PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shafiq Hussain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cracker Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cracker Joe will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Hussain
vs
Joe

178 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

178 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shafiq Hussain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cracker Joe!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hussain tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Hussain closes the distance and clinches.

Hussain is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Joe can't fight it off and eventually Hussain manages to take the fight to the floor. Joe looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hussain postures up.
Hussain trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.
Hussain lands a couple of elbows.
Hussain stands up over Joe, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Joe is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hussain is controlling him.
Hussain throws a big right hand that misses.
Hussain scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hussain loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hussain landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hussain gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Hussain clinches up against the cage.
Hussain pressing his opponent against the cage.
Hussain pushes Joe back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Joe lands a shoulder strike.

Hussain manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Joe tries to free his leg and advance position but Hussain is retaining full guard.
Joe stopping the sweep attempt from Hussain.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hussain is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Joe is controlling him.
Hussain looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Joe puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Hussain is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Joe is trying to control. Hussain wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Joe has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Hussain works to full guard.
Joe looks gassed!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hussain tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hussain tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hussain gets a clinch.

Joe jumps guard and drags Hussain to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Joe looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hussain is one step ahead there.
Joe throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Joe working for a triangle but Hussain defends it easily.
Hussain distracts Joe with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hussain postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hussain scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hussain wants to control from the top but Joe keeps moving.
Hussain is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hussain postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hussain postures up and lands a big shot to Joe's brow.
Hussain is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hussain is working Joe over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Hussain avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hussain stands up over Joe, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hussain working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Joe's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Joe slaps away a takedown attempt from Hussain, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Hussain takes the fight into the clinch.

Hussain has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Joe uses from the top position.
Hussain managing to control the position.
Joe stopping the sweep attempt from Hussain.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hussain keeping moving, preventing Joe from controlling successfully.
Hussain seems keen to control Joe's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hussain bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Joe's guard.

Hussain gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hussain looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hussain looks for a takedown but Joe sprawls well.
Shafiq Hussain is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Horrible takedown by Joe or perhaps it was just good defense by Hussain which made him look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hussain will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shafiq Hussain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hussain tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hussain misses with a takedown attempt
and Joe counters with a two punch combo.
Hussain fails with the takedown
and Joe counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hussain thinking.
Joe looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hussain has his takedown stuffed
and Joe counters with a series of strikes. Hussain will be more careful next time no doubt.

Hussain shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Joe manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hussain with a nice head shot there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hussain accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hussain scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hussain lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hussain is looking to work some ground and pound but Joe has wrist control.
Hussain is working Joe over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hussain throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hussain lands a couple of elbows.
Hussain scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Joe working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hussain doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hussain manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hussain preventing the sweep.
Hussain lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shafiq Hussain dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hussain fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Joe, pushing him back against the cage.
Hussain is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Hussain has hold of one of Joe's legs. Joe is fighting the takedown attempt but Hussain gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Hussain throws a strike but Joe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hussain scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Joe lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Joe slaps away a takedown attempt from Hussain, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Joe stuffs the takedown.
Joe wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hussain shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hussain looks to land a strike but Joe avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Hussain working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hussain is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hussain working some strikes from top position.
Hussain lands a couple of digs.

Hussain gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Hussain tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Joe to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hussain moves into the clinch successfully.

Joe pulls Hussain into guard.

Hussain drops back, looking for a kneebar! Joe looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Joe looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Joe!
Hussain is looking to reverse the position.
Hussain manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Joe trying to control from Hussain's half guard. Hussain has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Hussain is controlling Joe's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe tries to free his leg and advance position but Hussain is retaining full guard.

Hussain pushes Joe off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Hussain misses with a takedown attempt
and Joe counters with a three punch combo that has Hussain backing up. Hussain nods at Joe to acknowledge the strikes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shafiq Hussain. That's going to take a lot out of him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Joe is working for takedown but Hussain is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hussain stalling the fight.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Joe.

Hussain is trying to trip Joe. He has hold of a leg but Joe is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Hussain persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Hussain postures up in Joe's guard and throws a big left but Joe blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hussain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Joe keeping moving, preventing Hussain from controlling successfully.
Hussain chips away with some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hussain's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hussain distracts Joe with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hussain with a flurry of punches that miss.
Joe utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hussain gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Joe counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hussain's guard now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hussain trying to strike off his back.
Cracker Joe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Joe throws a sloppy strike and Hussain has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Joe is forced to tap! Great BJJ from Hussain!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Shafiq Hussain!