PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jalaluddin Aziz (ranked 3435 p4p, 3236 weight class) and Chad Yonic (ranked 399 p4p, 382 weight class). Aziz's entrance music is Dalshar Project - Afghan Rastaman. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Aziz
vs
Yonic

177 cm
36
158
19 - 13 - 0

168 cm
27
160
9 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jalaluddin Aziz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chad Yonic!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aziz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Aziz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Aziz moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Yonic throws a head kick but Aziz moves out of range.
Jalaluddin Aziz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Aziz closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Yonic quickly recovers to half guard.
Yonic wants to stand back up but Aziz manages to pass into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yonic wants to control but Aziz postures up.
Aziz advances nicely into full mount.
Yonic stops Aziz from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Aziz controlling the pace for now.
Aziz wants to take Yonic's back here but Yonic is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Yonic wants to hold on but Aziz pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aziz is looking to take Yonic's back but instead Yonic gets back to half guard. Nice work.
Aziz trying to control from half guard but Yonic is working away.
Aziz wants to free his trapped foot but Yonic is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Yonic slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Yonic looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Aziz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yonic swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aziz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Aziz preventing the sweep.
Aziz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yonic swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yonic is controlling Aziz's posture.
Aziz 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.
Aziz passes Yonic's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Yonic trying to control but Aziz postures up.
Aziz trying to control the pace.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yonic looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Aziz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yonic's waist but Yonic gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Aziz off to one side.
A looping hook to the body misses from Aziz. Yonic does a little dance to reset his feet.
Aziz keeps the fight on the outside.
Aziz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Yonic showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aziz.
Yonic on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Yonic tries to keep at a distance but Aziz has taken the fight into the clinch.

Aziz wants the takedown. Yonic is fighting it off but Aziz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Yonic's guard against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aziz showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Yonic striking off his back.
Aziz postures up.
Yonic keeping full guard, as Aziz tries to pass.
Yonic being controlled here, momentarily.
Aziz won't allow Yonic to sweep him here.
Aziz trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Yonic manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Aziz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jalaluddin Aziz dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Aziz instigates a clinch.
I was talking to Aziz's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Aziz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Aziz pushes Yonic up against the cage in a clinch.
Aziz is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Yonic is defending well.
Yonic is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Yonic is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Aziz pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Yonic blocking some punches.

Yonic ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Yonic no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Aziz trying to control the position from guard on top but Yonic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yonic keeping full guard, as Aziz tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aziz trying to control but Yonic is working from the bottom.
Aziz is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Yonic is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aziz slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yonic tries to buck Aziz off but Aziz is having none of it.
Aziz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yonic keeps working.
Yonic stops Aziz from passing to mount.

Aziz is trying to get an arm triangle but Yonic is defending well.
Yonic is looking to regain half guard here but Aziz keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Aziz is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yonic has escaped the position, nice work there.
Aziz wants to control but Yonic is keeping him busy.
Aziz tries to move into full mount but can't pass Yonic's legs.
Yonic can't do much from the bottom here.
Aziz trying to control the action but Yonic is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yonic is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Aziz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Yonic knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Aziz wants to control but Yonic is keeping him busy.
Yonic prevents Aziz from moving into mount.
Jalaluddin Aziz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Aziz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Yonic struggling a bit here.
Yonic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Aziz advances to mount.
Yonic tries to reverse the position but Aziz maintains control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Aziz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yonic is desperately trying to improve his position but Aziz has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jalaluddin Aziz dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Aziz shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Yonic is trying to defend but Aziz finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Yonic scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Aziz manages to mount him!
Aziz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yonic tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Aziz has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Yonic is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jalaluddin Aziz!
Jalaluddin Aziz took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.