PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dragos Ilie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tristan Mkhalele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mkhalele has chosen Noir Désir - Un jour en France as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Ilie
vs
Mkhalele

192 cm
21
223 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

180 cm
28
222 lbs
10 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Dragos Ilie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 1, fighting out of London, Tristan Mkhalele!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ilie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mkhalele walks into a straight right hand from Ilie.
Ilie cracks Mkhalele with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Mkhalele looks to clinch

and Ilie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mkhalele looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ilie winds up and cracks Mkhalele with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ilie trying to mount his opponent but Mkhalele defends it.
Mkhalele is trying to maintain the position but Ilie is very close to passing his half guard.
Ilie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mkhalele knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ilie 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mkhalele is looking to improve his position.
Ilie is pressing down on Mkhalele's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mkhalele is holding on for now.
Ilie is keen to just control but Mkhalele is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mkhalele wants to control but Ilie is keeping busy.
Mkhalele is controlling Ilie's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Tristan Mkhalele has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Ilie shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Mkhalele trying to control from the bottom.
Ilie trying to control the action but Mkhalele is working from the bottom.
Ilie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ilie 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 two minutes gone in the round.
Ilie working over Mkhalele with some ground and pound. Mkhalele looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mkhalele blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ilie.
Mkhalele is looking to improve his position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ilie is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Mkhalele wants to get back to full guard.
Ilie wants to control but Mkhalele is keeping him busy.
Ilie looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ilie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mkhalele has hold of Ilie's hands but Ilie slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Mkhalele is looking to control Ilie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mkhalele avoid being mounted?
Ilie landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ilie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Ilie works his way into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mkhalele is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ilie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ilie lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ilie with shots to the head and body - Mkhalele looks very uncomfortable down there.
Mkhalele is wriggling around trying to escape.
Mkhalele wants to hold on but Ilie pushes him away.
Mkhalele slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ilie lands with a punch from half guard.
Ilie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mkhalele knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ground and pound from Ilie.
Ilie lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ilie 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.
Mkhalele taking some punishment here, with Ilie in his half guard.

Mkhalele looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ilie throwing shots but Mkhalele is blocking nicely.
Ilie lands strikes from half guard.

Mkhalele is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ilie pulls his head out easily.
Ilie lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mkhalele looks gassed!
Ilie lands with a punch from half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ilie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mkhalele does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ilie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ilie takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dragos Ilie dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Mkhalele wants to clinch.
Mkhalele is looking to clinch.
Mkhalele tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Mkhalele takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mkhalele wants to clinch.
Ilie misses with a wild body shot.
Ilie ducks under a wild hook from Mkhalele.
Ilie lands a nice shot to the body.
Ilie avoids the head kick by Mkhalele.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ilie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ilie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ilie postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Mkhalele looks a forlorn figure.
Ilie scoring with strikes but Mkhalele is staying in there.
Mkhalele wants to control but Ilie is having none of it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ilie lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Mkhalele wants to hold on but Ilie pushes him away.
Ilie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mkhalele can do to turn this around?
Ilie with shots to the head and body - Mkhalele looks very uncomfortable down there.
Mkhalele wants to control but Ilie is having none of it.
Mkhalele is trying to escape the mount.
Mkhalele is breathing heavily.
Ilie working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Ilie cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Mkhalele wants to hold on but Ilie pushes him away.
Ilie landing strikes, looking to finish!

Mkhalele is rocked!
Ilie lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mkhalele hang on?
Mkhalele is still in real trouble! Can Ilie finish him?
Ilie unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Mkhalele wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Ilie celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dragos Ilie!