PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Basit Ali (ranked 24365 p4p, 24956 weight class) and Lazar Petrovic (ranked 339 p4p, 336 weight class). Ali comes to the cage accompanied by Charmed - Rose McGowan - Fever (HD). Basit Ali could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Lazar Petrovic's chin.

Ali
vs
Petrovic

150 cm
24
130
0 - 3 - 0

165 cm
19
132
2 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Basit Ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Lazar Petrovic!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrovic shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ali counters with a nice body shot.
Petrovic fails with a takedown attempt.
Ali shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Petrovic fails with the takedown.
Basit Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lazar Petrovic.
Ali misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Petrovic looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Ali shoots in looking for a takedown but Petrovic manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ali's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ali closes the distance and clinches.
Petrovic avoiding damage as Ali throws knees to the body.

Petrovic gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Ali keeping moving, preventing Petrovic from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrovic preventing the sweep.
Ali could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ali is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Petrovic looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Ali keeping moving, preventing Petrovic from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Petrovic is looking to stand up but Ali won't let him.
Petrovic trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Ali instigates a clinch.

Petrovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ali lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Petrovic stuffs the takedown attempt from Ali. Ali gets slowly back to his feet.
Petrovic misses with a series of wild punches.

Petrovic tries to keep at a distance but Ali has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic is trying to pull guard but Ali turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Petrovic jumps into guard, dragging Ali to the mat.
Petrovic looking for a sweep. Not yet Petrovic, not yet.
Ali stays in close to Petrovic's body and controls the position.
Petrovic wants to sweep but no luck.
Ali in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Ali gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Nice sprawl there from Ali as Petrovic shoots in.
Petrovic misses with a takedown attempt - Ali sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali closes this distance looking for a takedown but Petrovic circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ali drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ali is trying to force a seperation but Petrovic has the dominant position.
Petrovic looking for a takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Petrovic is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Ali is defending well.
Petrovic is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ali tries to pull guard but Petrovic forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Basit Ali dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Petrovic throws a head kick but Ali moves out of range.
Ali thinks about countering with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Ali.
Ali throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Petrovic misses with an uppercut.

Ali closes the distance and clinches.
Petrovic is trying to drag Ali to the mat but Ali just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Petrovic manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrovic stuffs the takedown.
Petrovic let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Good standup being displayed there by Ali as he connects with a hook.
Petrovic has a takedown stuffed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrovic tried to score with a low kick but Ali checks it.

Ali closes the distance and clinches.
Ali lands a left hand.
Petrovic taking a breather.
Ali drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Petrovic gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Petrovic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ali has managed to clinch.
Petrovic wants to stall.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Petrovic breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ali defends well and Petrovic ends up having to push Ali into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Basit Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lazar Petrovic.
Petrovic tries to clinch but Ali moves out of range.
Ali fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Petrovic goes for a double leg but Ali avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ali continues to drive forward.
As Petrovic tries to get set, Ali tries to push him back and clinch up but Petrovic manages to avoid the attempt.
Petrovic misses with a takedown attempt - Ali sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Petrovic is breathing heavily.

Ali has managed to clinch.
Petrovic jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ali walks away with a smile on his face. Petrovic gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ali shoots in for a double leg but Petrovic sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Ali clinches up against the cage.
Petrovic keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ali's efforts to push away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali stalling against the cage.
Petrovic is looking for a takedown.
Nice body punch from Ali.
Basit Ali has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Ali just leaning against Petrovic, taking a breather.
Ali is struggling to control the position.
Ali wants to break free but Petrovic has control.

Petrovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Basit Ali is winning the standup battle so far.
Ali shoots in for a takedown but Petrovic shows good takedown defense.
Ali is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Petrovic can do to turn this around?

Ali rushes Petrovic and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ali.
Petrovic tries to pull guard but Ali forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Ali pulls guard successfully.
Ali keeping moving, preventing Petrovic from controlling successfully.
Ali is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Petrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ali trying to keep a closed guard but Petrovic is proving a slippery customer.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Basit Ali dominated that second round.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Petrovic on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Ali keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ali slaps away a takedown attempt from Petrovic, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Horrible takedown attempt by Petrovic or perhaps it was just good defense by Ali, which made it look bad.
Basit Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lazar Petrovic.

Ali fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Petrovic, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ali is working for takedown but Petrovic is calmly controlling the position for now.
Petrovic wants to take the fight to the mat but Ali manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Ali prevents a takedown attempt there.
Petrovic takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali jumps guard but Petrovic stands there with Ali around his waist. Ali gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Petrovic looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Petrovic tries to pull guard but Ali forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Petrovic tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ali smiles and moves away.
Ali misses with a takedown attempt - Petrovic sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Petrovic circles away from the clinch attempt.

Petrovic gets tackled into the cage by Ali. Ali maintains the clinch.
Petrovic dodges an elbow strike from Ali.
Petrovic prevents the takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali is trying to break free.
Ali prevents the takedown attempt.
Ali wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Petrovic prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ali is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Petrovic is pressed up against the cage. Ali has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Petrovic down to the mat. Petrovic avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Petrovic shoots in for a takedown but Ali shows good takedown defense.
Petrovic shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Petrovic misses with a takedown
and Ali counters with a series of strikes. Petrovic will be more careful next time no doubt.
Ali doesn't manage to clinch there - Petrovic circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands a nice looking body shot.
Petrovic shoots in but Ali avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ali.
Ali sets himself, and Petrovic steps forward looking for the clinch! Ali avoids it this time.

Ali instigates a clinch.
Ali tries for a takedown. No joy.
Come on Ali - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Ali is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Ali decides to pull guard.
Petrovic throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ali holds on and takes a little breather.
Ali looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Petrovic not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ali is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ali wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Basit Ali showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ali, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Basit Ali!