PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sebastian Saari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abdul AlHaddin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abdul AlHaddin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Saari
vs
AlHaddin

167 cm
19
147 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

170 cm
19
152 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sebastian Saari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Abdul AlHaddin!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
AlHaddin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Saari sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Saari throws a right and a left that AlHaddin avoids nicely.
Saari misses with the combination.
Saari looks to throw the jab but AlHaddin is out of range.
AlHaddin dips to his left and cracks Saari with an uppercut!
AlHaddin shoots in and drives through. Saari sprawls well.
AlHaddin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Saari fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saari misses with a two punch combination.
Saari tries to clinch there but AlHaddin circles away.
Horrible takedown by AlHaddin or perhaps it was just good defense by Saari which made him look bad.
Sebastian Saari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abdul AlHaddin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
AlHaddin lands a slapping body shot.
Saari tries to clinch up.
AlHaddin just misses with a punch to the body.
AlHaddin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Saari is fending him off so far but AlHaddin persists. Nope, Saari circles away and we're back to standing.
Saari is looking to clinch but AlHaddin is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
AlHaddin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A combination from Saari does no damage.
Saari misses with a double jab.
AlHaddin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Saari.
Saari slaps away a takedown attempt from AlHaddin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Saari misses with a jab to the body
and Saari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
AlHaddin shoots for a double leg takedown but Saari sprawls well. He's pushed AlHaddin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
AlHaddin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Saari circles away.
AlHaddin tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Saari swivels and escapes.
AlHaddin looks gassed!
Saari looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Saari darts in trying to clinch

and AlHaddin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Saari is trying to stand up here but AlHaddin is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
AlHaddin wants to pass to mount but Saari is defending the position.
AlHaddin stops Saari from getting back to his feet.
Saari trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

AlHaddin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Saari sees it coming and defends easily.
Saari is trying to stand.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Saari misses with a jab, cross combination.
Saari throws a right hand that AlHaddin ducks under and follows up with a left that AlHaddin also avoids with ease.
Saari displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from AlHaddin.
Saari fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari throws a right and a left that AlHaddin avoids nicely.
AlHaddin moves out of range of the strikes.
AlHaddin shoots in for a takedown but Saari shows good takedown defense.
AlHaddin defending well as Saari loads up on a big left hand.
Saari wants to clinch up but AlHaddin keeps it at a distance.
Saari stuffs the takedown attempt from AlHaddin. AlHaddin gets slowly back to his feet.
Saari misses with a double jab.
Saari misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Saari misses with a combination
and AlHaddin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Saari tries to clinch up

and AlHaddin counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

AlHaddin has hold of Saari's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Saari tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - AlHaddin cranks the arm and Saari screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Saari, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:31 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Abdul AlHaddin!