PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Abdul AlHaddin (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! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

AlHaddin
vs
Selassie

170 cm
20
152 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

172 cm
20
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Abdul AlHaddin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Haile Selassie!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Vladimir Khabensky and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
AlHaddin tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Selassie swivels and escapes.

Selassie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Selassie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Selassie manages to capitalize on a mistake by AlHaddin to take his back!
Selassie trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure AlHaddin doesn't escape.
You can see the frustration on AlHaddin's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Selassie doesn't have the hooks in and AlHaddin manages to turn into his guard.
AlHaddinis looking to pass into half guard but Selassie pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Selassie is in guard.

AlHaddin throws his legs up looking for a submission but Selassie uses it to pass to side control.

Selassie stands up and beckons AlHaddin to his feet.
AlHaddin with a lazy takedown attempt

and Selassie counters with a single leg into guard. AlHaddin didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Selassie decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on AlHaddin, up you get!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Selassie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
AlHaddin tries to roll over but Selassie keeps him under control.
AlHaddin has a hand on Selassie's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Selassie takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
AlHaddin is breathing heavily.

Selassie stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Selassie misses with a wild body shot.
Selassie works AlHaddin's body with a nice hook.

AlHaddin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Selassie pushes AlHaddin off and gets back to his feet.
AlHaddin shoots and misses
and Selassie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdul AlHaddin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Selassie digs a good hook to AlHaddin's body.

Selassie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. AlHaddin looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Selassie stands up.
Selassie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Selassie scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Selassie drives through with a takedown into guard.

Selassie gets to his feet. AlHaddin looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Selassie connects with a body shot.
Selassie paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Selassie fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. AlHaddin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Selassie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
AlHaddin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Selassie on the ground.

Selassie gets to his feet - AlHaddin follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie cracks AlHaddin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Good shot there by Selassie.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Selassie.

Selassie stands up and beckons AlHaddin to his feet.
Selassie lunges at AlHaddin with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by AlHaddin's hand.
AlHaddin with a lazy takedown attempt
and Selassie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Selassie feints and then cracks AlHaddin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow AlHaddin down.
Selassie scores with a hook.
Selassie works the jab nicely.

Selassie shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. AlHaddin manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

AlHaddin throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Selassie escapes and throws AlHaddin's legs to the side, diving into side control!

Selassie stands up and we're back to a striking position.
AlHaddin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Selassie can pounce on him.

Selassie shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches AlHaddin napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
AlHaddin is trying to work for a sweep but Selassie has mounted him!

Selassie get's back to his feet.
AlHaddin takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haile Selassie 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.

AlHaddin gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Selassie to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Selassie stands up from guard. Let's bang!
A punch combination from AlHaddin misses.

Selassie feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

AlHaddin isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Selassie stacks AlHaddin on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Selassie!

Selassie decides to stand up, so the ref orders AlHaddin to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Selassie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selassie gets to mount! AlHaddin was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

Selassie gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
AlHaddin doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Selassie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Selassie gets to his feet - AlHaddin follows without any prompting.
AlHaddin takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Selassie lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Selassie lands with a shot to the body.
Selassie throws a series of strikes that have AlHaddin backpedaling.
A shot to de liver by Selassie. Beautiful body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Selassie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
AlHaddin working to try and regain half guard.
AlHaddin looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Selassie wants to control but AlHaddin is keeping busy.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Selassie tries to keep control of the position but AlHaddin is staying busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie controls the action.
Selassie wants to control but AlHaddin is keeping busy.
AlHaddin tries to break free.
Selassie is riding his opponent, not letting AlHaddin buck him off.
AlHaddin is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Selassie controlling the positon.

Despite being in the dominant position, Haile Selassie just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Selassie throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Selassie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Selassie stands up out of the half guard.
Selassie scores with a jab to the body.
Abdul AlHaddin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
AlHaddin doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Selassie counters with a lovely shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Selassie drives through with a takedown into guard.
AlHaddin wants to hit a switch here but Selassie passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for AlHaddin there!

Selassie stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
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.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Selassie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
AlHaddin looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Selassie puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Haile Selassie has got the better of the ground game so far.

Selassie postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for AlHaddin to stand up.

AlHaddin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than AlHaddin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Selassie is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

AlHaddin swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Selassie is now in AlHaddin's guard. A big mistake from AlHaddin there, giving up the dominant position!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

AlHaddin looking for subs off his back but Selassie has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Selassie postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for AlHaddin to stand up.

Selassie shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in AlHaddin's guard.

AlHaddin working for submissions but it's allowed Selassie to get to half guard.

Selassie stands up from half guard.
Selassie lands with a shot to the body.
Abdul AlHaddin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Selassie shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in AlHaddin's guard.

AlHaddin is working an open guard so Selassie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Selassie.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
AlHaddin is looking for a sweep.
Selassie gets to mount! AlHaddin was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

Selassie stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Selassie scores with a takedown into AlHaddin's guard.

AlHaddin throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Selassie escapes and throws AlHaddin's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Selassie stands up.
AlHaddin throws a predictable looking body shot

and Selassie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

AlHaddin has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Selassie escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Selassie!
Haile Selassie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Selassie decides to stand up, so the ref orders AlHaddin to his feet.
Selassie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
AlHaddin takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Selassie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Selassie drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Selassie gets to his feet. AlHaddin looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
AlHaddin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Selassie counters with a takedown into side control.
AlHaddin is looking to regain half guard here but Selassie keeps moving and retains side control.

Selassie stands up and we're back to a striking position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
AlHaddin misses with a takedown attempt

and Selassie counters with a nice double leg into guard.

AlHaddin is working an open guard so Selassie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Selassie dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haile Selassie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Selassie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 24:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 24:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 24:30

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