PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bu Laia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mohammad Abdisheik Hassan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Laia kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is ""E Ala E" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. Hassan has chosen Akon - Mama Africa (Remix) as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Laia
vs
Abdisheik Hassan

172 cm
20
165 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

178 cm
20
178 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bu Laia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mohammad Abdisheik Hassan!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Bruno Hogan and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hassan misses with a two punch combination.
Laia moves out of range of the strikes.
Hassan tries to close the distance and clinch but Laia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Laia. No joy for Hassan on that attempt.
Laia throws a poor cross that misses
and Hassan counters with a low kick, right behind Laia 's knee.
Laia misses with a body shot.
Laia tries to score with a low kick but Hassan moves his leg out of the way.
Hassan throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Laia misses with a right hand
and Hassan counters with a one-two to the body.
Hassan lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hassan throws a hook but Laia avoids it easily.
Laia throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Hassan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Laia throws a head kick that misses.
Laia throws a combination that misses
and Laia takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Laia connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Hassan momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laia lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Hassan backs up against the cage.

Hassan is rocked!

Laia gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Hassan is still on wobbly legs! Can Laia finish him?

Laia breaks from the clinch.
Laia misses with a double jab
enabling Hassan to counter with a crisp jab.
Laia throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hassan counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Laia's guard now.
Laia managing to control the position.

Laia looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hassan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Laia has his foot on Hassan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hassan works his way back into a safe position though.
Hassan seems to have recovered his senses.

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

Hassan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laia working a defensive guard here.
Hassan trying to control the position from guard on top but Laia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Laia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hassan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Laia keeping moving, preventing Hassan from controlling successfully.
Laia is looking to sweep but instead, Hassan has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hassan working Laia over with strikes.
Laia is positioning himself well to prevent Hassan advancing to mount.
Hassan is looking to take a break and control but Laia is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Laia trying to control here.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Laia trying to hold on to Hassan's head to control him but Hassan postures up.
Laia is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Hassan's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Hassan's back!

Hassan is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's four 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.
Hassan has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Laia is looking for the choke from the back position but Hassan is controlling his hands well.
Hassan avoids the strikes from Laia.

Laia has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Laia is breathing heavily.
Hassan looking very determined here, making life difficult for Laia.
Hassan is really stuck here.

Laia looking for the choke but no joy.
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 Bu Laia will probably get the nod.
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.

Laia falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hassan counters with a thumping low kick.
Laia throws a sloppy body shot
and Hassan counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Laia tries to keep at a distance but Hassan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hassan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Laia.
Hassan with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Laia manages to break the clinch.
Hassan shoots in but no luck this time.
Laia throws a sloppy body shot
and Hassan counters with a head kick.
Laia tries to clinch but Hassan moves out of range.
Laia takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hassan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hassan is breathing heavily.
Hassan is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Laia.
Laia misses the body punch
and Hassan counters with a thumping low kick.
Laia misses with a double jab.
Laia throws a sloppy head kick and Hassan moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hassan is looking to clinch.
Laia misses the shot to the body.
Hassan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hassan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Laia pinned against the cage. Laia gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hassan moves out of range of the body kick.
A punch combination from Laia misses.
Laia misses with a double jab.
Laia is looking to slow Hassan down with leg kicks.
Laia throws a hook but Hassan blocks it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Laia.
Laia swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Hassan counters with a nice uppercut.

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.
Hassan slips a jab and a cross from Laia.
Laia throws a right hand that Hassan ducks under and follows up with a left that Hassan also avoids with ease.
Laia throws a right and a left that both miss.
Laia is looking to wear down Hassan with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Hassan steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Laia.
Laia throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Hassan counter with a right hand.
Laia looks to land a combination. Hassan sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Laia swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hassan counters with a nice uppercut.
Hassan fails with a takedown attempt.
Bu Laia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mohammad Abdisheik Hassan.
Hassan gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Laia just misses with a punch to the body.
Laia misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hassan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laia misses with a two punch combination.
Laia fails with a takedown attempt.
Laia scores with a jab.
Laia misses the shot to the body.
Laia lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Laia throws a left and a right that both miss

and Hassan counters with a shoot takedown. Laia fights it but they end up in guard.

Laia has his feet on Hassan's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Hassan sizes up Laia with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Laia tries to clinch but Hassan is having none of it.
Bu Laia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Laia lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laia throws a sloppy head kick and Hassan moves out of range easily.
Laia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hassan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Laia throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Laia misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Laia misses the body punch
and Hassan counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Laia thows a leg kick but Hassan checks it

and Hassan counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Laia's guard now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Laia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hassan's guard.
Hassan trying to keep a closed guard but Laia is proving a slippery customer.
Hassan keeping moving, preventing Laia from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Laia stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Hassan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Laia's waist but Laia gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hassan off to one side.
Laia looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mohammad Abdisheik Hassan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Laia throws a series of punches but Hassan moves out of range.

Hassan has Laia up against the cage in a clinch.
Laia is pressed up against the cage. Hassan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Laia down to the mat. Laia avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hassan avoids the body shot from Laia.
Laia misses with a takedown
and Hassan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Laia swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A combination from Laia does no damage.
Nice body kick there by Laia.
Laia throws a leg kick but Hassan sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Laia misses with a two punch combination.
Hassan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Laia misses with a double jab
and Hassan counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hassan lets loose with a powerful body kick. Laia will feel that in the morning.
Laia swats away the attempt to clinch by Hassan.
Hassan shoots for a double leg takedown but Laia sprawls well. He's pushed Hassan's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Laia scores with a jab to the body.
Laia throws a sloppy head kick
and Hassan counters with a three punch combo that has Laia backing up. Laia nods at Hassan to acknowledge the strikes.
Laia throws a leg kick
and Hassan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Laia stuffs the takedown attempt from Hassan. Hassan gets slowly back to his feet.
Bu Laia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mohammad Abdisheik Hassan.
Laia throws a right and a left that Hassan avoids nicely.
Laia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Hassan counter with a right hand.

Hassan pushes Laia up against the cage in a clinch.

Laia breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hassan misses with a right hand
and Laia counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hassan drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Laia misses with a body punch
and Hassan counters with an outside leg kick.
Hassan avoids the body shot from Laia.

Hassan drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hassan wants to control from the top but Laia keeps moving.
Hassan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Laia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hassan.

Laia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Laia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Laia is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hassan wants to control from the top but Laia keeps moving.

Laia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hassan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Laia misses with a kick to the body
and Hassan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Laia lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hassan at a distance.
Bu Laia is winning the standup battle so far.
Laia thows a leg kick but Hassan checks it
and Hassan counters with a nice uppercut.

Laia has Hassan up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Laia.

Laia breaks the clinch.
Laia misses with a combination
and Hassan counters with an inside leg kick.
Laia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hassan manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hassan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hassan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Laia lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Horrible takedown by Laia or perhaps it was just good defense by Hassan which made him look bad.
Laia misses with a double jab
enabling Hassan to counter with a crisp jab.
Good work by Laia as he checks the leg kick.
Laia scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Laia has his takedown stuffed

and Hassan counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Laia!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Laia is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hassan landing strikes from the mount and Laia is in trouble!
Laia taking shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mohammad Abdisheik Hassan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hassan has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 29:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mohammad Abdisheik Hassan!