PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tony Jaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haile Selassie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jaa comes into the arena with Search and Destroy blaring out of the sound system. Selassie has chosen ... as his entrance music. Tony Jaa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Jaa
vs
Selassie

174 cm
26
152 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

172 cm
22
155 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
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 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tony Jaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Haile Selassie!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jaa throws a lazy head kick
and Selassie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jaa throws a body kick the misses
and Selassie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jaa throws a sloppy head kick
and Selassie counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Jaa thinking.
A punch combination from Jaa misses.
Selassie tries to land a body kick
and Jaa counters with a low kick, right behind Selassie 's knee.
Selassie misses with a wild combination.
Jaa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Jaa 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.

Jaa is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Selassie defends it well.
Jaa trying to pass the guard but Selassie defending well.
Jaa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Selassie's head.
Selassie regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Jaa.
Jaa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jaa tries to free his leg and advance position but Selassie is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Selassie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Jaa manages to get himself to full guard.
Selassie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Selassie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jaa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Jaa is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Selassie looking to pass the guard.
Jaa looking to hit a scissor sweep but Selassie is one step ahead there.
Selassie passes Jaa's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Selassie working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie throws a strike but Jaa avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Jaa is looking for a triangle but Selassie pushes his legs off easily.
Selassie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Selassie trying to control but Jaa is working from the bottom.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Selassie stands up over Jaa, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Selassie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jaa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Selassie controls from within his opponent's guard.

Jaa is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Selassie is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Selassie wants to control from the top but Jaa keeps moving.
Selassie postures up in Jaa's guard and throws a big left but Jaa blocks it.
Selassie's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Jaa controls Selassie momentarily but Selassie frees himself.
Selassie trying to control the position from guard on top but Jaa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Jaa is looking for a triangle but Selassie pushes his legs off easily.

Selassie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Jaa is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Jaa has escaped and now he's on top!
Jaa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
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 Tony Jaa will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Jaa misses with a head kick.
A low kick from Jaa misses
and Selassie makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Jaa throws a lazy head kick
and Jaa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Selassie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jaa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jaa throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Selassie to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jaa walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Selassie swats away the attempt to clinch by Jaa.
Jaa shoots in but Selassie avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selassie throws a right hand that misses
and Jaa counters with a slapping leg kick.
Jaa throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Selassie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Jaa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Selassie avoids the head kick by Jaa.
Jaa misses with the body kick
and Selassie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Selassie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Jaa swivels and escapes.
Selassie throws the left hand but Jaa avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jaa tries to land a body kick
and Selassie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jaa misses with the body kick

and Selassie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Jaa's guard.
Selassie trying to control but Jaa is working from the bottom.
Selassie advances position into side control!
Jaa is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Selassie off and has taken his back!

Selassie preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Jaa.
Selassie manages to reverse the position and now he's in Jaa's guard. Nice work there by Selassie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jaa working a defensive guard but Selassie manages to pass into side control anyway.
Selassie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jaa keeps working.
Jaa manages to get back to half guard.
Selassie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Selassie winds up and cracks Jaa with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Jaa trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Selassie with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Jaa is looking to control Selassie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jaa avoid being mounted?

Jaa is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Selassie pulls his head out easily.
Selassie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Selassie frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Selassie looking to control but Jaa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Selassie looking for a guillotine from mount but Jaa is having none of it.
Selassie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jaa is looking to escape.
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.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Jaa throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Selassie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Selassie jabs Jaa to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Selassie might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Jaa rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Selassie counters with a straight right hand.
Selassie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Jaa sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Jaa fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Jaa throws a shot to the body.

Selassie drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Jaa keeping moving, preventing Selassie from controlling successfully.
Jaa wants to sweep here but Selassie controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Selassie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Jaa controls Selassie momentarily but Selassie frees himself.
Selassie engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Jaa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Selassie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Selassie won't allow Jaa to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Selassie working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Jaa's head.
Selassie lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Selassie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Selassie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jaa is trying to keep Selassie in close.
Selassie scoring with punches to the head and body.
Selassie passes Jaa's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jaa is doing well to control the position and prevent Selassie from advancing to side control.
Jaa trying to hold on to Selassie's head to control him but Selassie postures up.
Selassie not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Selassie wants to pass the guard but Jaa is defending well.
Selassie thows a huge punch but Jaa dodges it nicely.
Jaa is in trouble now - Selassie has advanced to mount!
Jaa is bucking up trying to escape but Selassie cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Jaa tries to hold on but Selassie postures up.
Selassie controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Selassie lands a nice shot to the head.
Selassie lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Jaa hang on?
Selassie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jaa is looking to escape.
Jaa is trying to escape the mount.
Jaa is bucking up trying to escape but Selassie cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Selassie controlling from mount.
Jaa is bucking up trying to escape but Selassie cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29

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