PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Landon Kaplan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hazni Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kaplan's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Of Wolf And Man by Metallica. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kaplan
vs
Ali

199 cm
21
285 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

190 cm
28
245 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

Milwaukee's Best 159's - $45

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Landon Kaplan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Hazni Ali!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Skip Squint and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali stuffs the takedown.
Kaplan misses with an uppercut.
Kaplan swings for the body but Ali moves out of range.
Ali misses with a looping left.
Ali fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kaplan avoids it really well and circles away.
Kaplan misses with a hook. Ali ducked under it nicely.
Kaplan takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Kaplan has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kaplan there as he acknowledges the shot.

Kaplan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kaplan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kaplan tries to control but Ali wriggling away.
Ali avoids a series of strikes thrown by Kaplan.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kaplan misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Ali slips nicely into half guard.
Kaplan is refusing to be controlled, as Ali sits in half guard.
Ali lands strikes from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ali thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kaplan's head.
Kaplan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ali.
Kaplan is staying active underneath Ali, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaplan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ali.
Kaplan wants to get back to full guard.
Kaplan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ali missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ali missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ali misses with a head shot. Kaplan uses the momentum to regain guard.
Kaplan keeping full guard, as Ali tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali looking to sit in guard and control but Kaplan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kaplan trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.
Kaplan controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kaplan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kaplan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Kaplan trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Landon Kaplan wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Ali takes a swing at Kaplan's ribcage but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kaplan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
No joy there for Ali, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ali has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Kaplan finds it's way round the side to connect with Ali's head.
Ali scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hazni Ali 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.

Kaplan is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Ali shoots in for a takedown but Kaplan shows good takedown defense.
Jab from Ali.
Ali needs to keep his hands up - Kaplan had a free shot at his head there.

Ali scores with a takedown into Kaplan's guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kaplan keeping full guard, as Ali tries to pass.
Kaplan is pulling down on Ali's head. It's preventing any offense from Ali, at least for the moment.
Ali throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali throws an elbow that misses. Kaplan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ali's guard. Nice move by Kaplan!
Kaplan wants to control from the top but Ali keeps moving.
Kaplan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ali working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kaplan.
Kaplan trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kaplan tries to free his leg and advance position but Ali is retaining full guard.
Kaplan trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Landon Kaplan wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Ali uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kaplan.
Ali fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
No joy there for Ali, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Landon Kaplan is winning the standup battle so far.
Ali fails with a takedown attempt.
Landon Kaplan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hazni Ali.
Kaplan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ali.
Kaplan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kaplan shoots in and drives through. Ali sprawls well.
Ali moves out of range as Kaplan strikes.
Ali throws a series of punches but Kaplan moves out of range.
Kaplan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kaplan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kaplan shoots in looking for a takedown. Ali tries to sprawl out of it but Kaplan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ali manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab from Ali.
Kaplan 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 Kaplan off to one side.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kaplan on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Ali fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kaplan sprawls well initially but Ali persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kaplan is in trouble now - Ali has advanced to mount!
Ali has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kaplan's face.
Ali throwing strikes here but Kaplan is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Ali throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali looking to finish with strikes here!
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Ali. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kaplan holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Ali tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Ali lands a heavy elbow.
Ali throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Kaplan because Ali loaded up on that one.
Ali lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ali can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kaplan is looking to escape.
Ali looking to ground and pound but Kaplan is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hazni Ali showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Kaplan misses with a low kick as Ali jumps back.
Ali fails with a takedown attempt.
Kaplan cracks Ali with an open hand slap.
Ali stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ali wants it to stay on the feet.
Ali defending well as Kaplan loads up on a big left hand.

Ali scores a takedown into full mount!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ali is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Kaplan wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ali.
Ali avoids the attempt from Kaplan to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali throwing strikes here but Kaplan is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
BOOM! Ali connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Ali postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kaplan looks a forlorn figure.
Ali trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ali working Kaplan over with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaplan sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kaplan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ali.
Ali not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ali misses with a head shot. Kaplan uses the momentum to regain guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ali trying to control but Kaplan is working from the bottom.
Hazni Ali has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ali scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ali accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ali trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ali looking to sit in guard and control but Kaplan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ali looking to control.
Ali keeping full guard, as Kaplan tries to pass.
Kaplan throwing strikes from guard but Ali blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kaplan being controlled here momentarily.
Hazni Ali is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Kaplan preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Hazni Ali.
Ali misses with a takedown attempt - Kaplan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Landon Kaplan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters circle momentarily. Kaplan darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hazni Ali comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ali winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hazni Ali!
A victorious Hazni Ali thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.