PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Khalid Haji (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brad Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brad Byrne has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Haji
vs
Byrne

187 cm
26
187 lbs
4 - 8 - 0

187 cm
18
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 4 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Khalid Haji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Brad Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Radbod Blank and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byrne shoots for a double leg takedown but Haji sprawls well. He's pushed Byrne's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Byrne tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Haji paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Byrne misses with a takedown
and Haji counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Haji shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Haji showed some decent athleticism there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haji content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Byrne is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Haji pulls his head out easily.

Haji seems to be looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Byrne looking for submissions off his back.

Byrne looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Haji pushes past his half guard into mount!
Byrne looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haji is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Byrne is surviving well by controlling Haji's body position as best he can.
Haji tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Byrne tries to improve his position but instead Haji has taken his back!
Haji is riding his opponent, not letting Byrne buck him off.
Byrne is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Haji working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Haji really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Byrne.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrne tries to break free.
Haji controlling the position well here. Byrne rolled but Haji kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Byrne tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Byrne sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Byrne looking for subs from the bottom but Haji mounts him!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haji raining down shots from the mount!

Haji looking for a guillotine from mount but Byrne is having none of it.
Haji prevents Byrne from getting the reversal.
Haji controlling the position easily from mount.
Byrne wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

Haji working for a choke but Byrne is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Haji is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Byrne trying to get back to his feet but Haji is in full control for now.
Byrne tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Byrne is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Haji cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khalid Haji dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Haji shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Byrne is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Haji is aware though and is defending well.

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

Byrne actively working from the bottom here.
Haji controlling the action here.
Haji is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Still in half guard, Haji seems content to control.
Haji has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haji is working for a submission of some sort.

Byrne looking for submissions off his back.
Byrne is breathing heavily.

Byrne is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Haji pulls his head out easily.
Haji is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Haji is working for a submission of some sort.

Byrne is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Haji pulls his head out easily.

Haji stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Byrne to get to his feet.
Byrne throws a sloppy head kick
and Haji counters with a stiff right hand.
Haji avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Haji throws a one two combo.
Byrne throws a head kick but Haji moves out of range.

Haji fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Byrne sprawls well initially but Haji persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Haji stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haji moves into full mount! Byrne won't be happy about that!

Haji is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Byrne shoots in but Haji avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Haji shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Haji slows the pace down in half guard.

Byrne looking for a kimura from the bottom but Haji passes into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haji cracks Byrne with a big right hand but Byrne just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Haji decides to stand back up. Haji steps back and let's Byrne get back to his feet.
Haji has a takedown stuffed.
Byrne pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Haji shoots in and drives through. Byrne sprawls well.
Byrne shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Haji but Haji pushes him off and we're back to square one.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Haji decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khalid Haji dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Byrne takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Byrne misses with a takedown attempt
and Haji counters with a head kick. That will keep Byrne thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Byrne tries to clinch
and Haji makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Byrne tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Haji defends well and Byrne ends up having to push Haji into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Haji throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Khalid Haji is winning the standup battle so far.

Haji changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Byrne looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Haji controls the position.
Haji's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Further stalling from Haji.
Haji gets to mount! Byrne was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Haji controlling from mount.
Haji landing strikes from the mount.
Khalid Haji overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Haji controlling the position easily from mount.
Byrne is looking to improve his position but Haji isn't that keen on the idea.
Haji controlling from mount.
Byrne is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrne sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Haji is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Byrne is just riding it out for now. Haji eventually gives up the hold.
Haji slows the pace down in half guard.

Byrne is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Haji pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haji not doing much here.

Haji stands up from half guard.
Haji's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Haji duly obliges.
Haji shoots in and drives through. Byrne sprawls well.
Byrne shoots in looking for a takedown but Haji manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Byrne's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Khalid Haji has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brad Byrne.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Byrne.
Byrne has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Haji.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Haji rushes Byrne and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Byrne drops down looking for an ankle pick but Haji pulls his leg out and moves away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Byrne is looking to take this one to the mat.

Haji manages to break the clinch.

Haji rushes Byrne and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Haji decides to pull guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Byrne drops back, looking for a kneebar! Haji looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Haji looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Haji!

Haji gets to mount! Byrne was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khalid Haji showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Haji 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:26
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:26
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:26

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