PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rye King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haile Selassie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Selassie comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Confrontation by Damian Marley kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

King
vs
Selassie

173 cm
25
150 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

172 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rye King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Haile Selassie!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Aafke Stam and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
King misses with a takedown attempt - Selassie sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Selassie stuffs the takedown.
Selassie misses with a body shot.
Selassie lands a nice hook to King's body. King takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Selassie digs a good hook to King's body.
Nice sprawl there from Selassie as King shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rye King. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King shoots in for a takedown but Selassie shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
King closes the distance and clinches up with Selassie, looking for a takedown. King pushes Selassie against the cage but Selassie circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
King dives in and grabs Selassie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Selassie pushes down on King's head and hops out.
King needs to keep his hands up - Selassie had a free shot at his head there.
King drops his hands momentarily and Selassie takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
King tries for a takedown but Selassie sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
King looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Selassie is fending him off so far but King persists. Nope, Selassie circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King shoots in for a takedown but Selassie shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
King shoots in but Selassie avoids the takedown attempt easily.
King walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
King shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Selassie but Selassie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
King looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
King fails with a takedown attempt.
King changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Selassie tries to avoid it but King manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Selassie to the ground. Selassie escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
No luck for King with that takedown attempt.
Nice body punch from Selassie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
No luck with that takedown attempt from King.
Selassie scores with a jab to the body.
King tries to score a power double leg takedown but Selassie sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten King somewhat.
Selassie punishes King's body with a nice straight punch.
King dives in and grabs Selassie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Selassie pushes down on King's head and hops out.
No luck for King with that takedown attempt.
Selassie lands an overhand right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
King has a takedown stuffed.
Haile Selassie is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Selassie lands a nice leg kick that just misses King's sensitive parts.
King fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Selassie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from King.
Selassie lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

King scores with a takedown into Selassie's guard.

Selassie uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King takes one to the chin there.

King shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. King showed some decent athleticism there.
Selassie is looking to escape.
King missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
King looks to land a strike but Selassie avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
King stops Selassie from standing up.

King drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and King jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Selassie leaves King with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
King shoots for a double leg takedown but Selassie sprawls well. He's pushed King's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
King shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Selassie as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rye King. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
King misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Selassie bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps King's head backwards.
King shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selassie misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rye King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Selassie cracks King with an open hand slap.
Selassie listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Selassie lands a glancing blow to the side of King's head.
King shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
King looks for a takedown but Selassie sprawls well.
King will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Selassie pivots, looking for a leg kick but King is out of range and Selassie settles back down.
King shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
King throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Selassie's waist but Selassie gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing King off to one side.
King shoots in but no luck this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Selassie defends it nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Selassie sizes up King with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
King shoots in but no luck this time.
Selassie leaves King with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Selassie takes a swing at King's ribcage but misses.

King drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Selassie is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst King is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King with a flurry of punches that miss.
Selassie wants to stand up but King is controlling him.
Selassie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from King.
King missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Selassie keeping moving, preventing King from controlling successfully.

King thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Selassie can do anything to dispel that myth.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Selassie connects with a nice looking jab.

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.
No luck with that takedown attempt from King.
King shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Selassie defends it nicely.
Selassie stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Selassie wants it to stay on the feet.
King gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Selassie displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from King.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Selassie displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from King.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haile Selassie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Selassie connects with the punch.
King fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Selassie avoids it really well and circles away.
King will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
King fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rye King. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Selassie defends it nicely.
King shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selassie misses with a low kick.
A shot to de liver by Selassie. Beautiful body shot.
Selassie scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
King tries for a takedown but Selassie sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Selassie displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from King.
King fails with the takedown.
Selassie connects with a body shot.
No luck for King with that takedown attempt.
Selassie connects with a right hand. King shakes it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King looks for a takedown but Selassie sprawls well.
Selassie scores with a nice head shot.
Selassie lands with a good body shot.
Selassie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
King doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Selassie stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Selassie wants it to stay on the feet.
Haile Selassie seems to be getting the better of the standup.
King looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Selassie is fending him off so far but King persists. Nope, Selassie circles away and we're back to standing.
King misses with a takedown attempt - Selassie sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Horrible takedown by King or perhaps it was just good defense by Selassie which made him look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Selassie stuffs the takedown attempt from King. King gets slowly back to his feet.
King misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Selassie tries to score with a low kick but King moves his leg out of the way.
King on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Selassie tries a head kick but it misses.
King shoots in and drives through. Selassie sprawls well.
King shoots in and drives through. Selassie sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from King is defended easily by Selassie.
Nice sprawl there from Selassie as King shoots in.
Selassie connects with a looping right hand.
Selassie lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Selassie getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
King shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Selassie but Selassie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
King keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haile Selassie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Selassie 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Haile Selassie!