PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Simon Browne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shefki Kuqi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Browne
vs
Kuqi

180 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

172 cm
19
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of London, Simon Browne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Shefki Kuqi!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Atkins and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuqi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Browne.

Browne shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Browne prevents Kuqi from getting back to his feet.

Kuqi wriggles free and stands up.
Kuqi tries to clinch there but Browne circles away.
Browne shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kuqi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Browne fails with a takedown attempt.
Kuqi is looking to clinch.
Browne avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Kuqi rushes Browne and presses him up against the cage.
Browne wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kuqi misses with some punches.
Kuqi gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Browne.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Browne. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuqi is trying to stall.
Kuqi stalling.
Browne drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kuqi just leaning against Browne, taking a breather.

That's two 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.
Kuqi can't find room to land a body shot as Browne controls the action.
Kuqi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Browne avoids it.
Kuqi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kuqi stops a takedown attempt from Browne.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kuqi.

Browne gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kuqi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Browne prevents Kuqi from standing back up.

Browne seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Kuqi has recovered full guard.
Browne tries to free his leg and advance position but Kuqi is retaining full guard.
Kuqi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Browne passes Kuqi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Browne is breathing heavily.
Kuqi is trying to stand back up but Browne is controlling him
Kuqi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Browne. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kuqi is refusing to be controlled, as Browne sits in half guard.
Kuqi pushes Browne off looking to stand but Browne dives back in and keeps control.

Browne is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kuqi is just riding it out for now. Browne eventually gives up the hold.
Kuqi tries to kick Browne off but Browne keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Kuqi makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Kuqi doesn't manage to clinch there - Browne circles away.

Kuqi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi lands strikes from half guard.
Browne tries to roll over but Kuqi keeps him under control.
Kuqi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kuqi not doing much here.
Ground and pound from Kuqi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shefki Kuqi will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kuqi doesn't manage to clinch there - Browne circles away.
Kuqi tries to clinch but Browne is having none of it.
Kuqi tries to clinch there but Browne circles away.
Browne waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kuqi.
Kuqi wants to clinch.
Kuqi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Browne throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kuqi is looking to clinch but Browne is avoiding it.
Kuqi is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Browne keeps the fight on the outside.
Browne circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kuqi doesn't manage to clinch there - Browne circles away.
Browne with a poor takedown

and Kuqi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Browne is trying to stand up here but Kuqi is controlling him well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuqi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nice strikes from Kuqi there.
Kuqi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Kuqi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kuqi content to control rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Kuqi is trying to control the action in half guard but Browne is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Browne is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Kuqi scores with a couple of nice shots.
Kuqi controlling the action here.
Shefki Kuqi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kuqi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Kuqi working over Browne with some ground and pound. Browne looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi slips a nice elbow through Browne's hands, connecting with Browne's forehead.
Kuqi trying to control the pace.
Kuqi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Kuqi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Well, if Kuqi is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi is nestled in close to Browne, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Kuqi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Kuqi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuqi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shefki Kuqi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Kuqi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Browne paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kuqi is looking to clinch but Browne is avoiding it.
Kuqi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kuqi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Browne has his takedown stuffed

and Kuqi counters by moving into the clinch.
Kuqi content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A short right from Kuqi on the inside.
Kuqi just leaning against Browne, taking a breather.
Kuqi is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Browne is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuqi can't find room to land a body shot as Browne controls the action.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Browne is trying to break the clinch but Kuqi has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuqi struggles to land a body shot inside as Browne controls his hands.
Kuqi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kuqi is looking to control Browne's arms but Browne gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kuqi has his back to the cage.
Kuqi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Shefki Kuqi.
Browne fails to land with a series of punches.
Simon Browne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Browne swinging wildly here.
Kuqi wants to clinch.
Shefki Kuqi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Kuqi gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Browne wants a takedown.
Browne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kuqi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Browne's elbow.
Kuqi is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Browne letting Kuqi take a breather here.
Browne drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kuqi pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Browne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Browne keeps the fight on the outside.
Simon Browne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi tries to close the distance and clinch but Browne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kuqi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Browne avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Browne circles away from the clinch attempt.
Browne throws a lazy right hand but Kuqi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Browne falls off balance throwing a combination

and Kuqi moves into the clinch.
Browne drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kuqi pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kuqi tries to clinch but Browne is having none of it.

Browne gets caught flat footed, as Kuqi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kuqi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kuqi connects with a couple of short punches.
Kuqi is stalling in the full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Browne preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shefki Kuqi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kuqi 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 26:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 26:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shefki Kuqi!