PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Saad Ghanem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Glass Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ghanem
vs
Joe

165 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

[MMABR] Philter Nutri {q144 for 10$}

[MMABR] Philter Nutri {q144 for 10$}
[MMABR]:Klinch

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Saad Ghanem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Glass Joe!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joe slaps away a takedown attempt from Ghanem, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Ghanem shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Joe is trying to defend but Ghanem finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Joe is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ghanem wants to pass to mount but Joe is defending the position.
Joe is doing well to control the position and prevent Ghanem from advancing to side control.
Joe is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ghanem wants to take a breather but Joe is having none of it.
Joe slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ghanem preventing the sweep.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Joe can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ghanem trying to stand up but can't free himself from Joe's guard.
Joe controlling Ghanem's posture.
Joe 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joe seems keen to control Ghanem's posture.
Joe looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ghanem is one step ahead there.
Joe looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

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.

Joe working for a triangle but Ghanem defends it easily.
Joe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ghanem manages to get himself to full guard.
Ghanem might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Joe connects with a couple of short punches.
Ghanem controls Joe momentarily but Joe frees himself.
Joe stands and throws Ghanem's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Joe landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Joe working the head and body with strikes.
Ghanem is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Joe scores with a couple of short elbows.
Joe lands a decent elbow from side control.
Joe lands a nice forearm strike.
Joe advances nicely into full mount.
Ghanem is breathing heavily.
Joe fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Joe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ghanem tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Joe cracks Ghanem with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Joe raining down shots from the mount!
Joe working Ghanem over with strikes here.
Joe looking to finish Ghanem with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ghanem!
Joe lands with some strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Joe unloading with bombs!
Joe connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Joe raining down shots from the mount!
Joe with a couple of short strikes.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Joe cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Joe landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Glass Joe dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Joe closes the distance and clinches.
Joe tries for a takedown but Ghanem manages to get underhooks.
Ghanem tries to stall but Joe uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ghanem wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ghanem can't get the takedown.
Joe is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Joe gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Ghanem on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Joe working Ghanem over with strikes.
Joe working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Joe takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Joe takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Joe uses his free foot to push down on Ghanem's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ghanem.
Joe is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Ghanem is rocked!
Ghanem is bucking up trying to escape but Joe cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Oh Ghanem is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Ghanem bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Joe and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Glass Joe!