PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aldin Arifi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cowboy Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arifi comes to the cage accompanied by Eminem - Not Afraid. The crowd seem to be enjoying Sanchez's choice of entrance music: Naughty By Nature - O.P.P.. Aldin Arifi could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Cowboy Sanchez's chin.

Arifi
vs
Sanchez

170 cm
26
135 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

170 cm
23
140 lbs
5 - 14 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Aldin Arifi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Cowboy Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Donald Grub and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Arifi but Arifi pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sanchez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Arifi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sanchez.
Arifi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sanchez shoots for a double leg takedown but Arifi sprawls well. He's pushed Sanchez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Aldin Arifi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cowboy Sanchez.
Sanchez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Arifi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Arifi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet.
Arifi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arifi tries to pass to full mount but Sanchez defends it.
Arifi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Sanchez is trying to control but Arifi passes into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arifi throws a strike aimed at the side of Sanchez's head but Sanchez avoids it well.
Sanchez wants to control but Arifi postures up.
Arifi working the ground and pound but Sanchez is defending the strikes.
Sanchez tries to buck Arifi off but Arifi is having none of it.
Sanchez looks gassed!
Arifi working the head with strikes.
Sanchez is looking to reverse the position.
Arifi working the ground and pound but Sanchez is defending the strikes.
Arifi tries to score with some ground and pound. Sanchez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Arifi sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Sanchez is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Arifi lands a nice forearm strike.
Sanchez is looking to reverse the position.
Arifi controlling from side mount.
Arifi tries to move to mount but Sanchez blocks the move with his legs.
Sanchez is trying to improve his position.
Arifi works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Arifi lands a decent elbow from side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Arifi lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sanchez down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arifi working the ground and pound.
Sanchez manages to get back to half guard.
Arifi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.
Arifi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sanchez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Arifi.
Arifi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Arifi working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four 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.
Arifi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Arifi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Arifi prevents Sanchez from improving his position.

Arifi escapes and gets back to his feet.

Arifi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Arifi makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Arifi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Arifi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aldin Arifi dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Arifi lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Sanchez throws the left hand but Arifi avoids the punch easily.
Arifi cracks a nice hook into Sanchez's ribs.

Arifi shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Arifi showed some decent athleticism there.

Sanchez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sanchez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Arifi wants to take a breather but Sanchez is having none of it.
Arifi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is not content to let Arifi control the position.
Arifi is nestled in close to Sanchez, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Arifi lands a nice short elbow.
Sanchez is pressing down on Arifi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Arifi trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.

Sanchez is looking for a triangle but Arifi pushes his legs off easily.

Arifi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sanchez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Arifi has managed to get both his arms back between Sanchez's legs - danger averted.
Arifi wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Arifi is in close to Sanchez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Arifi postures up in Sanchez's guard and throws a big left but Sanchez blocks it.
Arifi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Arifi scoring with some ground and pound.

Sanchez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Arifi defends it easily.
Arifi controls from within his opponent's guard.

Sanchez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Arifi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Arifi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arifi makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Sanchez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Arifi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Arifi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Arifi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Arifi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Arifi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Arifi postures up.

That's four 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.
Arifi landing with the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Arifi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Sanchez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sanchez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Arifi is in close to Sanchez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sanchez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Arifi.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Arifi chips away with some ground and pound.
Arifi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Arifi wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aldin Arifi dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Arifi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Arifi avoids the attempt from Sanchez to control.
Sanchez is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sanchez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Arifi with the ground and pound from mount.
Sanchez is in a horrible position here. Arifi smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arifi working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Arifi raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Arifi avoids the attempt from Sanchez to control.
Sanchez taking shots to the head.
Arifi scoring with strikes but Sanchez is staying in there.
Sanchez can't escape the position.
Arifi working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Arifi looking to secure an arm triangle but Sanchez defends it well.
Arifi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sanchez hang on?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez working to try and regain half guard.
Arifi working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sanchez wants to control but Arifi is having none of it.
Arifi with good strikes from the mount here!
Arifi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Arifi landing strikes from the mount.
Arifi has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Sanchez's face.
Sanchez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sanchez tries to lock up and control but Arifi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is working to get back to half guard.
Cowboy Sanchez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sanchez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Aldin Arifi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Arifi is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Sanchez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Arifi lands a big elbow.
Sanchez is looking to get to half guard.
Arifi content just to control the position here.

That's four 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.
Sanchez is desperately trying to improve his position but Arifi has a good base and remains in mount.
Sanchez tries to lock up and control but Arifi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Arifi cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Sanchez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sanchez tries to lock up and control but Arifi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Arifi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Arifi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aldin Arifi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Arifi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aldin Arifi!