PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Balbus Michael (ranked 592 p4p, 74 weight class) and Sambulo Yeboah (ranked 779 p4p, 89 weight class). Yeboah is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Lionel Richie - All Night Long. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Michael
vs
Yeboah

178 cm
31
150 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

172 cm
31
149 lbs
19 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
BuriedAlive// Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Balbus Michael!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sambulo Yeboah!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Gwen Towbar and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michael looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Some bone on bone action there as Michael checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Michael scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Yeboah misses with a straight left.
Michael falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Yeboah counter with a right hand.
Michael throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Yeboah shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Michael but Michael pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Michael throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Michael on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michael lands with a nice combination. Yeboah backs away looking to recover.
Yeboah lands with a thumping leg kick.
Yeboah is looking to land body kicks.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yeboah scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Michael connects with an inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Yeboah tries to land a front kick but Michael steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Michael throws a low kick but Yeboah moves out of range easily.
Michael tries to clinch but Yeboah moves out of range.
Balbus Michael seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Michael tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yeboah was well out of range. Poor timing from Michael.
Yeboah misses with a straight left.
Michael keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Yeboah.
Michael looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Michael takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Michael fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Yeboah checks it well.
Yeboah jabs Michael right on the nose. Michael blinks but takes it well.
Michael stuffs the takedown attempt from Yeboah. Yeboah gets slowly back to his feet.
Michael swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Yeboah misses with a few strikes there.
Michael takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Michael throws a series of punches but Yeboah avoids them all with ease.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yeboah displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Michael throws out the jab.
Yeboah moves out of range of the body kick.
Yeboah throws a fast counter high kick but Michael manages to duck under it in time.
Yeboah slips a jab and a cross from Michael.
Michael thuds a left hand into Yeboah's body.
Michael keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yeboah slips under a jab from Michael.
Michael on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Michael on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Michael scores with a jab to the head.

Yeboah clinches up with Michael and pushes him back against the cage.
Yeboah misses with a punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Yeboah.
Michael is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Michael tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Yeboah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yeboah has a takedown stuffed.
Balbus Michael has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sambulo Yeboah.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yeboah tests Michael's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Yeboah avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Michael throws a predictable looking body shot
and Yeboah counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Yeboah fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Yeboah dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Michael takes a swing at Yeboah's ribcage but misses.
No joy there for Michael, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Michael tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yeboah paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Yeboah closes the distance and clinches.
Michael lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Michael.
Michael swings wildly with an uppercut but Yeboah uses good head movement to avoid it.

Yeboah has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Michael uses from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Yeboah is looking for a triangle but Michael pushes his legs off easily.
Yeboah is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Michael's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Yeboah has his hands on Michael's head, controlling the position.

