PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Conner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilir Latifi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Daniel Conner has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Conner
vs
Latifi

168 cm
24
216 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

173 cm
25
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Daniel Conner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ilir Latifi!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Latifi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Latifi wants it to stay on the feet.

Conner clinches.
Latifi should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Conner is fighting off a takedown attempt but Latifi is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Conner to the mat. Conner regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Latifi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Latifi stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Conner shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Latifi pinned against the cage. Latifi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Conner misses with a takedown attempt - Latifi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel Conner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Latifi shoots in looking for a takedown but Conner manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Latifi's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Latifi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Conner's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Latifi wants to pass the guard but Conner is keeping the position.
Latifi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Conner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Latifi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Conner is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Latifi is looking to work some ground and pound but Conner has wrist control.
Latifi trying to control the position from guard on top but Conner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Conner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Conner trying to strike off his back.
Latifi scoring with punches to the head and body.
Conner can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Latifi controls the pace.
Let's hope that Latifi has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Latifi trying to control the position from guard on top but Conner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Conner being controlled here, momentarily.

Ilir Latifi has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Conner gets a clinch.
Conner wants a takedown.
Conner looking for a takedown.
Conner is trying to push Latifi away but Latifi has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Latifi drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Conner gets the underhooks and prevents it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Conner tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Latifi just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Latifi turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Latifi controls the position.
Latifi trying to control the position but Conner is working away.
Latifi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Conner manages to work his way to half guard, despite Latifi's best efforts.
Latifi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Latifi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Latifi working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conner wants to improve his position but Latifi is controlling well.
Latifi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Latifi has eaten all the pies!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ilir Latifi hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Latifi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Latifi is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Conner's shoulder. That is not cool.
Latifi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Conner keeps working.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Latifi lands an elbow.
Latifi tries to advance to mount but can't.
Conner takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilir Latifi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Latifi shoots for a takedown but Conner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Conner rushes Latifi and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Latifi.
Latifi is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Latifi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Latifi has picked Conner up - he's going for a ride! Latifi dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Conner is trying to get back to full guard.
Latifi blocks the strikes from Conner.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Latifi is keen to just control but Conner is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Latifi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Latifi is looking to take a break and control but Conner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Ilir Latifi has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Latifi has a takedown stuffed.
Daniel Conner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilir Latifi.
Latifi stuffs the takedown attempt from Conner. Conner gets slowly back to his feet.
Conner shoots for a double leg takedown but Latifi sprawls well. He's pushed Conner's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Conner shoots in looking for a takedown but Latifi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Conner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Latifi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Conner avoids it really well and circles away.
Latifi shoots in for a takedown but Conner shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Conner forces Latifi back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Latifi is trying to drag Conner to the mat but Conner just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Conner is trying to pull guard but Latifi has him pressed against the cage.

Latifi works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ilir Latifi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Conner keeping moving, preventing Latifi from controlling successfully.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Latifi seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Latifi wants to control from the top but Conner keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ilir Latifi.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Conner enables Latifi to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Conner manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Latifi trying to control but Conner is working from the bottom.
Latifi stays in close to Conner's body and controls the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Conner is looking to stand up but Latifi isn't so interested in that idea.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ilir Latifi hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Conner keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Conner fails with a takedown attempt.
Ilir Latifi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Conner pushes Latifi up against the cage in a clinch.
Latifi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Conner pulls his leg out and moves away.
Conner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Conner wants it to stay on the feet.
Latifi is breathing heavily.
Conner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Conner wants it to stay on the feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Conner defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Latifi.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Latifi shoots in looking for a takedown. Conner tries to sprawl out of it but Latifi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Conner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Conner lands with a straight right. Latifi didn't see that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilir Latifi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Some bone on bone action there as Latifi checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Conner displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Latifi.
Conner fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Latifi avoids it really well and circles away.
Latifi is trying hard to land a takedown here. Conner sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Latifi has a takedown stuffed.
Daniel Conner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilir Latifi.

Conner moves into the clinch.
Conner stalling in the clinch but Latifi improves position.
Latifi tries for a takedown but Conner manages to get underhooks.
Latifi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Conner tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Conner.

Conner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Latifi shoots in for a takedown but Conner shows good takedown defense.

Conner has taken the fight to the clinch.
Latifi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Conner pulls his leg out and moves away.
Latifi fails with a takedown attempt.

Conner clinches up against the cage.
Conner is trying to force a seperation but Latifi has the dominant position.

Conner breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Latifi defends well and Conner ends up having to push Latifi into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Conner is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Latifi manages to break the clinch.
Conner pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Latifi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Conner looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
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!
Conner is looking to reverse the position.
Latifi trying to control the position but Conner is working away.
Latifi remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Conner tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Latifi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Latifi wants to control for a moment but Conner uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Conner is staying active underneath Latifi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ilir Latifi hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Latifi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Latifi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Latifi throws a big elbow that misses.
Latifi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Latifi stays in close to Conner's body and controls the position.
Ilir Latifi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Latifi trying to control but Conner is working from the bottom.
Conner can't keep his opponent in guard - Latifi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Still in half guard, Latifi seems content to control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Conner gets back to full guard.
Conner keeping full guard, as Latifi tries to pass.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Latifi is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ilir Latifi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Latifi 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilir Latifi!
Ilir Latifi took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'I want to thank all of my fans and supporters, my teammate Jahjaga for the hard training camp and INSANITY the best promotion in the world.'.