PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Khamzat Aliyev (ranked 25461 p4p, 4718 weight class) and Aloha Joe (ranked 254 p4p, 209 weight class). Khamzat Aliyev has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Aliyev
vs
Joe

190 cm
25
290
2 - 4 - 0

168 cm
25
300
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Khamzat Aliyev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Aloha Joe!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Sandra Marshall and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joe keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Joe misses with a hook. Aliyev ducked under it nicely.

Aliyev changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Joe looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Aliyev throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Aliyev working the ground and pound from side control.

It looks like Aloha Joe has been cut.
Aliyev definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Joe is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Joe keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Aliyev thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Joe is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Aliyev misses with a head shot. Joe uses the momentum to regain guard.
Aliyev has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Joe looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Aliyev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Joe preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Aliyev wants to pass the guard but Joe is keeping the position.
Joe trying to control the position.
Aliyev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Joe keeping moving, preventing Aliyev from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Aliyev looking to sit in guard and control but Joe gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Aliyev will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Aliyev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Joe content to stall in guard here.
Aliyev 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.
Joe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Joe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev working a defensive guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice shot by Aliyev.

That has opened up Aloha Joe's cut even more.

Aliyev throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Joe tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Aliyev is in Joe's guard.
Aliyev in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Aliyev with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aliyev wants to control from the top but Joe keeps moving.
Aliyev content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Aliyev throws a strike but Joe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Joe sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Joe is in close to Aliyev's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe controlling from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aliyev is striking from the bottom but Joe uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Aliyev is concentrating on defense, preventing Joe from advancing position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Joe controlling the action here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khamzat Aliyev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aloha Joe's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

An inside leg kick from Aliyev misses.
Joe looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Aliyev shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Aliyev showed some decent athleticism there.
Aliyev missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Khamzat Aliyev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Joe keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Joe is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Aliyev scores with a couple of nice shots.
Aliyev is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Aliyev throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Joe to regain full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aliyev preventing the sweep.
Aliyev throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Aliyev wants to control from the top but Joe keeps moving.
Aliyev is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Joe can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev throws a strike but Joe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Joe showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Joe forces his way into half guard.
Joe scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joe not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Joe seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Joe frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Joe looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Joe landing shots from mount.
Aliyev is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Joe controlling the position easily from mount.
Joe is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Aliyev can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev is in all sorts of trouble here.
Joe sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Aliyev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Joe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aliyev is looking to escape.

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.
Joe avoids the attempt from Aliyev to control.
Joe landing shots from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Joe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aliyev is looking to escape.
Joe misses with a head shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aloha Joe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aloha Joe's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Aliyev dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Aliyev shoots for a double leg takedown but Joe sprawls well. He's pushed Aliyev's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Aliyev shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Aliyev showed some decent athleticism there.
Joe moves into full guard.
Joe is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Joe takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Aliyev on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Aliyev tries to get out of the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aliyev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Joe controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev tries to roll over but Joe keeps him under control.
Joe keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Aliyev trying to control from the bottom.
Joe looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Aliyev tries to get to full guard but Joe has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Joe not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Aliyev wants to get back to full guard.
Joe throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Joe is taking a breather. Aliyev says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Joe darts in looking for a takedown but Aliyev gets double underhooks and turns Joe into the cage.
Joe keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A lazy left from Aliyev finds it's target.

The cut above Aloha Joe's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

Aliyev drives through with a takedown into Joe's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Joe keeping moving, preventing Aliyev from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev is really struggling to control Joe but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Aliyev postures up in Joe's guard and throws a big left but Joe blocks it.
Aliyev wants to control from the top but Joe keeps moving.
Aliyev chips away with some ground and pound.
Aliyev throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Aliyev working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Joe's head.
Aliyev throws an elbow that misses. Joe uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Aliyev's guard. Nice move by Joe!

Joe trying to control the position from guard on top but Aliyev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Joe controls from within his opponent's guard.
Joe looking to pass the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Joe sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Joe stopping the sweep attempt from Aliyev.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Khamzat Aliyev.
I think Aliyev 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khamzat Aliyev!
After winning the bout, Khamzat Aliyev thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.