Yeboah working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Michael doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Michael manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Michael drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Michael jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Yeboah is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sambulo Yeboah will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Yeboah will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Michael takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Michael moves out of range of the body kick.
Michael lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Yeboah backs up against the cage.
Yeboah moves forwards but Michael connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A nice leg kick lands there from Michael.
Yeboah dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A swing and a miss from Michael.
Michael misses with a low kick.
Michael lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yeboah. Michael does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yeboah looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Yeboah rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Michael moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Michael throws a right and a left that Yeboah avoids nicely.
Michael swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Michael throws a low kick, looking for Yeboah's leg but Yeboah calmly moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yeboah tests Michael's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Yeboah misses with a kick to the body.
Michael cracks Yeboah with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A combination from Michael does no damage.
Michael looks to land a right hand but Yeboah moved out of range.
Yeboah now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Yeboah throws an overhand right that lands on Michael's shoulder, as Michael tries to avoid the shot.
Yeboah closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Yeboah lands with an overhand left.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Yeboah.
Nice jab there from Michael.
Yeboah cracks Michael with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Balbus Michael is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Michael lands an overhand right.
Michael misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yeboah slips a straight right by Michael.
Yeboah feints a counter leg kick.
Michael misses with a looping right.
Michael looks to throw the jab but Yeboah is out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Yeboah as he connects with a hook.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Michael.
A solid leg kick lands there for Michael.
Michael attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
A lazy left from Yeboah finds it's target.
Michael misses with a body shot
and Yeboah counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Michael connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Michael moves out of range of the body kick.
Yeboah connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Michael will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Michael takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael is looking to score with low kicks.
Michael backing away here, and Yeboah unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Yeboah throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Michael looks to land a left hand but Yeboah moved out of range nicely.
Balbus Michael is winning the standup battle so far.
Yeboah blocks a jab.
Michael takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Michael does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Yeboah misses the jab.
Michael throws a head kick that misses.
Yeboah swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Yeboah tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Good work by Yeboah as he checks the leg kick.
Michael lands with a right hand.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Yeboah - that will leave a mark!
Yeboah blocks the body kick.
Michael punishes Yeboah's body with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Michael scores with a four punch combination!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Michael lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Yeboah has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Yeboah and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Yeboah blocks a leg kick.
Michael throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Yeboah lands a head kick. Michael smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A jab from Michael does it's job there.
Michael lands a nice looking body shot.
Nice jab there from Yeboah.
Michael scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Michael dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Yeboah. That did some damage!
Michael wants to clinch up but Yeboah keeps it at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Michael ducks right into an uppercut from Yeboah.
Yeboah is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Michael fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yeboah manages to avoid it.
A big left from Michael misses.
Yeboah doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Balbus Michael dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Michael looks to land a combination but Yeboah avoids it well.
Yeboah throws a hook but Michael blocks it.
Michael throws a big shot that misses.
Yeboah lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Yeboah slips a straight right by Michael.
A good leg kick by Michael.
Michael fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Yeboah.
Yeboah tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Michael defends well and Yeboah ends up having to push Michael into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Yeboah looks to throw the jab but Michael is out of range.
Michael was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Yeboah lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Michael at a distance.
Michael takes a swing at Yeboah's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yeboah throws a quick inside leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Michael lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Yeboah has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Yeboah and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Michael takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Michael throws a looping overhand right but Yeboah ducks down to avoid it.
Michael takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yeboah ducks under a wild hook from Michael.
Michael misses with a wild combination.
Michael tries to work over Yeboah's front leg with a kick but Yeboah checks it.
Yeboah scores with a head kick. Michael tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Michael does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Yeboah staying out of range there.
Yeboah's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Yeboah misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Michael gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Yeboah to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Michael is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Yeboah wants to control from the top but Michael keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yeboah pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Michael is keeping the position for now.

Michael is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Yeboah wants to pass the guard but Michael is keeping the position.
Yeboah wants to control from the top but Michael keeps moving.
Yeboah advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael is looking to control Yeboah's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Michael avoid being mounted?
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Yeboah in particular looking to stall.
Yeboah is stalling here. Michael is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Yeboah seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Michael has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Yeboah is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Michael working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Yeboah to see if he's OK.
Yeboah is looking to regain half guard here but Michael keeps moving and retains side control.
Yeboah regains half guard.
Michael is trying to control. Yeboah wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Michael prevents Yeboah from improving his position.
Yeboah is concentrating on defense, preventing Michael from advancing position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Michael controlling the pace.
Yeboah slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Sambulo Yeboah just about did enough to take it.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Michael throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Decent striking displayed by Yeboah there.
Yeboah throws a low kick, looking for Michael's leg but Michael calmly moves out of range.

Michael moves into range and clinches up with Yeboah.
Yeboah lands with a short shot to the head.
Michael is trying to maintain a safe position but Yeboah gets an underhook and turns Michael into the cage.
Michael is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
A shot in the inside from Yeboah.
Michael fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Yeboah pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yeboah tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Michael manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Michael tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yeboah throws a head kick that misses.
Michael bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Yeboah's head.

