PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cajetan Shashi (ranked 17691 p4p, 5882 weight class) and Conor OMalley (ranked 193 p4p, 161 weight class). Cajetan Shashi could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Conor OMalley's chin.

Shashi
vs
OMalley

185 cm
43
169
18 - 22 - 1

185 cm
43
176
16 - 21 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 22 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cajetan Shashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Conor OMalley!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yuuki Gou and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shashi clinches up with OMalley and pushes him back against the cage.
OMalley tries to score a body lock takedown but Shashi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Shashi can't get the takedown.

Shashi has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed OMalley clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
You can see the frustration on OMalley's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
OMalley breaks Shashi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
OMalley content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
OMalley trying to control the position from guard on top but Shashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OMalley got a little sloppy there for a moment and Shashi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, OMalley has managed to get both his arms back between Shashi's legs - danger averted.
OMalley keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Shashi's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
OMalley trying to control the position from guard on top but Shashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shashi will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
OMalley looking to sit in guard and control but Shashi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
OMalley is pulling down on Shashi's head to control his posture.
Shashi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
OMalley looking to control.

Shashi drops back, looking for a kneebar! OMalley looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. OMalley looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from OMalley!

OMalley controls the position.
OMalley wants to control but Shashi is keeping him busy.

OMalley is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Shashi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
OMalley sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Shashi is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shashi stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
OMalley staying calm.
Shashi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
OMalley is chipping away with strikes.
Shashi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but OMalley wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Shashi striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

OMalley tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no OMalley has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
OMalley scoring with punches from side control.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw OMalley working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
OMalley lands a nice forearm strike.
Shashi is looking to regain half guard here but OMalley keeps moving and retains side control.
OMalley has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Shashi regains half guard there - taking advantage of OMalley's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

OMalley moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Shashi.
Shashi takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
OMalley is looking to take a break and control but Shashi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shashi wants to control but OMalley postures up.

OMalley wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Shashi, who protects the arm well.
Shashi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Shashi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked OMalley off and has taken his back!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shashi keeps control of the position as OMalley tries to break free.

OMalley defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Shashi's arms.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Conor OMalley 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.

OMalley shoots in and bounces Shashi off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Shashi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
OMalley postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Shashi looking to control.
OMalley with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
OMalley landing some decent shots from guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
OMalley trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
OMalley wants to control from the top but Shashi keeps moving.
OMalley tries to stand but Shashi is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shashi keeping moving, preventing OMalley from controlling successfully.
Shashi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
OMalley is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
OMalley with a flurry of punches that miss.
OMalley 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.
OMalley trying to control but Shashi is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
OMalley tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Shashi counters with a shoot takedown. OMalley fights it but they end up in guard.
Shashi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
OMalley has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Shashi being controlled here momentarily.

OMalley has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Shashi off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
OMalley with a lazy takedown attempt

and Shashi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
OMalley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shashi pulls him back up using the underhooks.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Shashi takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
OMalley prevents the takedown attempt.

Shashi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
OMalley has a takedown stuffed.
Cajetan Shashi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Conor OMalley.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shashi manages to get an easy takedown there - catching OMalley on his heels. He'll look to pass OMalley's guard now, I'm sure.
Conor OMalley has got the better of the ground game so far.
OMalley is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Shashi postures up in OMalley's guard and throws a big left but OMalley blocks it.
OMalley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Shashi's guard.

Shashi keeping moving, preventing OMalley from controlling successfully.
Shashi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as OMalley controls the pace.

Shashi working for a triangle but OMalley defends it easily.

Shashi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. OMalley gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shashi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. OMalley defends it easily.
Shashi wants to hit a sweep here but OMalley passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Shashi there!
Shashi is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

OMalley is working to isolate an arm here. It's a telegraphed submission attempt but he's gone for it anyway - and he's got it! OMalley extends the arm and Shashi is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Conor OMalley!
Conor OMalley very nearly forgot to thank Brooklyn Apothecary amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.