PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Buddha Haze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Candle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Mark Candle was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Haze
vs
Candle

192 cm
27
184 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

178 cm
20
197 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Buddha Haze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Candle!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Daniel Blasius and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Haze swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Haze misses the shot to the body.
Haze looks to land a combination. Candle sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

It looks like Mark Candle has been cut.
Candle has a takedown stuffed.
Candle slips a jab and a cross from Haze.
Haze just misses with a punch to the body.
Haze misses with a body shot.
Candle is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Candle tries for a takedown but Haze sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Haze jabs Candle right on the nose. Candle blinks but takes it well.
Haze swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Haze lands a two punch combo.
Haze just misses with a punch to the body.
Buddha Haze is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Haze misses with a lunging right hand

and Candle counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Haze!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Haze avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Candle.
The referee asks Candle politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Candle prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Candle's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Haze tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haze is looking to get to half guard.
Candle controlling his opponent.
Candle avoids the attempt from Haze to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Candle controlling the position easily from mount.
Let's hope that Candle has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
It looks like Candle might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
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 Buddha Haze will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mark Candle's cut.
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.

Haze connects with a crisp jab.
Haze throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Candle shoots in and drives through. Haze sprawls well.
Haze looks to score with a jab to the body but Candle is just out of range.
Haze lands a slapping body shot.
Haze just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Candle avoids the body shot from Haze.
Haze lands a nice hook to Candle's body. Candle takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Haze loads up on a big right hand but Candle slips the punch.
Candle uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Haze.
Haze connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Candle's hands.
Candle moves away from the strike by Haze.
Haze scores with a one two! Candle had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Haze is looking to wear down Candle with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Candle slips a jab and a cross from Haze.
Haze comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Haze throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Candle.
Sloppy strikes from Haze. Those never looked like landing.
Some wild striking there from Haze.
Haze throws a jab when Candle was well out of range.
Candle's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Haze connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Candle scrambles back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haze throws a body punch but Candle moves out of range.
Haze misses with an uppercut.
Haze sizes up Candle with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Some wild striking there from Haze.
Candle moves away from the strike by Haze.
Haze looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haze lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Candle circles away quickly and effectively.
Haze looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Haze throws a right and a left that both miss.
Haze connects with a crisp jab.
Haze wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Candle uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Haze.
Candle moves forwards but Haze connects with a nice, crisp jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buddha Haze dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mark Candle's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Candle takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A telegraphed right hand from Haze misses the target.
Haze ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Candle moves away.
Haze with a jab.
Candle slips under a jab from Haze.
Haze pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Haze throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Candle moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Candle shoots for a takedown but Haze saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Buddha Haze seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Candle showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Haze.
Haze misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Candle.
Candle closes this distance looking for a takedown but Haze circles away.
No luck for Candle with that takedown attempt.
Buddha Haze has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Candle.
Haze will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haze looks to score with a jab to the body but Candle is just out of range.
Candle dodges the punch combination from Haze.
Haze misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Candle.
Candle has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Candle there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haze throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Candle on the side of the head.
Haze is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Haze fails to land with a series of punches.
Candle showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Haze.
Haze falls off balance throwing a combination

and Candle counters with a shoot takedown. Haze fights it but they end up in guard.
Candle is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haze is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Candle dives into side control.
Candle controls the position from side control.
Mark Candle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Buddha Haze is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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 Buddha Haze.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Haze, 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:26
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Buddha Haze!
During a confident post fight interview, Buddha Haze thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.