PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mookie Magaba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Humberto Montes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Magaba comes into the arena with Three Days Grace - Animal I Have Become blaring out of the sound system. Humberto Montes has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mookie Magaba's chin.

Magaba
vs
Montes

171 cm
22
149 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

176 cm
25
153 lbs
7 - 4 - 2

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mookie Magaba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 2, fighting out of New York, Humberto Montes!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Franklyn Lucas and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Montes cracks the inside of Magaba's front leg.
Magaba tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Montes counters with a nice low kick that buckles Magaba's knee momentarily.
Decent striking displayed by Montes there.
Magaba tries to clinch but Montes moves out of range.
Magaba wants to clinch up but Montes keeps it at a distance.
Montes takes a kick to the side of the head.
Magaba fails with a takedown attempt.
Montes displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Magaba.
Magaba tries to clinch up.
Magaba fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Montes avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mookie Magaba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Montes pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Magaba back to the cage. Montes follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Montes gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Magaba to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Magaba drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Montes dives on top into guard.
Magaba looking for a sweep. Not yet Magaba, not yet.
Magaba wants to improve his position but instead Montes has moved into half guard.
Magaba moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Montes wants to pass the guard but Magaba is keeping the position.

Magaba is looking for a triangle but Montes pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Magaba working for submissions but it's allowed Montes to get to half guard.

Magaba actively working from the bottom here.

Magaba looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Magaba is pressing down on Montes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Magaba looking for subs off his back but Montes has passed one foot through into half guard.
Magaba wants to improve his position but Montes is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montes is trying to control the action in half guard but Magaba is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Montes is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Magaba trying to control from the bottom.
Montes prevents Magaba from improving his position.
Montes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Magaba tries to roll over but Montes keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Humberto Montes wasn't active enough on the ground.
Magaba with a lazy takedown attempt
and Montes counters with an outside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montes lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Montes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Montes wants it to stay on the feet.
Magaba changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Montes tries to avoid it but Magaba manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Montes to the ground. Montes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Magaba fails with the takedown
enabling Montes to counter with a crisp jab.
Montes keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Montes fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Magaba.
Montes looks for the body kick but Magaba saw that one coming.
Magaba has his takedown stuffed
and Montes counters with a stiff right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Magaba looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Montes!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Montes working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mookie Magaba will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Montes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Montes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Magaba shoots in for a takedown but Montes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Montes defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Magaba.
Montes lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Montes.

Magaba manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Montes on his heels. He'll look to pass Montes's guard now, I'm sure.

Magaba drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Montes dives on top into guard.
Magaba tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Montes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Magaba has his foot on Montes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Montes works his way back into a safe position though.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Magaba working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Montes has passed into half guard!

Magaba is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Montes pulls his head out easily.
Magaba is trying to get back to full guard.
Montes wants to control but Magaba is keeping him busy.
Magaba moves into full guard.

Montes got a little sloppy there for a moment and Magaba has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Montes has managed to get both his arms back between Magaba's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Magaba keeping full guard, as Montes tries to pass.
Magaba controls Montes momentarily but Montes frees himself.

Magaba working for a triangle but Montes defends it easily.
Montes content to stall in guard here.

Magaba is looking for a triangle but Montes pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Magaba is looking for a triangle but Montes pushes his legs off easily.
Montes trying to control the position from guard on top but Magaba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Magaba wants to hit a switch here but Montes passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Magaba there!
Magaba manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Montes thows a huge punch but Magaba dodges it nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Magaba tries to roll over but Montes keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magaba wants to get back to full guard but Montes has passed into side control.
Magaba struggling a bit here.
Montes trying to control the position but Magaba is working away.
Magaba is looking to reverse the position.
Magaba manages to work his way to half guard, despite Montes's best efforts.
Well, if Montes is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Magaba looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mookie Magaba dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Magaba shoots in but no luck this time.
Magaba shoots in for a takedown but Montes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Magaba wants to clinch up but Montes keeps it at a distance.
Magaba swinging wildly here.
Magaba on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Humberto Montes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Montes connects with a solid leg kick.
Magaba keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Montes.
Magaba misses with a wild combination.
Magaba shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mookie Magaba. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Magaba gets the takedown into side control.

Magaba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Montes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mookie Magaba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Magaba tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Magaba has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Magaba working away.
Montes tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Magaba wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montes struggling a bit here.

Magaba is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Montes has escaped the position, nice work there.

Magaba working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Magaba looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Montes sneaks back into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Magaba is looking for a kimura but Montes is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Magaba to get the leverage.
Montes is controlling Magaba's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Magaba is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Montes sees it coming and defends easily.

Magaba is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Montes has managed to free his arm - good work.
Montes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Magaba's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Magaba's back!
Magaba tries to roll but Montes sticks to his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montes is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Montes avoiding Magaba 's attempts to control his hands.
Montes has good solid back control here.
Montes doesn't have the hooks in and Magaba manages to turn into his guard.

Magaba postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Montes is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Magaba, into his guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Magaba has an active guard here but Montes has managed to pass into half guard.

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 Mookie Magaba.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Magaba, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Humberto Montes!
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight for Mookie Magaba!
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight for Mookie Magaba!

Mookie Magaba wins by split decision!
Mookie Magaba seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.