PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Royal Infantry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muhammad Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Infantry
vs
Ali

160 cm
24
145 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

175 cm
26
134 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Royal Infantry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Muhammad Ali!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali throws a head kick that misses.
Ali misses with a body shot.
Ali is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ali misses with a double jab.
Ali swings for the body but Infantry moves out of range.
Ali looks to land a combination but Infantry avoids it well.
Ali lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A punch combination from Ali misses.
Infantry scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Ali walks into a straight right hand from Infantry.
Infantry walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Infantry throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ali ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ali throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Infantry.
Ali throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Infantry misses with a few strikes there.
Ali defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Infantry.
Ali misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ali throws a series of punches but Infantry moves out of range.
Infantry scores with a decent looking hook.
Infantry throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ali.
Infantry throws out a powerful jab.
Infantry misses with a body shot.
Infantry will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ali misses with a combination
and Infantry counters with a one-two to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali looks to land a combination but Infantry avoids it well.
Ali takes a swing at Infantry's ribcage but misses.
Ali misses with a jab, cross combination.
Infantry defending well as Ali loads up on a big left hand.
Infantry scores with a sloppy right hand. Ali should have avoided that one.
Ali tries to bum rush Infantry with a series of wild strikes but Infantry uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Muhammad Ali seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Infantry misses with a two punch combination.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ali!
Infantry throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ali throws a one two combo.
No joy there for Infantry, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ali moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Ali throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A chopping leg kick lands by Infantry.
Infantry fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ali scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Infantry doesn't seem bothered though.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ali.
Some wild striking there from Infantry.
Infantry bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ali's head.
Ali throws a wild body kick that Infantry sees coming a mile off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali misses with a head kick.
Infantry scores with a one two! Ali had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Ali misses with a double jab
and Infantry counters with a low kick, right behind Ali 's knee.
Infantry misses with a few strikes there.
Ali is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Infantry rather than just go for the knockout.
Ali misses with a double jab
and Infantry counters with an inside leg kick.
Ali looks gassed!
Infantry misses with a takedown attempt - Ali sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ali misses with a wild combination.
Infantry bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Ali swings for the body but Infantry moves out of range.
Ali works over Infantry's head and body with a nice combination.
Ali walks into a stiff left hand from Infantry.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ali misses with the combination.
Ali is working the combinations to good effect here.
Ali swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ali throws a right and a left that both miss.
Infantry lands with a nice body kick.
Infantry swings for the body but Ali moves out of range.
Ali throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Infantry counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Infantry thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ali if he has to take too many more of those.
Ali avoids a punch combination nicely.
Muhammad Ali is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ali misses with a straight left.
Infantry staying out of range there.
Infantry scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Good exchange - Infantry coming out on top.
Infantry scores with a nice body kick.
Infantry will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Infantry misses with a series of wild punches.
Infantry will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ali swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ali misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Infantry.
Infantry connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Infantry throws a series of punches but Ali moves out of range.
No joy there for Infantry, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ali misses with a double jab
and Infantry counters with a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Ali falls off balance throwing a combination
and Infantry counters with a nice body kick.
Ali misses with the combination.
Ali has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Infantry.
Ali takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ali takes one on the button.
Infantry lands a head kick. Ali smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Infantry.
Ali scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ali on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Infantry uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ali.
Infantry misses with a series of wild punches.
Infantry paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ali swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Infantry counters with a nice body kick.
Infantry fakes the leg kick and cracks Ali in the body.
Infantry misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Infantry pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Ali back to the cage. Infantry follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Infantry throws a leg kick which misses Ali's front leg but catches the back leg as Ali tries to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Royal Infantry will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Infantry lands a jab-cross combination.
Infantry throws a right and a left that Ali avoids nicely.
Infantry connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Ali momentarily.
A good leg kick by Infantry.
Ali showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Infantry.
Infantry shoots in for a takedown but Ali shows good takedown defense.
Infantry scores with a jab to the head.
Infantry tries to bum rush Ali with a series of wild strikes but Ali uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ali has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Infantry.
A nice inside leg kick there by Infantry. That's going to slow Ali down.
Ali falls off balance throwing a combination
and Ali takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Infantry pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ali dodges the punch combination from Infantry.
Some wild striking there from Ali.
Infantry misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ali lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Infantry circles away quickly and effectively.
Infantry misses with a double jab.
Ali tries to bum rush Infantry with a series of wild strikes but Infantry uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Infantry throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ali's waist but Ali gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Infantry off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Infantry gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Royal Infantry is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A solid leg kick lands there for Infantry.
Ali showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Infantry.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Infantry is defended easily by Ali.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royal Infantry. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Decent striking displayed by Ali there.
Infantry misses with a few strikes there.
Ali thows a leg kick but Infantry checks it
and Infantry counters with a thumping low kick.
Ali has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Infantry.
Ali tries to bum rush Infantry with a series of wild strikes but Infantry uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
No joy there for Infantry, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ali's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Infantry feints a jab promting Ali to slip. Infantry then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Ali slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Ali misses with a combination
and Infantry makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Ali is breathing heavily.
Infantry dives in and grabs Ali's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ali pushes down on Infantry's head and hops out.
Ali swinging wildly here.
Ali misses with an uppercut
and Infantry counters with a low kick, right behind Ali 's knee.
Infantry uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ali.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Infantry.
Ali throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Infantry counters with a stiff right hand.
Ali rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Infantry moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Infantry stalks Ali and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ali's face. Ali staggers backwards, shaken.
Ali swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Infantry counters with a low kick, right behind Ali 's knee.
Ali misses with a double jab
enabling Infantry to counter with a crisp jab.
Infantry misses with a double jab.
Ali misses with a jab to the body
and Infantry counters with a left and a right that stings Ali.
Horrible takedown by Infantry or perhaps it was just good defense by Ali which made him look bad.
Ali on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Infantry throws a nice head kick!
Infantry throws out a loose jab but Ali uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ali rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Infantry moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ali throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ali fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ali throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A left and a right from Infantry both land. Nice combination.
Ali walks into a stiff left hand from Infantry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Infantry digs a good body shot into Ali's ribs.
Ali misses with a hook
and Infantry counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Ali has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Ali throws a left and a right that both miss
and Infantry counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Infantry looks to land a combination but Ali avoids it well.
Ali misses with a body shot
and Infantry counters with a low kick, right behind Ali 's knee.
Infantry throws a combination. Ali tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Infantry stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Infantry throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Some wild striking there from Infantry.
Infantry scores with the left hand. Ali knows he should have avoided that one.
Ali ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Infantry moves away.
Infantry jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Ali throws a one two combo.
Ali showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Infantry.
Ali throws a right hand that Infantry ducks under and follows up with a left that Infantry also avoids with ease.
Ali stuffs the takedown attempt from Infantry. Infantry gets slowly back to his feet.
Infantry lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Infantry will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ali throws a combination that misses
and Infantry counters with a low kick, right behind Ali 's knee.
Ali has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Ali throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling Infantry to counter with a crisp jab.
Royal Infantry is winning the standup battle so far.
Ali misses with a series of wild punches.
Infantry shoots in but Ali avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A slapping leg kick lands for Infantry.
Infantry chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Infantry connects with a high kick.
Ali throws a sloppy head kick
and Infantry counters with a three punch combo that has Ali backing up. Ali nods at Infantry to acknowledge the strikes.
Infantry will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ali misses with a combination
and Infantry counters with a nice leg kick.
Ali misses with a combination
and Infantry counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Ali on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Ali dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royal Infantry dominated that second round.
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!

