PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steve Shannon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahmed Ali Baba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shannon comes to the cage accompanied by Dup Dup. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Shannon
vs
Ali Baba

179 cm
22
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steve Shannon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ahmed Ali Baba!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shannon misses with a hook to the body
and Ali Baba counters with a two punch combo.
Ali Baba tries for a takedown but Shannon circles away easily

and Shannon counters with a takedown into side control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
The referee asks Shannon politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Shannon prefers to stall for the moment though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ali Baba is trying to get back to half guard.
Ali Baba manages to work his way to half guard, despite Shannon's best efforts.
Ali Baba trying to control from the bottom.
Ali Baba moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ali Baba controls Shannon momentarily but Shannon frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shannon trying to control but Ali Baba is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shannon sitting in guard, not really doing much.

We're going to have a standup here because Steve Shannon wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Shannon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Shannon is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ali Baba is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Shannon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Shannon's back!
Ali Baba missing with strikes from the back.
Ali Baba is not going to allow Shannon to sit and survive in this position.

Ali Baba has managed to slip his arm under Shannon's chin. This could be all over... yep, Shannon is tapping out! Submission win for Ali Baba.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ahmed Ali Baba!