|
|
TWGC 31 (185lbs, D1): London Qualifier - Round 1 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the middleweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of New York, with a TWGC record of 7 wins and 12 losses; Azar Qasi! And in the blue corner, fighting out of Hilo, with a TWGC record of 0 wins and 1 losses; Bo Nickal !
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and James Glass.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Nickal displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Qasi.
Qasi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nickal fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Qasi sprawls well initially but Nickal persists and gets the takedown into half guard. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Qasi (0) vs (2) Nickal
Nickal content to control rather than advance.
Nickal wants to free his trapped foot but Qasi is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nickal trying to control the action but Qasi is working from the bottom.
Qasi is trying to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickal is pressing down on Qasi's thigh, looking to free his foot. Qasi is holding on for now.
Qasi is staying active underneath Nickal , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Nickal has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Razor Sharp Training Systems. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Nickal is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount! Score +3 for passing guard: Qasi (0) vs (5) Nickal
Qasi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Qasi defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Nickal .
Nickal controlling the position easily from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nickal with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Nickal controlling from the full mount.
Qasi wants to control but Nickal is having none of it.
Qasi's coaches at Mello MMA have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nickal controlling the position easily from mount.
Qasi is wriggling around trying to escape.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Qasi bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Qasi (2) vs (5) Nickal
Nickal wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Nickal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Qasi's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Qasi (2) vs (7) Nickal
Nickal controls from within his opponent's guard.
Nickal stopping the sweep attempt from Qasi.
Nickal wants to pass the guard but Qasi is keeping the position.
Nickal is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Qasi is trying to control the position but Nickal postures up.
Nickal is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Qasi working a defensive guard here.
Nickal 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.
Qasi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nickal is one step ahead there.
Qasi is working hard here to advance position.
Nickal looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Qasi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Qasi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nickal gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Nickal tries to free his leg and advance position but Qasi is retaining full guard.
Nickal won't allow Qasi to sweep him here.
Nickal works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nickal prevents Qasi from improving his position.
Nickal is looking for a kimura but Qasi is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nickal to get the leverage.
Nickal trying to control the action but Qasi is working from the bottom.
Qasi is looking to improve his position.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Qasi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Qasi looking to control.
Nickal 's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Qasi looking for a sweep. Not yet Qasi, not yet.
Nickal 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.
Qasi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Qasi (4) vs (7) Nickal
Nickal is trying to control but can't.
Nickal is refusing to be controlled, as Qasi sits in half guard.
Nickal is looking to control Qasi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nickal avoid being mounted?
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Nickal is pressing down on Qasi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Qasi won't allow Nickal to sweep him here.
Nickal lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Qasi (4) vs (9) Nickal
Qasi keeping full guard, as Nickal tries to pass.
Nickal slips effortlessly into side control - very nice. Score +3 for passing guard: Qasi (4) vs (12) Nickal
Nickal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Qasi keeps working.
Qasi is trying to improve his position.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Nickal wants to control but Qasi is keeping him busy.
Qasi tries to improve position but can't.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nickal is looking to take a break and control but Qasi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Qasi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Nickal taking a breather here.
Nickal trying to control the action but Qasi is working from the bottom.
Nickal moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Qasi is trying to control Nickal 's posture but Nickal avoids it.
Qasi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Nickal is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Qasi! Score +3 for passing guard: Qasi (4) vs (15) Nickal
Qasi stops Nickal from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Qasi working to try and regain half guard.
Nickal controlling the position easily from mount.
Qasi is squirming around, avoiding Nickal 's attempts to control the action.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Qasi has given up his back here. Will Nickal look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Score +3 for taking back: Qasi (4) vs (18) Nickal
Nickal gets his hands free as Qasi looks to control.
Will Nickal go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Nickal is persistently looking for the submission but Qasi is defending it well.
Qasi prevents Nickal from getting a body triangle.
I really don't envy Qasi right now.
Nickal really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Qasi.
Nickal tries to get the hooks in deep but Qasi pushed the leg off.
Qasi is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Will Nickal go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
What can Qasi do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Qasi manages to reverse the position and now he's in Nickal 's guard. Nice work there by Qasi.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Qasi (6) vs (18) Nickal
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Nickal holds on and takes a little breather.
Qasi looking to pass the guard.
Nickal wants to sweep but no luck.
Nickal keeping moving, preventing Qasi from controlling successfully.
Nickal wants to sweep but no luck.
Nickal is pulling down on Qasi's head. It's preventing any offense from Qasi, at least for the moment.
Qasi slips nicely into half guard.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Qasi tries to pass to full mount but Nickal defends it.
Qasi moves into full mount! Nickal won't be happy about that! Score +3 for passing guard: Qasi (9) vs (18) Nickal
Nickal is working to get back to half guard.
Nickal tries to hold on but Qasi pushes him away.
Qasi prevents Nickal from getting the reversal.
Nickal is squirming around, avoiding Qasi's attempts to control the action.
Qasi wants to take his opponent's back but Nickal doesn't allow it.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Nickal can't escape the position.
Well,Qasi is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?
Qasi tries to control but Nickal wriggling away.
Nickal is trying to escape the mount.
Nickal tries to hold on but Qasi pushes him away.
Qasi wants to control the pace but Nickal is squirming around nicely.
Qasi prevents Nickal from getting the reversal.
Nickal wants to control but Qasi is having none of it.
Nickal is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Qasi is staying active.
Qasi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Nickal sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Nickal is positioning himself well to prevent Qasi advancing to mount.
Qasi trying to mount his opponent but Nickal defends it.
Nickal trying to hold on to Qasi's head to control him but Qasi postures up.
Qasi seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Nickal does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nickal is trying to maintain the position but Qasi is very close to passing his half guard.
Nickal preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Nickal is trying to maintain the position but Qasi is very close to passing his half guard.
Nickal is looking to get back to full guard here but Qasi has managed to pass to side control instead. Score +3 for passing guard: Qasi (12) vs (18) Nickal
Nickal sneaks back into half guard.
Qasi is keen to just control but Nickal is a slippery customer.
Nickal moves into full guard.
Nickal pulls Qasi in close to his closed guard and prevents Qasi from doing any damage or advancing position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Qasi wants to control from the top but Nickal keeps moving.
Nickal has his hands on Qasi's head, controlling the position.
And that's the end of the fight!
Nickal wins on points by 18 to 12. |
|
|
|
|
|
