PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mohammad Malik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malik comes to the cage accompanied by Stronger. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Malik
vs
Walker

173 cm
20
185 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

187 cm
25
185 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mohammad Malik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nate Walker!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Hugh Johnson and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walker shoots in for a takedown but Malik shows good takedown defense.
Walker shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Malik as he avoids it easily.
Walker tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Malik swivels and escapes.
Mohammad Malik has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Walker.

Walker moves into the clinch.

Walker pulls guard effortlessly.

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

Walker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Walker looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Walker looks gassed!
Walker keeping moving, preventing Malik from controlling successfully.
Malik stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Walker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Malik is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malik drops back looking for a leg! Walker is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Walker manages to kick Malik off! Malik jumps back into Walker's guard.

Walker is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Malik is aware though and is defending well.

Walker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Walker keeping full guard, as Malik tries to pass.

Walker throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Malik escapes and throws Walker's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Malik trying to control the action but Walker is working from the bottom.
Walker is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Malik's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Malik is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Malik wants to work for an arm triangle but Walker is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Walker wants to improve his position but Malik is controlling well.
Walker flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Walker tries to roll over but Malik keeps him under control.

Malik is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Malik is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Walker looking for submissions off his back.
Malik trying to control from Walker's half guard. Walker has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malik trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Malik avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Malik with a flurry of punches that miss.
Malik trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Walker looking for a guillotine here but Malik defends easily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Walker keeping moving, preventing Malik from controlling successfully.

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

That's four 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.
Malik is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Walker is looking for a sweep. Malik is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Malik is trying to work for a kimura but Walker is defending well.
Walker makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Walker.
Malik trying to control the position from guard on top but Walker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Malik is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Walker escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Malik gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Walker dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Walker looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Malik is trying to control the position but Walker postures up.
Walker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Malik is keeping the position for now.

Malik isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Walker stacks Malik 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 Walker!

Walker is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Malik is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Walker looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Malik might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Walker is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malik is looking for a sweep.
Walker cracks Malik with a big right hand but Malik just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Malik is looking for a sweep.
Malik struggling a bit here.

Walker is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Malik has escaped the position, nice work there.

Walker is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Malik knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Walker swings around for an armbar but Malik sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Walker's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Walker keeping full guard, as Malik tries to pass.
Malik passes Walker's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Walker tries to roll over but Malik keeps him under control.
Walker is trying to control but can't.
Malik works his way into full mount!
Walker regains half guard.

Malik is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Walker is just riding it out for now. Malik eventually gives up the hold.
Malik drops an elbow to the side of Walker's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malik is looking to take a break and control but Walker is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Malik is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Walker defends it well.

Walker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Walker actively working from the bottom here.
Malik moves nicely into side control.
Walker is trying to control Malik's posture but Malik avoids it.

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.
Walker sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Malik wants to pass the guard but Walker is defending well.
Walker gets back to full guard.
Walker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Walker keeping moving, preventing Malik from controlling successfully.

Walker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Malik trying to control but Walker is working from the bottom.
Malik seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Walker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Walker.

Walker looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Malik regains full guard. Nicely done.
Nate Walker has got the better of the ground game so far.
Walker won't allow Malik to sweep him here.

Malik is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Walker tries to free his leg and advance position but Malik is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malik looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Walker is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

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

Malik is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Walker is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Walker manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The fighters are battling for position here. Malik manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Malik wants to sweep here but Walker controlling him for the moment.

Walker thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walker is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Malik working for a triangle but Walker defends it easily.
Malik throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Malik keeping full guard, as Walker tries to pass.
Malik controls Walker momentarily but Walker frees himself.
Malik looking for a sweep. Not yet Malik, not yet.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Walker thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Walker wants to control from the top but Malik keeps moving.
Mohammad Malik has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Malik looking to hit a scissor sweep but Walker is one step ahead there.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Walker has a takedown stuffed.
Malik misses with a takedown

and Walker decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Malik's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Walker drops back looking for a leg! Malik is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Malik manages to kick Walker off! Walker jumps back into Malik's guard.
Walker won't allow Malik to sweep him here.
Walker pushes down on Malik's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Walker is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Malik sees it coming and defends easily.

Walker is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Malik is just riding it out for now. Walker eventually gives up the hold.

Walker looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nate Walker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Walker winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nate Walker!