PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sean Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and faisal ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michaels comes to the cage accompanied by Edit Mix. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Michaels
vs
ali

190 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

190 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Sean Michaels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, faisal ali!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Sam Margolis and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels throws a combination but it was largely blocked by ali.

ali shoots in and bounces Michaels off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
ali controls from within his opponent's guard.
ali stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Michaels swivels though and keeps the full guard.
ali is pushing down on Michaels's leg trying to pass to half guard. Michaels is fighting to maintain full guard but ali has managed to sneak the leg through.
ali is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
ali is thwarting Michaels's attempts to control the position.
ali is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Michaels wants to control but ali is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ali is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Michaels is looking to improve his position.
ali wants to pass the guard but Michaels is defending well.
Michaels wants to control but ali is keeping busy.
ali trying to pass the guard but Michaels defending well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Michaels throws a right hand that ali ducks under and follows up with a left that ali also avoids with ease.
Michaels stuffs the takedown.
Michaels throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
ali closes the distance and clinches up with Michaels, looking for a takedown. ali pushes Michaels against the cage but Michaels circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
ali shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Michaels pinned against the cage. Michaels gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sean Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of faisal ali.
ali looks gassed!
ali shoots in for a double leg but Michaels sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
ali fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
ali misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Michaels ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Michaels lands a glancing blow to the side of ali's head.
Michaels scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
ali takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
ali dodges the punch combination from Michaels.
Michaels lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but ali circles away quickly and effectively.
Michaels misses with a double jab.
Michaels lands a glancing blow to the side of ali's head.
ali takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Sean Michaels is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
ali fails with a takedown attempt.
Michaels misses with the combination.
Michaels closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Michaels takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels misses with a few strikes there.
Michaels lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Michaels looks to land a combination. ali sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Michaels throws a right and a left that ali avoids nicely.
Nice cross by Michaels.
ali dodges the punch combination from Michaels.
ali fails with a takedown attempt.
Michaels looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Michaels moves into range and connects with a jab.
Michaels works over ali's head and body with a nice combination.
Michaels misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
ali shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Michaels as he avoids it easily.
Michaels fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Michaels lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
No joy there for Michaels, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
ali shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Michaels as he jumps to the side.
Michaels scores with a crisp jab that stopped ali in his tracks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels throws a series of strikes that have ali backpedaling.
Michaels fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

ali shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Michaels trying to keep a closed guard but ali is proving a slippery customer.
ali tries to free his leg and advance position but Michaels is retaining full guard.
ali 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.
Michaels keeping moving, preventing ali from controlling successfully.
Michaels looking for a sweep. Not yet Michaels, not yet.
Michaels looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Michaels dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

ali shoots in and drives through. Michaels sprawls well.
ali showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michaels.

ali scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Michaels wants to improve his position but ali is controlling well.
ali not doing much here.
Michaels gets back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
ali looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ali controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
ali pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Michaels is keeping the position for now.
ali won't allow Michaels to sweep him here.
Michaels trying to keep a closed guard but ali is proving a slippery customer.
ali won't allow Michaels to sweep him here.
ali is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
ali wants to pass the guard but Michaels is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Michaels scores with a crisp jab that stopped ali in his tracks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
ali looks for a takedown but Michaels sprawls well.
Michaels lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but ali circles away quickly and effectively.
Michaels lands a two punch combo.
No luck with that takedown attempt from ali.
Sean Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of faisal ali.
ali looks for a takedown but Michaels sprawls well.
Michaels jabs at ali's body.
Sean Michaels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Michaels misses with a jab, cross combination.
ali shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Michaels but Michaels pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Michaels throws a series of strikes that have ali backpedaling.
ali is trying hard to land a takedown here. Michaels sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Michaels lands a lovely overhand right.
Michaels lands a nice shot that snaps ali's head back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Michaels. ali does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ali fails to land the takedown.
Michaels lands a glancing blow to the side of ali's head.
Michaels lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

ali closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Michaels did well to prevent ali getting side control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with ali in particular looking to stall.
Michaels wants to control but ali is keeping busy.
ali controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels trying to hold on to ali's head to control him but ali postures up.
ali works his way into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Michaels manages to get back to half guard.
ali is trying to control. Michaels wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Michaels wants to get back to his feet.
ali stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

faisal ali showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Michaels fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

ali scores a takedown into full mount!
Michaels tries to hold on but ali pushes him away.
ali controlling the position easily from mount.
ali in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Michaels is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
ali sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, faisal ali just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Michaels looks to land a combination. ali sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Michaels slaps away a takedown attempt from ali, before circling back to the center of the mat.
ali has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
ali fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Michaels swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
ali tries for a takedown but Michaels sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sean Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of faisal ali.
Michaels scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from ali is defended easily by Michaels.
No luck for ali with that takedown attempt.
Michaels scores with a hook.

ali shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Michaels is trying to defend but ali finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with ali in particular looking to stall.
ali is trying to control the action in half guard but Michaels is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Michaels tries to get to full guard but ali has control of the leg.
ali stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ali is looking to advance position but Michaels won't allow it.
ali is trying to control the action in half guard but Michaels is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Michaels moves into full guard.
ali trying to control but Michaels is working from the bottom.
ali preventing the sweep.
ali is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Michaels not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
ali tries to free his leg and advance position but Michaels is retaining full guard.
ali trying to control but Michaels is working from the bottom.

Despite being in the dominant position, faisal ali just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Michaels misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
ali fails with the takedown.
Michaels stalks ali and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into ali's face. ali staggers backwards, shaken.
ali looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
ali slips a jab and a cross from Michaels.
ali avoids a punch combination nicely.
No luck for ali with that takedown attempt.
ali slips a jab and a cross from Michaels.

And that's the end of the fight!
faisal ali comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think ali has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... faisal ali!