PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Reem Khalid (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Pacquiao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Khalid
vs
Pacquiao

170 cm
25
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Reem Khalid!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Manny Pacquiao!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Michael Johnstone and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pacquiao lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Pacquiao tries a head kick but it misses.
Pacquiao keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pacquiao is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Pacquiao shoots for a double leg takedown but Khalid sprawls well. He's pushed Pacquiao's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Khalid circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pacquiao shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Khalid as he avoids it easily.
Khalid circles away from the clinch attempt

and Khalid counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Khalid trying to control the position from guard on top but Pacquiao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalid pushes down on Pacquiao's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Khalid is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Pacquiao doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Khalid.
Khalid wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pacquiao keeps working.

Khalid seems to be looking for submissions.
Khalid is trying to control. Pacquiao wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Khalid is looking for a kimura here.
Pacquiao looks like he's trying to stand up.
Pacquiao is looking to improve his position.

Khalid seems to be looking for submissions.
Khalid is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Khalid wants to work for an arm triangle but Pacquiao is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Pacquiao is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pacquiao punching from the bottom.
Khalid thows a huge punch but Pacquiao dodges it nicely.

Khalid is working for a kimura but Pacquiao is defending it quite comfortably.
Khalid lands with a punch from half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pacquiao is trying to stand.

Khalid is working for a submission of some sort.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reem Khalid dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pacquiao fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Khalid sprawls well initially but Pacquiao persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pacquiao is keen to just control but Khalid is a slippery customer.
Khalid is trying to maintain the position but Pacquiao is very close to passing his half guard.
Khalid is looking for a sweep. Pacquiao is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pacquiao is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Khalid gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Khalid looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Khalid keeping moving, preventing Pacquiao from controlling successfully.
Khalid pulls Pacquiao in close to his closed guard and prevents Pacquiao from doing any damage or advancing position.
Khalid bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pacquiao's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Khalid wants to control from the top but Pacquiao keeps moving.
Pacquiao is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Khalid postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Pacquiao is looking to sweep but instead, Khalid has passed into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pacquiao can do anything to dispel that myth.
Khalid throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Pacquiao to regain full guard.
Khalid advances to half guard.
Khalid prevents Pacquiao from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalid looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Pacquiao with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Pacquiao avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Khalid.
Khalid moves into full mount! Pacquiao won't be happy about that!
Khalid controlling from the full mount.
Khalid can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pacquiao is looking to escape.
Pacquiao really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Khalid. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalid controlling his opponent.

Khalid working for a submission but Pacquiao is keeping him at bay.

Khalid looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Khalid takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pacquiao is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reem Khalid dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Khalid blocks a head kick by Pacquiao.

Pacquiao drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Khalid tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pacquiao is fighting to break Khalid's control of his arms but Khalid is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Pacquiao trying to control the position from guard on top but Khalid is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pacquiao looking to sit in guard and control but Khalid gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Khalid won't allow Pacquiao to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalid trying to control the position from guard on top but Pacquiao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pacquiao keeping full guard, as Khalid tries to pass.
Pacquiao keeping moving, preventing Khalid from controlling successfully.
Khalid trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pacquiao trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Khalid's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Khalid with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Khalid is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pacquiao can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Pacquiao moves into the clinch.
Pacquiao tries to pull guard but Khalid holds him up against the cage and eventually Pacquiao drops back down to his feet.
Pacquiao blocking some punches.

Pacquiao escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pacquiao darts in looking for a takedown but Khalid gets double underhooks and turns Pacquiao into the cage.
Pacquiao takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Khalid goes for a takedown attempt but Pacquiao pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Khalid darts in looking for a takedown but Pacquiao gets double underhooks and turns Khalid into the cage.
Pacquiao tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Khalid just stands there and leans against the cage.
Reem Khalid has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Pacquiao.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Khalid lands a takedown into guard.
Pacquiao keeping moving, preventing Khalid from controlling successfully.
Khalid might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Khalid thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Khalid drops back looking for a leg! Pacquiao is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pacquiao manages to kick Khalid off! Khalid jumps back into Pacquiao's guard.
Khalid trying to control but Pacquiao is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalid is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Khalid pushes down on Pacquiao's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Khalid trying to control the action but Pacquiao is working from the bottom.
Pacquiao is trying to maintain the position but Khalid is very close to passing his half guard.
Khalid is taking a breather. Pacquiao says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Manny Pacquiao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Reem Khalid is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Pacquiao looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reem Khalid showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Khalid, 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reem Khalid!