PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johan Dahlberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Loke Sabel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Johan Dahlberg has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Dahlberg
vs
Sabel

186 cm
21
212 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

204 cm
22
212 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johan Dahlberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Loke Sabel!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paulsen Ambrosius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dahlberg looks to throw the jab but Sabel is out of range.
Sabel is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Sabel has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Sabel throws a hook but Dahlberg blocks it.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Dahlberg, as that shot connected.
A big left from Dahlberg misses.
Sabel is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Sabel scores with a crisp jab that stopped Dahlberg in his tracks.
Sabel takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Sabel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sabel connects with a nice looking jab.
The fighters circling - Dahlberg throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sabel avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sabel with the counter takedown but Dahlberg avoids it easily.
Johan Dahlberg seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dahlberg throws an off balance right hand

and Sabel holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Dahlberg breaks from the clinch.
Dahlberg misses with a right hand

so Sabel counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabel working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sabel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dahlberg controls Sabel momentarily but Sabel frees himself.
Sabel is looking to stand up but Dahlberg won't let him.
Dahlberg might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Dahlberg wants to sweep here but Sabel controlling him for the moment.
Dahlberg seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Sabel wanted to stand there but Dahlberg had control of the position.
Dahlberg looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sabel tries to free his leg and advance position but Dahlberg is retaining full guard.
Sabel wants to get up but he can't break Dahlberg's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Johan Dahlberg is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dahlberg 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.
Nice body punch from Dahlberg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dahlberg swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sabel connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sabel is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Dahlberg throws a body punch but Sabel moves out of range.
Sabel fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dahlberg manages to avoid it.
Sabel is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sabel shoots in for a takedown but Dahlberg shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Dahlberg swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Dahlberg slaps away a takedown attempt from Sabel, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Dahlberg stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Dahlberg misses with a looping right.
Sabel feints the counter takedown.
Sabel fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Dahlberg is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Johan Dahlberg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Loke Sabel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dahlberg tries to sprawl but Sabel drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Sabel looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The fighters are battling for position here. Dahlberg manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Dahlberg keeping moving, preventing Sabel from controlling successfully.
Sabel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sabel sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sabel throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sabel wants to stand but Dahlberg is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sabel throws a big right hand that misses.
Dahlberg keeping moving, preventing Sabel from controlling successfully.

Sabel gets to his feet - Dahlberg follows without any prompting.

Sabel closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Dahlberg's guard.
Dahlberg keeping moving, preventing Sabel from controlling successfully.
Dahlberg on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dahlberg tries to get out of the position.
Sabel prevents Dahlberg from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Loke Sabel will probably get the nod.
That's time! Dahlberg's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Dahlberg misses with an uppercut.
Dahlberg listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Dahlberg misses with a double jab.
Sabel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sabel feints the counter takedown.
Sabel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Dahlberg swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Dahlberg connects with a single shot there.
Dahlberg throws a hook but Sabel avoids it easily.
Despite the aggression on Sabel's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Dahlberg looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Dahlberg takes a swing at Sabel's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dahlberg throws a body shot but no joy.
Dahlberg leaves Sabel with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Dahlberg lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dahlberg throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sabel misses with a hook
and Sabel takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Sabel lands a left and a right that send Dahlberg crashing to the mat, dazed. Sabel thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Dahlberg is rocked!
Dahlberg throws out a loose jab but Sabel uses good head movement to avoid it.

Sabel instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Sabel fails to land.
Dahlberg has had enough of the clinch but Sabel keeps him there for the moment.
A right hand to the body from Sabel.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sabel has a couple of punches blocked by Dahlberg.
Dahlberg blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Sabel fails to land.
Dahlberg goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sabel works on Dahlberg's body with a couple of short punches.
Dahlberg blocks a body shot from Sabel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sabel scores with a shot to the side of Dahlberg's head.
Dahlberg is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Dahlberg is trying to break the clinch but Sabel is controlling him.
Sabel lands a shoulder strike.

Dahlberg pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johan Dahlberg is winning the standup battle so far.
Dahlberg misses with a leg kick
and Sabel counters with a straight right hand.
Oh Dahlberg is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sabel connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Dahlberg's hands.
Dahlberg misses with the combination.
Sabel throws out a loose jab but Dahlberg uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dahlberg swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Dahlberg seems to have got his legs back now.
Dahlberg jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sabel displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dahlberg throws out the jab.
Sabel takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Dahlberg. Sabel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Dahlberg misses with a hook
and Sabel counters with a stiff right hand.
Sabel slips a jab from Dahlberg.
Sabel changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Dahlberg cracks Sabel with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sabel tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dahlberg defends well and Sabel ends up having to push Dahlberg into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Sabel slips a straight right by Dahlberg.
Dahlberg throws a hook but Sabel blocks it.
Sabel has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Dahlberg swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dahlberg throws a poor cross that misses
and Sabel counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Nice cross by Sabel.
Dahlberg throws an off balance right hand
and Sabel cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sabel steps in with a hook that catches Dahlberg right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Sabel follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Dahlberg looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:07 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Loke Sabel!