Infantry takes a swing at Ali's ribcage but misses.
Ali misses with a double jab
and Infantry counters with an inside leg kick.
Infantry dodges the punch combination from Ali.
Horrible takedown by Infantry or perhaps it was just good defense by Ali which made him look bad.
Ali staying out of range there.
Infantry pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Ali back to the cage. Infantry follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Ali's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Ali duly obliges.
Ali throws a hook to the side of Infantry's head but Infantry sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Infantry scores with a kick to the midsection.
Infantry throws a one two combo.
Ali scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Infantry shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ali sprawls well. Ali wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Infantry gets slowly back to his feet.
Infantry closes the distance and clinches up with Ali, looking for a takedown. Infantry pushes Ali against the cage but Ali circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royal Infantry. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for Infantry, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Infantry fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Infantry swinging wildly here.
Ali digs a good body shot into Infantry's ribs.
A left and a right from Ali both land. Nice combination.
Ali throws a right hand that Infantry ducks under and follows up with a left that Infantry also avoids with ease.
Infantry throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ali misses with a straight right.
Infantry moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Infantry. Those never looked like landing.
Ali avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ali looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ali throws a right hand that Infantry ducks under and follows up with a left that Infantry also avoids with ease.
Ali lands with an overhand left.
Infantry showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ali.
Ali throws a body punch but Infantry moves out of range.
Ali takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ali works Infantry's body with a nice hook.
Ali throws a series of punches but Infantry moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Infantry throws a right hand that Ali ducks under and follows up with a left that Ali also avoids with ease.
Infantry throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ali throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ali fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Infantry throws a series of punches but Ali moves out of range.
Infantry buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Infantry swinging wildly here.
Infantry misses with a double jab.
Infantry scoring well with a low kick there.
Infantry connects with a leg kick. Ali looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Ali swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ali throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Infantry counters with an outside leg kick.
Infantry lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ali backs up against the cage.
Infantry swinging wildly here.
Infantry showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ali.
Infantry lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ali backs up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Infantry lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ali circles away quickly and effectively.
Ali misses with an uppercut.
Ali falls off balance throwing a combination
and Infantry counters with a leg kick.
Infantry changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ali tries to avoid it but Infantry manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ali to the ground. Ali escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice shot by Infantry.
Infantry fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ali throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ali rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Infantry moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Infantry lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Infantry changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ali tries to avoid it but Infantry manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ali to the ground. Ali escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ali showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Infantry.
Infantry misses with a jab, cross combination.
Infantry avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ali slips a jab and a cross from Infantry.
Infantry looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Royal Infantry is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Ali misses with a lunging right hand

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

Ali wriggles free and stands up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Infantry.
Ali throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ali on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Infantry feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ali's calf.
Ali avoids the body shot from Infantry.
Infantry keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ali.
Infantry with a hook.
A punch combination from Infantry misses.
Ali throws a right and a left that Infantry avoids nicely.
Ali dodges the punch combination from Infantry.
Sloppy strikes from Infantry. Those never looked like landing.
Ali misses with a combination
enabling Infantry to counter with a crisp jab.
Muhammad Ali has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Infantry takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Royal Infantry showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Infantry 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Royal Infantry!