PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Afolabi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Asbolus Pholus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Afolabi had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 172.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. 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.

Afolabi
vs
Pholus

185 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

178 cm
25
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Inexperienced

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Afolabi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Asbolus Pholus!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Gregory Folan and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pholus closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Afolabi quickly recovers to half guard.
Pholus throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Afolabi wants to control but Pholus is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pholus landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Afolabi wants to improve his position but Pholus is controlling well.
Afolabi trying to hold on to Pholus's head to control him but Pholus postures up.
Afolabi is not content to let Pholus control the position.
Pholus seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Afolabi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Pholus wants to control from the top but Afolabi keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pholus trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pholus really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Afolabi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pholus postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Afolabi kicks Pholus off and gets to his feet.
Afolabi lands with a kick to the temple. Pholus shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Pholus closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Afolabi quickly recovers to half guard.
Afolabi wants to control but Pholus is keeping busy.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Pholus connects with a nice short shot to Afolabi's temple.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pholus winds up and cracks Afolabi with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Afolabi is pressing down on Pholus's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Pholus must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Afolabi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pholus is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pholus lands a couple of elbows.
Pholus is working Afolabi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pholus stays in close to Afolabi's body and controls the position.
Pholus with a flurry of punches that miss.
Afolabi wants to stand but Pholus is controlling the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Afolabi has momentary wrist control but Pholus slips an elbow through the middle.
Pholus is looking to work some ground and pound but Afolabi has wrist control.
Pholus is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Pholus distracts Afolabi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Pholus trying to control the position from guard on top but Afolabi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pholus stays in close to Afolabi's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pholus wants to control from the top but Afolabi keeps moving.
Pholus postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Afolabi being controlled here, momentarily.

Pholus is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Afolabi is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Afolabi has escaped and now he's on top!
Pholus wants to sweep but no luck.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Afolabi trying to control but Pholus is working from the bottom.
Afolabi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pholus wants to control but Afolabi passes easily into half guard.
Afolabi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pholus keeps working.

Pholus looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pholus is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asbolus Pholus dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Pholus changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Afolabi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Pholus working away.
Pholus scoring with punches from side control.
Afolabi regains half guard.
Pholus is looking to take a break and control but Afolabi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pholus lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pholus controlling the action here.
Pholus stalling away here and it's allowed Afolabi to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Afolabi trying to strike off his back.

Afolabi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pholus sitting in guard here, content to control.

Pholus drops back, looking for a kneebar! Afolabi looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Afolabi looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Afolabi!
Afolabi is working Pholus over with some ground and pound from side control.
Pholus wants to control but Afolabi postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Afolabi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pholus is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Afolabi tries for a kimura but Pholus is defending well.
Afolabi slips into full mount, dodging the strikes by Pholus.
Pholus holds on, trying desperately to control.
Pholus is working to get back to half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pholus can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Afolabi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pholus swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Pholus tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Afolabi raining down shots from the mount!
Asbolus Pholus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pholus is squirming around, avoiding Afolabi's attempts to control the action.
Pholus is looking to improve his position but Afolabi isn't that keen on the idea.
Pholus wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Afolabi controlling well, preventing Pholus from escaping the position.
Pholus trying to control the action but Afolabi just sinks the hooks in.

Pholus fending off the submission attempt from Afolabi.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pholus breaks Afolabi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Pholus looking to sit in guard and control but Afolabi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Pholus looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Afolabi trying to control but Pholus is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pholus thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Asbolus Pholus will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Pholus fails to land the takedown.

Pholus throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Afolabi was covering up waiting for the punch and Pholus finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Pholus postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Pholus is in close to Afolabi's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Afolabi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pholus prevents Afolabi from getting back to his feet.
Pholus is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Pholus is looking to advance position but Afolabi has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Afolabi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Afolabi throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Pholus because Afolabi loaded up on that one.
Pholus working to try and regain half guard.
Pholus swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Afolabi wants to control the pace but Pholus is squirming around nicely.
Pholus keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Afolabi tries to control but Pholus wriggling away.
Pholus wants to hold on but Afolabi pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Afolabi tries to control but Pholus wriggling away.
Pholus looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Afolabi throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Pholus!

Afolabi is looking for the choke from the back position but Pholus is controlling his hands well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Pholus is trying to roll into a better position but Afolabi has get a rear naked choke and Pholus is forced to tap out! This one is allllll over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). James Afolabi!