PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sinhjo Babalu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cassius Slay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Slay has chosen Wu-Tang Clan - Triumph as his entrance music. Cassius Slay will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Babalu
vs
Slay

168 cm
23
168 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

180 cm
24
161 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent MT
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Hell's Balls Recovery

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sinhjo Babalu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cassius Slay!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slay fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Babalu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Babalu not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Slay controlling the position for now.
Slay wants to get back to his feet.
Babalu trying to control from half guard but Slay is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Babalu is working for a kimura but Slay is defending it quite comfortably.
Slay really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Babalu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Slay blocking the ground and pound attempt from Babalu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babalu thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Babalu has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Babalu uses his free foot to push down on Slay's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Slay.
Slay is bucking up trying to escape but Babalu cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Babalu throwing strikes here but Slay is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Slay can't escape the position.
Poor strikes thrown by Babalu there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Babalu landing shots from mount.
Babalu lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Slay tries to hold on but Babalu postures up.
Babalu throwing strikes here but Slay is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Babalu tries to control but Slay wriggling away.
Babalu throwing strikes but Slay recovers to half guard. A much better position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Slay can do anything to dispel that myth.
Slay is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Babalu trying to control from half guard but Slay is working away.

Babalu is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Slay is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babalu lands with a punch from half guard.
Slay holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Babalu is nestled in close to Slay, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Babalu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Babalu has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Slay is trying desperately to improve position.
Babalu tries to control but Slay wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Babalu swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Slay is now in Babalu's guard. A big mistake from Babalu there, giving up the dominant position!
Slay wanted to stand there but Babalu had control of the position.
Babalu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Slay is one step ahead there.

Slay stands up and waves to Babalu to follow him.
Babalu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sinhjo Babalu dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Babalu blocks a jab.
Slay takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Slay tries to bum rush Babalu with a series of wild strikes but Babalu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Slay misses with a double jab.
Slay takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Babalu takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
A looping hook to the body misses from Slay. Babalu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Babalu moves out of range of the strikes.
Slay slips under a jab.
Slay steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Babalu.
Nice defenses there by Babalu.
Slay avoids the head kick by Babalu.

Babalu closes the distance and pushes Slay back into the cage.

Babalu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Babalu slips a jab and a cross from Slay.
Slay throws out a loose jab but Babalu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Slay looks to land a right hand but Babalu moved out of range.
A big right from Slay misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babalu plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Babalu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Babalu missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Babalu is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Slay sees it coming and defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Slay is pressing down on Babalu's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Slay keeping moving, preventing Babalu from controlling successfully.
Babalu preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Slay is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Slay as Babalu tries to tie him up.
Babalu tries a body shot but Slay blocks it.

Slay is fighting off a takedown attempt but Babalu is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Slay to the mat. Slay regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Babalu thows a big elbow that misses.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Slay holds on and takes a little breather.
Babalu stands and throws Slay's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Babalu grinds an elbow into Slay's temple.
Slay holds on to Babalu's head and controls the position momentarily.
Babalu working the ground and pound but Slay is defending the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slay is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Slay wants to control but Babalu is keeping busy.
Slay moves into full guard.
Babalu stopping the sweep attempt from Slay.
Babalu scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four 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.
Babalu tries to free his leg and advance position but Slay is retaining full guard.
Slay pulls Babalu in close to prevent any damage.
Babalu throws a strike but Slay rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Babalu keeping full guard, as Slay tries to pass.
Slay postures up.
Sinhjo Babalu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Slay lands a couple of elbows.
Babalu is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Babalu missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sinhjo Babalu dominated that second round.
That's time! Babalu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Slay comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
No joy there for Slay, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cassius Slay is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Slay lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Babalu circles away quickly and effectively.
Slay misses with a few strikes there.
Slay connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Babalu momentarily.
A right-left combo lands from Slay.
Slay throws a looping overhand right but Babalu ducks down to avoid it.
Babalu throws an overhand right that lands on Slay's shoulder, as Slay tries to avoid the shot.
Slay thows a left - swing and a miss!
Babalu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A jab lands there for Slay.
Slay swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Slay misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Babalu.
Nice uppercut there from Slay.
Slay is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Babalu.
Slay fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Slay lands an overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slay misses with a jab, cross combination.
An inside leg kick lands from Babalu.
Babalu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Slay misses with the combination.
Babalu connects with the punch.
No luck for Babalu with that takedown attempt.
Slay moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Babalu dodges the punch combination from Slay.
A cross from Babalu lands.

Babalu gets the takedown into side control.
Slay is trying to get back to half guard.
Slay manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Babalu manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Slay stands up and waves to Babalu to follow him.
Slay looks to score with a jab to the body but Babalu is just out of range.
Slay lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Cassius Slay seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swing and a miss from Slay.

Babalu gets a clinch.
Slay avoiding damage as Babalu throws knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Slay creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Slay throws an elbow but it misses.
Babalu trying to control the position but instead, Slay has worked for underhooks and has pushed Babalu into the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babalu tries to throw a body punch but Slay avoids it by throwing Babalu back against the cage.
Babalu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Slay tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Babalu's elbow.

Babalu breaks from the clinch.
Babalu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Babalu wants to clinch.

Babalu fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Slay sprawls well initially but Babalu persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Babalu thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Babalu tries to pass the half guard into mount. Slay knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Babalu throwing shots but Slay is blocking nicely.
Slay is controlling Babalu's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slay is looking for a sweep. Babalu is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Babalu trying to control from Slay's half guard. Slay has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Slay keeping full guard, as Babalu tries to pass.

Babalu is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Slay is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Slay has escaped and now he's on top!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Slay wants to control from the top but Babalu keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cassius Slay comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Babalu 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 Alec Ball scores the fight for Cassius Slay!
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight for Sinhjo Babalu!

The fight ends as a draw!