PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sheikh Yabhouti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and WareDa Beef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Yabhouti
vs
Beef

181 cm
24
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
174 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sheikh Yabhouti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, WareDa Beef!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Steve Montenegro and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Beef.

Yabhouti gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Yabhouti has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Beef uses from the top position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Beef trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Beef trying to control but Yabhouti is working from the bottom.
Beef wanted to stand there but Yabhouti had control of the position.
Beef trying to control but Yabhouti is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. WareDa Beef was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Beef fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Yabhouti avoids it really well and circles away.

Beef moves into the clinch successfully.
Beef tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Yabhouti breaks the clinch.

Yabhouti gets tackled into the cage by Beef. Beef maintains the clinch.
Yabhouti scores a nice knee to the body.

Yabhouti breaks the clinch.

Yabhouti moves into the clinch.
Yabhouti keeps control of Beef as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Beef is looking for a takedown.
Sheikh Yabhouti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of WareDa Beef.
Yabhouti keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Beef's efforts to push away.
Beef avoiding damage as Yabhouti throws knees to the body.

Yabhouti jumps guard.
Beef postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yabhouti wants to stand but Beef is controlling the position.
Yabhouti looking for a sweep. Not yet Yabhouti, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Beef stays in close to Yabhouti's body and controls the position.
Yabhouti working a defensive guard here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Yabhouti closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Beef takes a knee to the side of the body.
Yabhouti blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Beef wants the takedown. Yabhouti is fighting it off but Beef persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Yabhouti's guard against the cage.
Yabhouti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Beef.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yabhouti keeping moving, preventing Beef from controlling successfully.
Yabhouti has control of Beef's left arm, preventing Beef from doing any damage.
Beef wants to control from the top but Yabhouti keeps moving.
Beef wants to stand but Yabhouti has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Yabhouti is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The ref stands the fighters back up. WareDa Beef was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Beef tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yabhouti paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Beef closes the distance and pushes Yabhouti back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beef is looking to break free of the clinch but Yabhouti has double underhooks.
Beef wants a takedown but no success here.
Beef misses with a short punch on the inside.

Beef breaks the clinch.

Beef has Yabhouti up against the cage in a clinch.
Beef managing to block the knees to the body from Yabhouti.

Yabhouti turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Yabhouti manages to end up in side control.

Yabhouti decides to take the fight back to the feet.
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!
Yabhouti is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Beef.
Beef tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yabhouti paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Yabhouti throws a leg kick but Beef moved away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Yabhouti throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Beef tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Yabhouti is in Beef's guard.
Yabhouti is breathing heavily.

Beef isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Yabhouti stacks Beef on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Yabhouti!
Beef gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sheikh Yabhouti will probably get the nod.
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.

Beef fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Yabhouti scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Yabhouti is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Beef will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Beef tries to bench press Yabhouti off him but Yabhouti keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Beef wants to get back to his feet but Yabhouti drags him back down.
Beef tries to buck Yabhouti off but Yabhouti is having none of it.
Yabhouti working away.
Yabhouti gets to mount! Beef was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Yabhouti looking to control but Beef is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yabhouti takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Beef is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Beef working to try and regain half guard.
Yabhouti thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Beef is desperately trying to improve his position but Yabhouti has a good base and remains in mount.
Sheikh Yabhouti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yabhouti trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yabhouti throwing strikes here but Beef is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yabhouti tries to control but Beef wriggling away.
Beef tries to reverse the position but Yabhouti maintains control.
Beef is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Beef keeps trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yabhouti is trying to control here but Beef has managed to regain half guard.
Yabhouti sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Beef manages to get to full guard.
Yabhouti postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beef managing to control the position.
Beef wants to sweep but no luck.
Yabhouti postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Beef wriggles free and stands up.
Yabhouti avoids the head kick by Beef.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yabhouti misses with a low kick.
Sheikh Yabhouti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Yabhouti pushes Beef up against the cage in a clinch.
Beef wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Beef drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Yabhouti gets the underhooks and prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sheikh Yabhouti will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Yabhouti gets a clinch.

Yabhouti jumps into guard, dragging Beef to the mat.
Beef trying to control but Yabhouti is working from the bottom.
Yabhouti wants to sweep here but Beef controlling him for the moment.
Beef trying to control the position from guard on top but Yabhouti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

WareDa Beef has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Yabhouti moves into the clinch.
Yabhouti is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Yabhouti obliges.

Beef ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Beef no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Beef had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yabhouti defends it easily.
Yabhouti controls from within his opponent's guard.

Beef working for a triangle but Yabhouti defends it easily.
Yabhouti engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beef keeping moving, preventing Yabhouti from controlling successfully.
Yabhouti controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sheikh Yabhouti wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Yabhouti has closed the distance and engaged Beef in a clinch.
Beef is trying to break free.
Yabhouti lands a damaging elbow.

Yabhouti manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Beef trying to control but Yabhouti is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yabhouti wants to sweep but no luck.
Yabhouti controls Beef momentarily but Beef frees himself.
Beef wants to control from the top but Yabhouti keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. WareDa Beef was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Beef changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Yabhouti looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Beef trying to control the position but Yabhouti is working away.
The referee asks Beef politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Beef prefers to stall for the moment though.
Beef trying to control the position but Yabhouti is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beef 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 Yabhouti's shoulder. That is not cool.
Beef wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yabhouti keeps working.
Sheikh Yabhouti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. WareDa Beef wasn't active enough on the ground.
Beef throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Yabhouti moves into the clinch successfully.

Yabhouti's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Yabhouti has Beef up against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Yabhouti breaks from the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Beef pushes Yabhouti up against the cage in a clinch.
WareDa Beef has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Beef misses with a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sheikh Yabhouti.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Yabhouti, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sheikh Yabhouti!