PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zabit Hussein (ranked 360 p4p, 442 weight class) and Reijo Halli (ranked 18 p4p, 69 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Halli's choice of entrance music: Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Reijo Halli was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Hussein
vs
Halli

184 cm
31
165
12 - 5 - 0

177 cm
38
165
18 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Powerful

Conquer
Conviction

Bondi MMA 🏝️
© Trap House

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 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zabit Hussein!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reijo Halli!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab lands there for Hussein.
Hussein lands a head shot.
Hussein throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Halli tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Halli takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Hussein scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Hussein. That's going to slow Halli down.

Halli looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Halli is looking to pass into half guard but Hussein pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Hussein is in guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Halli is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hussein defends well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Halli is on top in guard.

Halli wants to pass the guard but Hussein is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hussein keeping moving, preventing Halli from controlling successfully.
Halli wants to pass the guard but Hussein is keeping the position.

Halli postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hussein is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Halli, into his guard.

Halli working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hussein doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hussein manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Halli has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Halli isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Hussein stacks Halli on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Hussein!
Halli is trying to improve his position.
Halli tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Hussein presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Halli felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli is trying to escape the mount.
Halli slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Halli trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Hussein manages to pass to mount!
Halli is looking to improve his position but Hussein isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Halli gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halli trying to control but Hussein postures up.
Halli wants to get back to full guard but Hussein has passed into side control.
Halli tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Halli manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Zabit Hussein will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Hussein scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Halli doesn't seem bothered though.
Hussein slips under a jab.
Hussein thuds his right hand into Halli's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Halli tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hussein swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Halli gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A jab from Hussein misses.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Hussein.
Halli moves in looking to clinch but Hussein pushes him off.
Hussein quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Hussein is looking to land body kicks.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Halli closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Halli takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hussein circles away from the clinch attempt.
An attempted straight right counter from Hussein misses the target.
Halli moves away from the strike by Hussein.
Halli bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Halli throws a body shot but no joy.
A little feinted left hand from Hussein on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Hussein misses with an uppercut.
Hussein is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Halli can do to turn this around?
Halli works the jab nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Halli misses with a hook
and Hussein counters with a left and a right that stings Halli.
Hussein scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Hussein misses with an uppercut. Halli saw that one coming.
Hussein misses with a wild body shot.
Halli is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hussein doesn't seem bothered though.
Halli tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hussein manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Halli swings away with a body shot that misses
and Hussein counters with a thumping low kick.
Halli lands a right hook to the body.
Hussein throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Halli.

Halli feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Halli controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Halli sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hussein's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Halli is looking for a kimura here.
Halli is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Halli moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Hussein has worked his arm free - good work by Hussein!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Halli misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Halli working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Halli taking a break here but Hussein is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hussein is staying active underneath Halli, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Halli is looking for a kimura here.
Still in half guard, Halli seems content to control.

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.
Halli frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Halli controlling from mount.
Halli can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hussein is looking to escape.

Halli goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Hussein is on top in guard.
Halli wants to control the position but Hussein says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Halli looks to land a left hand but Hussein moved out of range nicely.
Hussein swats away the attempt to clinch by Halli.
Zabit Hussein is winning the standup battle so far.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hussein.
Halli tries to clinch but Hussein is having none of it.
Halli throws a shot from downtown. Hussein moves away and avoids it.
Halli sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Reijo Halli seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good standup being displayed there by Hussein as he connects with a hook.
Halli is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hussein.
Hussein keeps the fight on the outside.
Halli with a hook.
Halli blocks a leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hussein.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Halli looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Halli is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Hussein reverses the position - he's now on top in Halli's guard.

Halli looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hussein passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Halli is trying to control Hussein's posture. Hussein takes advantage of the lull and advances to side control. He also appears to have an arm triangle here! Uh oh, big trouble for Halli! Hussein is rotating here... this could be the end... Halli is out! Hussein has ended this one emphatically! Great submission!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Zabit Hussein!
Zabit Hussein decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.