cracks Imamu with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Holch with shots to the head and body - Imamu looks very uncomfortable down there.
Holch controlling from the full mount.
Holch in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Imamu really wants to buck Holch off and get back to his feet.
Holch sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Holch trying to control but Imamu is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imamu wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Holch takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Imamu's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Holch controlling his opponent.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Imamu wants to try and get back to his feet.
Holch looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dom Holch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Holch winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dom Holch!