PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Reza Karimi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Karimi
vs
Sonnen

176 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

195 cm
24
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Reza Karimi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Karimi.
Sonnen doesn't manage to clinch there - Karimi circles away.

Karimi manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sonnen on his heels. He'll look to pass Sonnen's guard now, I'm sure.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Karimi thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sonnen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Karimi wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.

Karimi 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.

Sonnen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Karimi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Karimi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Sonnen shoots and misses
and Karimi counters with a huge head kick that drops Sonnen! The ref dives in to stop the fight and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Reza Karimi!
Reza Karimi retains his middleweight title!