PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thumbo Plights (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Setta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Plights
vs
Setta

206 cm
28
268 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

195 cm
26
220 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)
KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Thumbo Plights!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Marcus Setta!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Jeff Smith and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Setta tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Plights is able to avoid easily.
Thumbo Plights seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Plights connects with a body shot.

Plights moves into the clinch.
Plights wants a takedown but no success here.
Setta has a couple of punches blocked by Plights.
Plights is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Setta gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Setta gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Plights.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thumbo Plights. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Setta scores with a shoulder strike.
Plights tries for a takedown. No joy.
Plights is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Setta with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Setta lands a body shot.
Plights has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Setta after a bit of a struggle.
Plights drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A knee to the head by Setta.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Plights is trying to trip Setta. He has hold of a leg but Setta is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Plights persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Setta wants to stand and escape but Plights is having none of it.
Plights trying to control the position from guard on top but Setta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Setta bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Plights's guard.

Setta gets to his feet. Plights looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Setta throws a quick inside leg kick.
Setta scores with a jab to the jaw.

It looks like Thumbo Plights has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Setta swats away the attempt to clinch by Plights.
Plights tries to close the distance and clinch but Setta swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Setta is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Plights advances position into side control!
Plights prevents Setta from escaping the position.

Plights wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Setta, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Setta's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Setta is trying to buck Plights off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I wouldn't like to be where Setta is right now.

Plights tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Plights has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Plights tries for a kimura but Setta is defending well.
Plights tries to score with some ground and pound. Setta controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Plights looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Setta is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plights tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Plights will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

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

Plights is trying to get an arm triangle but Setta is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Setta gets one leg under and gets the fight to 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 Thumbo Plights will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Thumbo Plights's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Plights connects with a good right hand that stumbles Setta. Setta circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Plights tries to close the distance and clinch but Setta swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Plights throws a jab when Setta was well out of range.
Plights fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Setta manages to avoid it.
Plights throws a head kick but Setta moves out of range.
Plights tries to clinch up.
Setta shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Plights tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Plights takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Setta shoots for a double leg takedown but Plights sprawls well. He's pushed Setta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Setta tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Setta throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Setta circles away from the clinch attempt.

Plights changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Setta looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Setta wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plights controlling the position.
An elbow from Plights crashes against the mat.
Plights working the strikes but Setta uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Plights throwing shots but Setta is blocking nicely.
Setta slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Plights's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plights stands and throws Setta's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Plights.

Plights looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Plights tries for a kimura but Setta is defending well.
Plights throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plights cracks Setta with a big elbow.
Thumbo Plights overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Setta is trying to get back to half guard.
Plights has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Plights wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Setta, who protects the arm well.
Setta tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Setta is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Setta is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Plights tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plights lands with some strikes.
Plights can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Setta is looking to escape.
Setta wants to hold on but Plights pushes him away.
Setta wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Plights trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thumbo Plights dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Thumbo Plights's cut.
That's time! Plights's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Plights scores with a spinning back kick!
Setta throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Setta gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Plights closes this distance looking for a takedown but Setta circles away.
Setta throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Plights's waist but Plights gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Setta off to one side.

Plights clinches.
Setta prevents a takedown attempt there.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Setta.
Setta cracks Plights with a nice body shot.
Setta works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Setta scores with a shot to the side of Plights's head.
Setta putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Plights in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Setta pushes Plights back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plights has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Setta after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thumbo Plights. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Setta tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Plights's elbow.
Setta lands a left hand that snaps the head of Plights backwards.
Plights is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Setta is defending well.
Setta lands a shoulder strike.
Setta working aggressively here.
Setta scores with a hook to the body.
Setta lands a body punch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Setta creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Setta misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Plights.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Setta.
Setta landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Plights blocks a body shot from Setta.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Setta digs a right hand into Plights's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Plights's gas tank.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Setta lands with a left to the head.
Setta crunches a lovely knee into Plights's ribcage.
Plights has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Setta after a bit of a struggle.
Setta lands a left hand.
Setta using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Setta holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Setta misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Plights.
A head punch on the inside from Setta fails to land.
Setta tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Plights avoids it.
Setta misses with a short punch on the inside.
Plights is trying to drag Setta to the mat but Setta just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Setta has a couple of punches blocked by Plights.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Setta.

Plights has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Setta clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Setta tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Thumbo Plights is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Setta trying desperately to get to his feet.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Setta. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Plights is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Plights takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Plights looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Plights misses with a straight right.
Thumbo Plights is winning the standup battle so far.
Setta throws a nice outside leg kick.
Marcus Setta has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head kick misses from Setta.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Setta throws a nice outside leg kick.
Setta throws a head kick but Plights moves out of range.
Plights fails with an attempt to clinch.
Setta misses with a double jab.
A combination from Setta does no damage.
Setta swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Plights counters with a slapping leg kick.
Plights throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Plights.
Setta misses with a head kick.
Setta misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Plights takes a swing at Setta's ribcage but misses.
Setta checks a low kick from Plights.
Plights pivots, looking for a leg kick but Setta is out of range and Plights settles back down.
Setta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Setta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Plights has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Josh West scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!