PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Odchigin Khadan (ranked 1951 p4p, 259 weight class) and Thomas Bolleke (ranked 1351 p4p, 189 weight class). Khadan comes to the cage accompanied by Khoomii. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Khadan
vs
Bolleke

179 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

195 cm
24
191 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Odchigin Khadan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Bolleke!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Steve Erwin and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Bolleke misses.
Bolleke cracks Khadan with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Bolleke has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Khadan is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Khadan cracks Bolleke with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Bolleke steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Khadan.
Bolleke lands a lovely overhand right.
Bolleke throws a nice looking combination but Khadan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bolleke ducks right into an uppercut from Khadan.
Khadan slips a straight right by Bolleke.
Bolleke throws out a loose jab but Khadan uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've been hearing reports that Khadan has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Khadan slips a jab from Bolleke.
Bolleke throws a hook to the side of Khadan's head but Khadan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
As Bolleke backs away, Khadan returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Bolleke avoids the body shot from Khadan.
Bolleke misses the shot to the body.
Bolleke avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Bolleke appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Thomas Bolleke is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolleke throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Khadan sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Donk. Khadan catches Bolleke right on the button with a cross.
Khadan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bolleke throws a hook but Khadan avoids it easily.
Bolleke misses with a right hand
and Khadan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Khadan throws a body punch but Bolleke moves out of range.
A punch lands to the side of Bolleke 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Khadan walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Bolleke checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Bolleke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Khadan moves away.
Khadan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Khadan lands a nice hook to Bolleke's body. Bolleke takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Khadan cracks Bolleke with a right hand to the side of the head.
Nice defenses there by Khadan.
Khadan was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke tests Khadan's chin there with a solid looking shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Khadan avoids the body shot from Bolleke.
Khadan lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bolleke misses with a shot to the body
and Bolleke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Khadan cracks a nice hook into Bolleke's ribs.
Nice body punch from Bolleke.
Khadan lands a nice shot to the body.
Bolleke scores with a three punch combo!
Bolleke is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Khadan.
Thomas Bolleke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khadan lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Khadan misses with a hook.
The fighters circle momentarily. Khadan darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Bolleke thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke lands a jab.
Khadan with a hook.

Bolleke has closed the distance and engaged Khadan in a clinch.
Bolleke blocks an uppercut.
Bolleke gets through Khadan's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Bolleke has a couple of punches blocked by Khadan.
Khadan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bolleke lands a shot to the body.
Khadan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Khadan cracks Bolleke with a nice body shot.
Khadan tries to work over Bolleke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bolleke misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bolleke is working Khadan over against the cage.
Bolleke makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bolleke lands a left hand that snaps the head of Khadan backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Khadan lands a nice uppercut.
Bolleke misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bolleke jumps into guard, dragging Khadan to the mat.
Bolleke keeping moving, preventing Khadan from controlling successfully.
Bolleke is trying to hold Khadan in close to prevent damage but Khadan has managed to pass into half guard.
Bolleke on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Khadan in particular looking to stall.
Khadan is trying to control. Bolleke wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Khadan content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
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 Odchigin Khadan will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bolleke dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bolleke misses with a body shot.
Bolleke avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Khadan throws a body shot but no joy.
Khadan looks to land a left hand but Bolleke moved out of range nicely.
Bolleke throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bolleke throws a jab but it's blocked by Khadan.
Bolleke throws a right hand that misses
and Khadan counters with a straight right hand.
Khadan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolleke loads up on a big right hand but Khadan slips the punch.
A counter left hand to the body from Khadan misses its target.
Bolleke throws a right hand that misses
letting Khadan counter with a right hand.
No joy there for Bolleke, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bolleke punishes Khadan's body with a nice straight punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khadan misses with an uppercut
letting Bolleke counter with a right hand.
Bolleke misses with a body punch
letting Khadan counter with a right hand.
Bolleke ducks under a wild hook from Khadan.
Khadan slips under a jab from Bolleke.
Bolleke throws a poor cross that misses
and Khadan counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Bolleke missing with a left hand there. Khadan was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bolleke avoids the body shot from Khadan.
Khadan jabs at Bolleke's body.
Bolleke thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bolleke with a nice cross.
Bolleke misses with a few strikes there.

Khadan throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Bolleke tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Khadan is in Bolleke's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bolleke looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khadan pushes down on Bolleke's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bolleke makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Bolleke.
Bolleke lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Khadan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bolleke is one step ahead there.
Bolleke throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Khadan looking for a sweep. Not yet Khadan, not yet.
Bolleke trying to control the position from guard on top but Khadan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khadan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bolleke trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bolleke stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Khadan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bolleke advances to half guard.
Bolleke wants to take a breather but Khadan is having none of it.
Bolleke landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Khadan wants to control but Bolleke passes into side.
Bolleke wants to lay and pray for a moment but Khadan keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khadan is trying to control Bolleke's posture but Bolleke avoids it.
Khadan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Khadan tries to roll over but Bolleke keeps him under control.

Khadan actively working from the bottom here.
Khadan tries to roll over but Bolleke keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bolleke not doing much here.
Bolleke wants to control but Khadan is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thomas Bolleke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Bolleke, as that shot connected.
Bolleke cracks Khadan with a good jab.
Bolleke misses with an uppercut.
Bolleke misses with a hook
and Khadan counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Bolleke uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Khadan.
A jab from Bolleke does it's job there.
Nice straight punches there by Bolleke. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Bolleke.
Khadan defending well as Bolleke loads up on a big left hand.
Bolleke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Khadan manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolleke ducks under a wild hook from Khadan.
Bolleke throws a lazy uppercut
and Khadan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bolleke lands with a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bolleke waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Khadan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khadan looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Bolleke looks to land a left hand but Khadan moved out of range nicely.
Bolleke connects with a crisp jab.
Khadan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bolleke.

Bolleke darts in and clinches Khadan up against the cage.

Khadan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Khadan throws a body punch but Bolleke moves out of range.

Bolleke forces Khadan back against the cage and clinches.
Bolleke fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Khadan fails to land.
Bolleke lands with a short shot to the head.
Khadan prevents a body shot from Bolleke.
Khadan lands a body shot.
Khadan scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bolleke ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bolleke no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Bolleke looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bolleke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Khadan trying to control the position from guard on top but Bolleke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bolleke working a defensive guard here.
Khadan wants to control from the top but Bolleke keeps moving.
Khadan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Bolleke trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khadan trying to control but Bolleke is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bolleke takes one to the chin there.
A swing and a miss from Khadan.
Bolleke throws an overhand right that lands on Khadan's shoulder, as Khadan tries to avoid the shot.
Khadan staying out of range there.
Bolleke swings widly with a right hand
and Bolleke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bolleke jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bolleke throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Khadan counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bolleke thinking.
A big left from Khadan misses.
Khadan scores with a nice head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khadan stuns Bolleke with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Khadan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bolleke.
A shot to the body from Bolleke misses
and Khadan counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bolleke thinking.
Khadan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bolleke manages to avoid it.
Bolleke ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A bone on bone clash there as Bolleke blocks the leg kick.
Khadan has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Bolleke throws the left hand but Khadan avoids the punch easily.
Bolleke throws a right hand that Khadan ducks under and follows up with a left that Khadan also avoids with ease.
Khadan was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Khadan dives in and scores a takedown into Bolleke's guard.

Bolleke working for a triangle but Khadan defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Thomas Bolleke.
I think Bolleke 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Bolleke!
After winning the bout, Thomas Bolleke thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.