PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gottlieb Hiebknecht (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mustafa Shabazz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mustafa Shabazz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hiebknecht
vs
Shabazz

170 cm
31
160 lbs
19 - 12 - 0

176 cm
30
163 lbs
14 - 10 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition
MayheM sportswear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gottlieb Hiebknecht!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 1, fighting out of London, Mustafa Shabazz!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Richard Clark and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hiebknecht scores with a jab to the body.
Nice cross by Hiebknecht.
Shabazz throws a head kick that misses.
Shabazz bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Hiebknecht scores with a shot to the body.
Hiebknecht misses with a hook to the body

and Shabazz counters with a head kick that drops Hiebknecht to the mat! Hiebknecht scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Hiebknecht is rocked!
Hiebknecht lands a really nice looking cross but Shabazz seems unphased.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head kick misses from Shabazz.
Shabazz throws a push kick but Hiebknecht slaps the foot to one side.
Shabazz throws a wild body kick that Hiebknecht sees coming a mile off.
Shabazz throws a push kick but Hiebknecht slaps the foot to one side.
Hiebknecht appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hiebknecht blocks a head kick by Shabazz.
Shabazz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Hiebknecht.

It looks like Gottlieb Hiebknecht has been cut.
Hiebknecht throws a right hand that Shabazz ducks under and follows up with a left that Shabazz also avoids with ease.
Shabazz throws out a loose jab but Hiebknecht uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shabazz on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Hiebknecht scores with a jab to the body.
Hiebknecht looks to score with a jab to the body but Shabazz is just out of range.
Shabazz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sloppy strikes from Hiebknecht. Those never looked like landing.
Shabazz throws a fast counter high kick but Hiebknecht manages to duck under it in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hiebknecht tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shabazz was well out of range. Poor timing from Hiebknecht.
A solid leg kick lands there for Shabazz.
Gottlieb Hiebknecht seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Hiebknecht.
Shabazz walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hiebknecht on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Jab by Hiebknecht.
Hiebknecht fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hiebknecht misses with a hook.
Shabazz only half commits to the counter leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Shabazz.
Nice jab there from Hiebknecht.
Shabazz avoids the body shot from Hiebknecht.
Shabazz throws a big counter head kick but Hiebknecht avoids it with no problem.
Hiebknecht lands a jab to the head.
Nice uppercut there from Hiebknecht.
Hiebknecht tries to clinch up.
Hiebknecht lands a jab to the head.
Shabazz's jab looks to have found its range, popping Hiebknecht under the eye.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shabazz scores with a head kick.
Hiebknecht tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Shabazz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shabazz throws a head kick that Hiebknecht semi-blocks.
Oh Hiebknecht is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hiebknecht moves away from the strike by Shabazz.
Hiebknecht appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Hiebknecht seems to have got his legs back now.
Hiebknecht bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Shabazz's head.
Hiebknecht jabs at Shabazz's body.
Hiebknecht cracks Shabazz with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Hiebknecht swinging wildly here.
Shabazz replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Hiebknecht blocks it well.
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 Gottlieb Hiebknecht will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Gottlieb Hiebknecht's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Shabazz lands with a kick to the ribs.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Shabazz in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Shabazz misses with a straight left.
Shabazz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Shabazz looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Shabazz goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Hiebknecht feints a jab promting Shabazz to slip. Hiebknecht then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Shabazz slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hiebknecht throws a right and a left that Shabazz avoids nicely.
Hiebknecht swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hiebknecht fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Shabazz on the side of the head.
Hiebknecht tries to clinch up but Shabazz circles away and keeps his distance.
Hiebknecht lands with a nice combination. Shabazz backs away looking to recover.
Hiebknecht misses with a wild combination.
Hiebknecht throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice straight punches there by Hiebknecht. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Hiebknecht.
Shabazz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shabazz misses with a wild body shot.
Gottlieb Hiebknecht is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shabazz jabs at Hiebknecht's body.
Shabazz with a jab.
Shabazz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hiebknecht bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Shabazz's head.
Jab, jab by Hiebknecht - just one landing.
Hiebknecht takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Gottlieb Hiebknecht's cut is getting worse.
Hiebknecht scores with a nice head shot.
Hiebknecht works over Shabazz's head and body with a nice combination.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Shabazz might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Hiebknecht has got the better of the exchanges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shabazz lands a big head kick that sends Hiebknecht tumbling to the mat! Shabazz takes a step backwards and waves Hiebknecht back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Hiebknecht throws a right and a left that Shabazz avoids nicely.
Shabazz with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Shabazz on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hiebknecht scores with a nice head shot.
Shabazz has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shabazz throws the left hand but Hiebknecht avoids the punch easily.
Hiebknecht appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Hiebknecht misses with a body shot.
Shabazz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hiebknecht takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Shabazz throws a sloppy head kick and Hiebknecht moves out of range easily.
Good shot there by Hiebknecht.
Shabazz lands a big head kick that sends Hiebknecht to the canvas! Shabazz follows up with strikes from the mount that forces the ref to step in and stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mustafa Shabazz!
An out of breath Mustafa Shabazz thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.