Yeboah shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Michael napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael is not content to let Yeboah control the position.

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

Yeboah tries for a kimura but Michael is defending well.
Michael tries to bench press Yeboah off him but Yeboah keeps the position.
Yeboah trying to control the position but Michael is working away.

Yeboah swings around for an armbar but Michael sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Yeboah's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yeboah has Michael pulled in close to control his posture.
Michael stopping the sweep attempt from Yeboah.
Michael wants to pass the guard but Yeboah is keeping the position.
Yeboah preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Yeboah is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Michael defends well.
Michael wants to stand but Yeboah is controlling his posture from full guard.
Michael showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yeboah keeping moving, preventing Michael from controlling successfully.
Michael trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yeboah looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Michael puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Yeboah works his way to full guard. Good work.
Michael slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Yeboah keeping moving, preventing Michael from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yeboah is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Yeboah is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Michael postures up and lands a big shot to Yeboah's brow.
Yeboah being controlled here, momentarily.

Yeboah has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Michael can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Yeboah throws his legs up looking for a submission but Michael uses it to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close fourth round but Sambulo Yeboah will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Michael on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Yeboah swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Michael misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yeboah slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Yeboah avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Yeboah avoids the head kick by Michael.
Yeboah raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Michael takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Yeboah slips a straight right by Michael.
Yeboah looking to land some kicks to the body here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yeboah misses with a hook.
Michael moves out of range of the body kick from Yeboah.
Michael with a hook.
A bone on bone clash there as Yeboah blocks the leg kick.
Yeboah connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yeboah throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Michael digs a good hook to Yeboah's body.
Michael with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Michael fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Yeboah checks it well.
Yeboah now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Yeboah gets a double leg takedown into Michael's guard.

Michael uses the cage to get back to his feet.
A swing and a miss from Michael.
Yeboah let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Good leg kick by Michael there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Yeboah tries to clinch but Michael moves out of range.
Michael moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A punch combination from Yeboah misses.
Michael lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yeboah circles away quickly and effectively.
Yeboah feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Michael's calf.
Michael takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yeboah checks a low kick from Michael.
Michael throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Michael misses with a looping left.
Yeboah was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Michael sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yeboah. Michael does a little dance to reset his feet.
Michael throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Michael throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Yeboah misses with a straight right.
Michael cracks Yeboah with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Michael throws a low kick but Yeboah avoids it.
Balbus Michael has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Michael throws a right hand that misses
and Yeboah counters with a two punch combo.
Yeboah lands a really nice looking cross but Michael seems unphased.

Michael gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Yeboah avoids it.

Yeboah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Yeboah digs a good hook to Michael's body.
Nice shot by Michael.
Michael will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Michael steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Yeboah.
Yeboah checks a leg kick nicely.
Michael misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Yeboah counters with a two punch combo.
No joy there for Michael, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yeboah throws a sloppy head kick and Michael moves out of range easily.

Yeboah bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Michael throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Michael motions for Yeboah to come forward. Michael throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed right hand from Michael misses the target.
Michael misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael throws a looping overhand right but Yeboah ducks down to avoid it.
Nice uppercut there from Yeboah.
Michael looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Michael misses with a straight right.
Yeboah looks to land a left hand but Michael moved out of range nicely.
Yeboah showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michael.
Michael avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sambulo Yeboah is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Michael throws a jab but it's blocked by Yeboah.
Yeboah cracks a nice hook into Michael's ribs.
Yeboah moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Michael throws a body punch but Yeboah moves out of range.
Michael on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Michael misses with a straight right.
Michael tries to work over Yeboah's front leg with a kick but Yeboah checks it.

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 Balbus Michael.
I think Yeboah has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 47:48
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 47:48
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sambulo Yeboah!
Sambulo Yeboah is the new featherweight champion!
During a confident post fight interview, Sambulo Yeboah thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.