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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Strong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Itula Maafala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Itula Maafala has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?
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| 195 cm
28
265 lbs
12 - 7 - 0 |
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190 cm
35
280 lbs
14 - 11 - 2 |
Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Insanely flexible |
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Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank |
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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
12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Strong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
14 - 11 - 2, fighting out of New York, Itula Maafala!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Steven Brown and James Atkins.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maafala tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've been told by Strong's head coaches at England Fight Club MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Maafala clinches up with Strong and pushes him back against the cage.
A short left from Strong.
Maafala throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Strong lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
It looks like Itula Maafala has been cut.
Strong tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Maafala avoids it.
Strong is fighting off a takedown attempt but Maafala is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Strong to the mat. Strong regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Maafala trying to control the position from guard on top but Strong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Strong preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maafala looking to sit in guard and control but Strong gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Strong stopping the sweep attempt from Maafala.
Strong controlling from the top position.
Maafala trying to keep a closed guard but Strong is proving a slippery customer.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maafala might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Strong haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Strong slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Maafala working a defensive guard but Strong manages to pass into side control anyway.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Maafala is looking for a sweep.
Strong working away.
Strong controls the position.
Maafala has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Strong has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Maafala looks to move to half guard but instead Strong has passed into mount! Damn!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maafala is looking to improve his position but Strong isn't that keen on the idea.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong controlling from the full mount.
Strong throwing strikes here but Maafala is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Strong working for a guillotine from mount but Maafala is in no mood to give up.
Strong controlling the pace for now.
Strong cracks Maafala with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Strong looking to control and managing it successfully.
Maafala tries to lock up and control but Strong gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maafala can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Joe Strong dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Itula Maafala's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!
Strong fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maafala.
Strong moves into the clinch.
Maafala throws an elbow that misses.
Strong lands an elbow inside that Maafala shrugs off.
Strong on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Strong trying to control the position but instead, Maafala has worked for underhooks and has pushed Strong into the cage.
Maafala throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Strong blocks it with crossed arms.
Strong misses with some punches.
Strong is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maafala can do to turn this around?
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Maafala obliges.
Maafala tries to land a knee to the head but Strong blocks with his arms.
Maafala throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Strong blocks it with crossed arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maafala with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Maafala lands a hook to the side of the head.
Strong is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Maafala is keeping busy.
Maafala unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Maafala misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maafala using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maafala using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Maafala is pushing Strong up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Strong tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Maafala pressing his opponent against the cage.
Maafala has Strong pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Maafala pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Strong tumbling to the mat - Maafala dives into Strong's guard.
Strong pushes Maafala off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Maafala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Strong paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Itula Maafala is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Strong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maafala.
An inside leg kick from Strong misses.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maafala wants to clinch up but Strong keeps it at a distance.
Maafala tries to clinch up.
Maafala darts in and clinches Strong up against the cage.
Maafala is looking to control Strong's arms but Strong gets an underhook and turns him. Now Maafala has his back to the cage.
Maafala wants a takedown but no success here.
Itula Maafala seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Strong misses with a knee to the head.
Maafala pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Maafala trying to land knees to the body.
Maafala has Strong pressed against the cage.
Strong lands an elbow inside that Maafala shrugs off.
Maafala managing to block the knees to the body from Strong.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Maafala obliges.
Maafala on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Maafala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Strong manages to break the clinch.
Maafala forces Strong back against the cage and clinches.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maafala landing knees to the body.
Maafala lands a body punch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Maafala.
Strong is pressed up against the cage. Maafala has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Strong down to the mat. Strong avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Strong.
Maafala closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Strong is pressed up against the cage. Maafala has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Strong down to the mat. Strong avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Joe Strong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Itula Maafala.
Strong scoring well with a low kick there.
Maafala instigates a clinch.
Maafala creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Maafala misses with some punches.
Strong can't find room to land a body shot as Maafala controls the action.
Strong avoiding damage as Maafala throws knees to the body.
Maafala digs a right hand underneath Strong's ribcage. Strong let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Maafala with a knee to the head.
Maafala is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Strong can't fight it off and eventually Maafala manages to take the fight to the floor. Strong looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Maafala distracts Strong with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Maafala sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Strong keeping moving, preventing Maafala from controlling successfully.
Maafala in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Strong utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Maafala wants to control from the top but Strong keeps moving.
Maafala with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Itula Maafala showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Itula Maafala's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!
Strong wants to slow Maafala down by chopping away at his legs.
Strong finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Strong throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Maafala uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Strong.
Strong scores with a jab to the body.
Strong closes the distance and clinches.
Strong on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Strong blocks an uppercut.
Strong looking to stall.
Strong prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short right from Strong.
Strong working aggressively here.
Maafala pressing his opponent against the cage.
Strong prevents the takedown attempt.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maafala trying to land knees to the body.
Maafala has a couple of punches blocked by Strong.
Strong stalling the fight.
Knees to the body from Strong.
Maafala takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Strong lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Maafala backwards.
Maafala looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Strong with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short left from Maafala.
Strong trying to land knees to the body.
Strong looking to stall.
Maafala tries to score a body lock takedown but Strong shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Joe Strong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Itula Maafala.
Strong managing to block the knees to the body from Maafala.
Maafala looking to slow down the pace here.
Strong landing knees to the body.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strong avoids a wild elbow strike from Maafala.
Strong misses with a knee to the head.
Strong misses with a knee to the head.
Maafala blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Maafala misses with a punch on the inside.
Maafala misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Strong.
Strong stalling in the clinch but Maafala improves position.
Strong misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Maafala.
Strong blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Maafala lands an elbow inside that Strong shrugs off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Strong misses with a hook from the clinch.
Maafala blocks the elbow strike.
Strong is struggling to control the position.
Strong misses with a knee strike.
Maafala misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Strong.
Strong wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Maafala has him pressed against the cage.
Strong breaks from the clinch.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong motions for Maafala to come forward. Strong throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Maafala gets a clinch.
Strong prevents a body shot from Maafala.
Maafala is trying to drag Strong to the mat but Strong just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Strong scores with a shot to the side of Maafala's head.
Maafala misses with a hook to the ribs.
Strong stalls.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Strong tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maafala's elbow.
Strong goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Strong throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Maafala blocks it with crossed arms.
Maafala tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Strong avoids it.
Maafala working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Strong lands a nice elbow.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strong breaks the clinch.
Strong fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maafala manages to avoid it.
Maafala has closed the distance and engaged Strong in a clinch.
Strong trying to land knees to the body.
Maafala goes for a takedown in the clinch but Strong prevents it.
Maafala tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Strong avoids it.
Strong lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maafala using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Strong has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Maafala on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Maafala comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Strong breaks from the clinch.
Strong throws a low kick but Maafala moves out of range easily.
Maafala gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Maafala takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Strong showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Strong 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Strong!
A less than humble Joe Strong misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
44% |
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