PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ebubekir Siddik (ranked 510 p4p, 190 weight class) and Keke Kivi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Siddik
vs
Kivi

184 cm
27
190
10 - 3 - 0

195 cm
25
190
12 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ebubekir Siddik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Keke Kivi!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Santiago Holmes and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kivi lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kivi throws a shot to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Siddik looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It seemed like Kivi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Siddik connects with a good right hand that stumbles Kivi. Kivi circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Siddik staying out of range there.
Siddik connects with a single shot there.

Siddik bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Kivi can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Siddik is looking to take a break and control but Kivi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Siddik is working Kivi over with some ground and pound from side control.
Kivi 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.
Siddik has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
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.
Siddik trying to control the position but Kivi is working away.
Kivi seems a little lost for a moment, as Siddik dominates the positioning.
Kivi wants to control but Siddik postures up.
Siddik lands an elbow.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kivi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kivi looks to move to half guard but instead Siddik has passed into mount! Damn!
Kivi is squirming around, avoiding Siddik's attempts to control the action.
Siddik definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Siddik breaks from Kivi's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Siddik trying to control but Kivi is having none of it.
Kivi tries to hold on but Siddik postures up.
Kivi is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Siddik controlling from the full mount.
Kivi tries to hold on but Siddik postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kivi is trying to escape the mount.
Siddik in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kivi is in all sorts of trouble here.
Siddik putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Kivi wants to control but Siddik is having none of it.
Siddik with a couple of short strikes.
Siddik lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kivi hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Siddik lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Siddik throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Siddik thowing shots but they're missing.
Kivi wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Siddik.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kivi wants to control but Siddik is having none of it.
Kivi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Siddik unloads with some shots from mount but Kivi bucks and avoids them well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ebubekir Siddik dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Siddik displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kivi throws out the jab.
Siddik staying out of range there.
Kivi throws a jab but it's blocked by Siddik.
A jab from Siddik finds it's way through Kivi's defenses.
Siddik throws a lazy right hand but Kivi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kivi scores with a sloppy right hand. Siddik should have avoided that one.
Siddik has his takedown stuffed
letting Kivi counter with a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kivi misses with an uppercut. Siddik saw that one coming.
As Kivi tries to get set, Siddik tries to push him back and clinch up but Kivi manages to avoid the attempt.
Kivi misses with an uppercut. Siddik saw that one coming.
Siddik misses with a shot to the body
and Kivi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kivi throws the left hand but Siddik avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kivi misses with a straight left.
Siddik tries to clinch
and Kivi counters with a stiff right hand.
Siddik connects with a body shot.
Siddik throws a jab when Kivi was well out of range.
Siddik with a poor takedown
letting Kivi counter with a right hand.
Kivi tries to land a front kick but Siddik steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kivi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Siddik.
A big right from Siddik misses.
Kivi swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Kivi lands with a straight right. Siddik didn't see that one coming.

Kivi gets caught napping as Siddik dives in and scores a takedown. Kivi manages to retain guard.
Siddik controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Siddik loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kivi seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Siddik not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Siddik might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kivi trying to control the position.
Siddik keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kivi's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siddik missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kivi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kivi controls Siddik momentarily but Siddik frees himself.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Siddik moves away from the strike by Kivi.
Siddik slips a straight right by Kivi.
Siddik throws a jab when Kivi was well out of range.
Siddik shoots for a double leg takedown but Kivi sprawls well. He's pushed Siddik's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ebubekir Siddik. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Siddik throws a sloppy body shot
and Kivi counters with a nice uppercut.
Siddik tries to clinch but Kivi is having none of it.
Kivi throws out a counter right but Siddik avoids it with no problem.
Kivi throws a hook but Siddik blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Siddik moves away from the strike by Kivi.
As Kivi tries to get set, Siddik tries to push him back and clinch up but Kivi manages to avoid the attempt.
Kivi throws a jab when Siddik was well out of range.
Siddik attempts a counter takedown but Kivi avoids it well and moves away.
Kivi throws a head kick but Siddik moves out of range.
Siddik lands a jab to the nose.
Keke Kivi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A jab from Siddik finds it's way through Kivi's defenses.
Siddik blocks a jab.
Siddik moves out of range of the strikes.
Siddik is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kivi can do to turn this around?
Horrible takedown attempt by Siddik or perhaps it was just good defense by Kivi, which made it look bad.
Siddik fails with a takedown attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keke Kivi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Siddik uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kivi.
Siddik tries to counter with a takedown but Kivi is quick to defend against it.
Siddik takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Siddik fails with the takedown.
It seemed like Kivi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Siddik scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kivi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Siddik is looking to counter the offense by Kivi and move into the clinch.
Kivi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
As Kivi tries to get set, Siddik tries to push him back and clinch up but Kivi manages to avoid the attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kivi swings widly with a right hand

and Siddik counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Siddik lands with a punch from half guard.
Kivi wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siddik lands with a punch from half guard.
Siddik working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kivi regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Siddik.
Siddik is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kivi is trying to keep Siddik in close.
Siddik pushing down on Kivi's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kivi has hold of Siddik's hands but Siddik slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Siddik in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kivi is trying to maintain the position but Siddik is very close to passing his half guard.
Siddik throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Siddik scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Kivi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Siddik. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Siddik thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kivi's head.
Siddik seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kivi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kivi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ebubekir Siddik is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Siddik slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Siddik slips under a jab from Kivi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kivi bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Siddik's head backwards.
Siddik ducks under a wild hook from Kivi.
Siddik half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Kivi gets caught flat footed, as Siddik shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Siddik passes into half guard.
Siddik content to control rather than advance.
Keke Kivi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Siddik uses his free foot to push down on Kivi's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Kivi.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ebubekir Siddik showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Siddik 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight for Ebubekir Siddik!
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight for Ebubekir Siddik!
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Ebubekir Siddik!

Ebubekir Siddik wins by unanimous decision!
In his post fight interview, Ebubekir Siddik started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.