PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akira San (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Soufian Fekar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fekar comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Worldwide Choppers kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

San
vs
Fekar

160 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Akira San!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Soufian Fekar!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Columbo Gatti and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
San throws the kick towards the body but Fekar avoids it.
Fekar is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Fekar fails with a takedown attempt.

Fekar drives through with a takedown into San's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Fekar pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. San is keeping the position for now.
San working a defensive guard here.
Fekar lands a couple of digs.
Fekar trying to control but San is working from the bottom.

Fekar drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Fekar jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fekar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. San swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
San seems keen to control Fekar's posture.
San is trying to keep Fekar in close.
Fekar wants to pass the guard but San is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fekar postures up and lands a big shot to San's brow.
Fekar won't allow San to sweep him here.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Fekar's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Fekar thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

San looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Fekar passes into half guard.
Fekar has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fekar wants to work for an arm triangle but San is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Fekar is working for a kimura but San is defending it quite comfortably.

Fekar is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
San gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fekar wants to control from the top but San keeps moving.
San wants to improve his position but instead Fekar has moved into half guard.

Fekar seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
San flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
San might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Fekar is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so San is just riding it out for now. Fekar eventually gives up the hold.
San trying to control but Fekar postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fekar looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Fekar is looking for a kimura but San is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Fekar to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soufian Fekar dominated that round.
That's time! San's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Fekar keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from San.
Akira San seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
San is trying hard to land a takedown here. Fekar sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Fekar tries for a takedown but San sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
San has his takedown stuffed

and Fekar counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Fekar thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
San wants to stand and escape but Fekar is having none of it.

Fekar is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

San looking for subs off his back but Fekar has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fekar is trying to work for a kimura but San is defending well.

Fekar is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
San wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fekar is sneakily working for an arm triangle but San sees it coming and defends easily.
San is looking to control Fekar's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can San avoid being mounted?
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
San is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
San preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Fekar wants to work for an arm triangle but San is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fekar is trying to work for a kimura but San is defending well.
San is trying to stand.
San tries to get to full guard but Fekar has control of the leg.
Nice strikes from Fekar there.
Fekar is trying to control the action in half guard but San is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fekar is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, San has managed to free his arm - good work.
San wants to control but Fekar is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Fekar looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Fekar is trying to control the action in half guard but San is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soufian Fekar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

San closes the distance and clinches up with Fekar, looking for a takedown. San pushes Fekar against the cage but Fekar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from San enables Fekar to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. San manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Fekar stopping the sweep attempt from San.

Fekar drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Fekar jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fekar works over San with some ground and pound from guard.
Fekar trying to control the position from guard on top but San is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

San wriggles free and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
San misses with a hook.
San tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Fekar manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fekar shoots in but San avoids the takedown attempt easily.
San fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fekar closes the distance and clinches up with San, looking for a takedown. Fekar pushes San against the cage but San circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

San rushes Fekar and presses him up against the cage.
Fekar wants a takedown.
Akira San has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Soufian Fekar.
San tries to score a body lock takedown but Fekar shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on San's face as he tries to break the clinch.

San is fighting off a takedown attempt but Fekar is just too persistent for him and manages to trip San to the mat. San regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Fekar pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. San is keeping the position for now.
Fekar wants to control from the top but San keeps moving.
San looking for a sweep. Not yet San, not yet.
Fekar passes into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fekar is looking to take a break and control but San is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
San is looking to get back to full guard here but Fekar has managed to pass to side control instead.
San tries to buck Fekar off but Fekar is having none of it.
San tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Fekar easily slips into full mount!
Fekar trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Fekar wants to take San's back here but San is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fekar takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Fekar working for a guillotine from mount but San is in no mood to give up.
San is trying desperately to improve position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fekar looking for a guillotine from mount but San is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Soufian Fekar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Fekar 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight for Soufian Fekar!
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight for Soufian Fekar!
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight for Soufian Fekar!

Soufian Fekar wins by unanimous decision!
A very excited looking Soufian Fekar rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.