PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ken Masters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samir Ait Yafelman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ait Yafelman has chosen Morocco Song as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Masters
vs
Ait Yafelman

176 cm
26
170 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

177 cm
20
171 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Zipp Zapp

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 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ken Masters !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Samir Ait Yafelman!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Phil Schofield and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Masters bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
An elbow from Masters crashes against the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Masters taking a breather here.
Masters throwing strikes but Ait Yafelman manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Ait Yafelman is looking to take a break and control but Masters is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ait Yafelman working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ait Yafelman tries to stand but Masters is controlling his head.
Ait Yafelman tries to move into full mount but can't pass Masters 's legs.
Ait Yafelman wants to stand but Masters is controlling his arm.
Ait Yafelman trying to control the position but Masters is working away.
What's Masters going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Ait Yafelman tries to stand but Masters is controlling his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masters is looking to reverse the position.
Ait Yafelman passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Masters !
Ait Yafelman wants to stand but Masters is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Masters tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ait Yafelman tries to control but Masters wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Masters is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Team Butcher Gym , so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Masters trying to control but not successfully.
Masters tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Ait Yafelman with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masters tries to hold on but Ait Yafelman pushes him away.
Ait Yafelman tries to control but Masters wriggling away.
Masters is trying to escape the mount.
Masters avoids a strike by Ait Yafelman and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Ait Yafelman's guard! Fantastic escape!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Masters preventing the sweep.
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 Ken Masters 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.

Masters catches Ait Yafelman with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Ait Yafelman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Masters misses with a body shot.
Masters tries for a takedown but Ait Yafelman sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Good leg kick by Masters there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ait Yafelman throws out a leg kick but Masters moves out of range and Ait Yafelman only half commits.
Ait Yafelman tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Masters moves into the clinch.
Ait Yafelman looking to throw knees to the head but Masters is blocking nicely.
Ait Yafelman can't break the clinch.
Masters swings wildly with an uppercut but Ait Yafelman uses good head movement to avoid it.
Masters working aggressively here.
Ait Yafelman looking to throw knees to the head but Masters is blocking nicely.
Ait Yafelman with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Masters fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Masters prevents Ait Yafelman from breaking the clinch.
Ait Yafelman throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Ait Yafelman.
Masters keeps control of Ait Yafelman as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ait Yafelman working hard to break the clinch.
Masters throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Ait Yafelman is trying to force a seperation but Masters has the dominant position.
A head punch on the inside from Masters fails to land.

Ait Yafelman's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ait Yafelman throws a head kick but Masters moves out of range.
Masters is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ait Yafelman.
Ait Yafelman throws a sloppy head kick and Masters moves out of range easily.
Masters throws a looping overhand right but Ait Yafelman ducks down to avoid it.
Ait Yafelman slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Masters lands a lovely overhand right.
Ait Yafelman darts in trying to clinch

and Masters counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Masters trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Masters loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Masters 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Masters throws a big elbow that misses.
Ait Yafelman avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Masters working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Masters trying to control the position from guard on top but Ait Yafelman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Masters throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ait Yafelman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Masters distracts Ait Yafelman with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Masters working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ait Yafelman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Masters trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ait Yafelman keeping moving, preventing Masters from controlling successfully.
Masters throws an elbow that misses. Ait Yafelman uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Masters 's guard. Nice move by Ait Yafelman!
Masters lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Ait Yafelman!
Ait Yafelman can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ait Yafelman manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Ait Yafelman avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Masters .
Masters looks to land a strike but Ait Yafelman avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Masters postures up.
Ait Yafelman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Masters is controlling him.
Ait Yafelman avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Masters lands a couple of decent looking shots.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ait Yafelman utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Masters scoring with some ground and pound.
Ait Yafelman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Masters .
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Masters dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ait Yafelman throws a push kick but Masters slaps the foot to one side.
A jab from Masters misses.
A head kick misses from Ait Yafelman.
Masters misses with a looping right.
Masters throws a looping overhand right but Ait Yafelman ducks down to avoid it.
Ait Yafelman throws a leg kick but Masters sees it coming and moves out of range.
Masters moves out of range as Ait Yafelman throws a body kick.
Ait Yafelman cracks Masters with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Masters throws out a leg kick but Ait Yafelman moves out of range and Masters only half commits.
Ait Yafelman looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ait Yafelman moves out of range as Masters strikes.
Ait Yafelman slips a jab from Masters .
Ait Yafelman fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Masters misses.
Ait Yafelman throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Ait Yafelman takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A good leg kick by Ait Yafelman.
Ait Yafelman throws a leg kick but Masters sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Masters pivots, looking for a leg kick but Ait Yafelman is out of range and Masters settles back down.
Masters throws a poor cross that misses
and Ait Yafelman counters with a left to the body.
Ait Yafelman tries to clinch up but Masters circles away and keeps his distance.
Ait Yafelman doesn't manage to clinch there - Masters circles away.
Ait Yafelman pushes Masters away with a front kick.
Samir Ait Yafelman seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ait Yafelman takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ait Yafelman tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ait Yafelman avoids the head kick by Masters .
Masters shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Masters closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ait Yafelman did well to prevent Masters getting side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ait Yafelman is trying to get back to full guard.
Ait Yafelman is concentrating on defense, preventing Masters from advancing position.
Masters is looking to take a break and control but Ait Yafelman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ken Masters overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Masters throws a strike but Ait Yafelman avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Masters lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Masters prevents Ait Yafelman from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Masters throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Masters got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ait Yafelman has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Masters has managed to get both his arms back between Ait Yafelman's legs - danger averted.
Ait Yafelman looking to control.
Ait Yafelman 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.
Samir Ait Yafelman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ait Yafelman throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Masters wants to control from the top but Ait Yafelman keeps moving.
Masters postures up in Ait Yafelman's guard and throws a big left but Ait Yafelman blocks it.

Ait Yafelman looking for a guillotine here but Masters defends easily.
Ken Masters is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Masters is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ait Yafelman avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

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 Ken Masters .
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Masters , 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ken Masters !
Ken Masters thanked the fans post fight for their support.
Samir Ait Yafelman was interviewed post fight and said 'F°ck You'.