PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Haile Selasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and K O (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Haile Selasi has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Selasi
vs
O

186 cm
21
194 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Haile Selasi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, K O!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Selasi rushes O and presses him up against the ropes.

Selasi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Selasi displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like K O has been cut.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from O, right into the meat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A bone on bone clash there as O blocks the leg kick.
O looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Selasi is fending him off so far but O persists. Nope, Selasi circles away and we're back to standing.
Selasi misses with the combination.

O decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
O is pressing down on Selasi's thigh, looking to free his foot. Selasi is holding on for now.
Selasi is doing well to control the position and prevent O from advancing to side control.
Selasi wants to control but O is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Selasi controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
O seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Selasi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Selasi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
O controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Selasi is looking to stand up but O isn't so interested in that idea.
O postures up.
O is looking to work some ground and pound but Selasi has wrist control.
O tries to free his leg and advance position but Selasi is retaining full guard.
O throws a big right hand that misses.
O landing some decent shots from guard.
Selasi looking for a sweep. Not yet Selasi, not yet.
Selasi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst O is controlling him.
Selasi is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Selasi scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Selasi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Selasi misses with a wild combination.
O fails to land the takedown.

O closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - O lands in his opponent's guard.
O preventing the sweep.
O with a nice head shot there.
O stands up over Selasi, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
O stops Selasi from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O trying to control but Selasi is working from the bottom.
Selasi is controlling O's posture.
O trying to control the position from guard on top but Selasi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Selasi trying to control the position.
O pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Selasi is keeping the position for now.
O has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Selasi looking to hit a scissor sweep but O is one step ahead there.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
O shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Selasi as he avoids it easily.
Haile Selasi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of K O.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Selasi getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Selasi lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
O takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
O blocks the body kick.
K O seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Selasi wants to clinch up but O keeps it at a distance.
O fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Selasi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Selasi.
O tries for a takedown. No joy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Selasi lands a hook to the side of the head.

Selasi gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, O regains guard.
O throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Selasi stands and steps away. O gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haile Selasi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on K O's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Left hook, right uppercut from Selasi.
A combination from Selasi does no damage.
O has a takedown stuffed.
O shoots in for a double leg but Selasi sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Selasi scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
O has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
O throws a combination that misses
and Selasi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
O keeps the fight on the outside.
Selasi throws a leg kick that is checked
and O counters with a body kick.
Haile Selasi is winning the standup battle so far.
Selasi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Selasi tries to clinch there but O circles away.
Selasi lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as O backs up against the ropes.

Selasi moves into the clinch.
Selasi lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selasi tries to break the clinch but O is controlling the position.
O swings wildly with an uppercut but Selasi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Selasi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Selasi is trying to stall.
Selasi is looking to break free of the clinch but O has double underhooks.
Selasi is trying to break free.
O drops down looking for an ankle pick but Selasi pulls his leg out and moves away.
Haile Selasi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of K O.

Selasi closes the distance and clinches.
Selasi can't break the clinch.
Selasi lands a shoulder strike.
Selasi prevents the takedown attempt.
Selasi lands a left hand that snaps the head of O backwards.
Selasi tries to break the clinch but O is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Selasi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Selasi!
Selasi scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Selasi moves into the clinch successfully.
Selasi presses O against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Selasi is trying to trip O. He has hold of a leg but O is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Selasi persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
O is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Selasi keeping control of the position.
Selasi tries to get to full guard but O has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O winds up and cracks Selasi with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
O wants to pass the guard but Selasi is defending well.
Selasi gets back to full guard.
O wants to control from the top but Selasi keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Selasi holds on and takes a little breather.
Selasi wants to stand up but O is controlling him.
O working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
O looking to pass the guard.
O is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Selasi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for O!
Selasi blocks O's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Selasi controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haile Selasi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on K O's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

O shoots and misses
and Selasi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
O takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Selasi instigates a clinch.
O is working for takedown but Selasi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Selasi works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Selasi works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Selasi manages to break the clinch.
O takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Selasi scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Selasi decides to stand and escape the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

O looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Selasi!
Selasi tries to lock up and control but O gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Selasi is squirming around, avoiding O's attempts to control the action.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O avoids the attempt from Selasi to control.
Selasi is looking to get to half guard.
Selasi tries to hold on but O pushes him away.
Selasi is squirming around, avoiding O's attempts to control the action.
O is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Haile Selasi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Selasi tries to hold on but O pushes him away.
Selasi is squirming around, avoiding O's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Selasi wants to control but O is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
O tries to control but Selasi wriggling away.
Selasi is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

O wants to finish this one by submission but Selasi is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from O.
Selasi tries to lock up and control but O gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
O can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Selasi is looking to escape.
Selasi wants to hold on but O pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selasi tries to reverse the position but O maintains control.
O lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Selasi working to try and regain half guard.
O in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Selasi is squirming around, avoiding O's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Selasi bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
O not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Selasi trying to control the position from guard on top but O is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Selasi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
O will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
O is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Selasi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. O is keeping the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haile Selasi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Selasi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Haile Selasi!