PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Abdullah Kidane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Farid Ismail (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Farid Ismail enters the cage!

Kidane
vs
Ismail

170 cm
25
143 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
22
140 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Atlantis
DROPPIN BODIES

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Abdullah Kidane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Farid Ismail!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Sandra Marshall and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kidane misses with a low kick.

Ismail looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kidane trying to hold on to Ismail's head to control him but Ismail postures up.
Ismail is controlling the pace.

Kidane looking for submissions off his back.
Ismail is controlling the pace.

Ismail wants to work for an arm triangle but Kidane is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ismail content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ismail is keen to just control but Kidane is a slippery customer.
Ismail looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Ismail moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Kidane.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
You can see the frustration on Kidane's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kidane is being controlled here.
Kidane can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Ismail is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kidane has escaped the position, nice work there.

Ismail working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kidane can't do much from the bottom here.
Ismail happy to just control the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ismail wants to control but Kidane is keeping him busy.
Ismail is staying tight to Kidane's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Ismail trying to control the action but Kidane is working from the bottom.

Ismail working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kidane is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ismail off and has taken his back!
Kidane looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ismail tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Ismail gets back to half guard.

Ismail actively working from the bottom here.
Ismail is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ismail looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ismail makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ismail.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Kidane thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ismail looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Kidane!
Kidane struggling a bit here.
Farid Ismail has got the better of the ground game so far.

Ismail tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ismail has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kidane tries to improve position but can't.
Kidane wants to control but Ismail postures up.

Ismail wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kidane, who protects the arm well.
Kidane struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ismail controls the position.
Ismail trying to control the position but Kidane is working away.

Ismail is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kidane is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kidane is not content to let Ismail control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kidane is trying to get back to half guard.
Kidane is trying to control Ismail's posture but Ismail avoids it.
Ismail is looking to take a break and control but Kidane is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kidane is trying to improve his position.
Ismail trying to control the action but Kidane is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Kidane's face as Ismail controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Farid Ismail wasn't active enough on the ground.
A solid body kick from Kidane.
Ismail shoots for a takedown but Kidane saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Ismail drives through and clinches with Kidane against the cage.

Ismail has clasped his hands together around Kidane's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Ismail wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kidane, who protects the arm well.
Kidane wants to control but Ismail postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ismail trying to control the action but Kidane is working from the bottom.
Kidane is trying to control Ismail's posture but Ismail avoids it.

Ismail thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Kidane is trying to improve his position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kidane is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Nice strikes from Ismail there.
Ismail content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Farid Ismail showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A head kick by Kidane misses

and Ismail counters by moving into the clinch.

Ismail has hold of one of Kidane's legs. Kidane is fighting the takedown attempt but Ismail gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Ismail wants to control from the top but Kidane keeps moving.

Ismail drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ismail jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Kidane keeping moving, preventing Ismail from controlling successfully.

Kidane is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ismail is aware though and is defending well.
Ismail controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

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

Kidane throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ismail trying to control the position from guard on top but Kidane is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ismail's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ismail pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kidane is keeping the position for now.

Kidane working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Ismail has passed into half guard!

Kidane looking for submissions off his back.

Kidane looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kidane trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ismail is keen to just control but Kidane is a slippery customer.
Ismail wants to pass the guard but Kidane is defending well.
Kidane is not content to let Ismail control the position.

Kidane looking for submissions off his back.
Ismail is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ismail is thwarting Kidane's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kidane is refusing to be controlled, as Ismail sits in half guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Farid Ismail hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Kidane chopping away at his opponent's legs.
An inside leg kick from Kidane misses.
Kidane throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ismail scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ismail trying to control from half guard but Kidane is working away.
Abdullah Kidane has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Farid Ismail is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

And that's the end of the fight!
Farid Ismail comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ismail 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Farid Ismail!
Farid Ismail very nearly forgot to thank Atlantis amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.