PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Conor Duffy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thamer Badi (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.

Duffy
vs
Badi

180 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Conor Duffy!
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, Thamer Badi!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Daniel Franklin and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duffy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Duffy is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Badi.
Badi lands with a kick to the temple. Duffy shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Duffy.

Badi closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Duffy quickly recovers to half guard.
Duffy moves into full guard.
Badi trying to control the position from guard on top but Duffy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Duffy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Duffy looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badi trying to control but Duffy is working from the bottom.
Duffy wants to sweep here but Badi controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Badi trying to control but Duffy is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Duffy is on top in guard.

Badi wants to control but Duffy passes easily into half guard.
Badi wants to stand back up but Duffy manages to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Duffy is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Badi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Badi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Duffy wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Duffy working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Badi is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badi is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Duffy asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Duffy decides to stand back up. Duffy steps back and let's Badi get back to his feet.

Badi gets caught flat footed, as Duffy shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Duffy throwing strikes but missing.
Duffy controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duffy tries to free his leg and advance position but Badi is retaining full guard.

Duffy thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Badi wants to control the position but Duffy says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Badi is looking to control Duffy's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Badi avoid being mounted?
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Duffy in particular looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice sprawl there from Badi as Duffy shoots in.
Badi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Badi misses with the combination.
Duffy shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Badi pinned against the cage. Badi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Badi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A head kick misses from Duffy.
Badi tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Duffy counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Duffy trying to control the position from guard on top but Badi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Badi trying to keep a closed guard but Duffy is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duffy wants to stand but Badi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Conor Duffy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Badi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Duffy.
Duffy is stalling in the full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Badi is on top in guard.

Badi is fighting to break Duffy's control of his arms but Duffy is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Duffy really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Badi wants to stand and escape but instead Duffy has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Duffy is standing up over Badi. Badi looks to escape but Duffy dives into side control.
Badi is trying to control Duffy's posture but Duffy avoids it.

Duffy thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Duffy tries for a kimura but Badi is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badi struggling a bit here.
Duffy is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Badi can do to turn this around?
Badi is looking for a sweep.
Duffy is staying tight to Badi's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Duffy decides to stand back up.
Duffy tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Badi defends well and Duffy ends up having to push Badi into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Conor Duffy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Duffy looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Duffy.
Badi is looking to slow Duffy down with leg kicks.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Badi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Badi tries to stand but Duffy is controlling from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thamer Badi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Duffy plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Badi connects with a single shot there.
Badi throws a series of strikes that have Duffy backpedaling.
Duffy shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Badi pinned against the cage. Badi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Duffy is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Duffy fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Badi manages to avoid it.
Badi let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Badi is looking to clinch but Duffy is avoiding it.
Duffy throws a body shot but no joy.
Badi steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Duffy.
Thamer Badi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Badi fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Duffy is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Badi's half guard.
Duffy wants to pass to mount but Badi is defending the position.
Duffy tries to stand and escape but Badi actually recovers to full guard.
Duffy slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Badi wants to get back to his feet but Duffy drags him back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duffy wants to control but Badi is keeping him busy.
Badi is trying to escape the position but Duffy is controlling the position.
Badi is looking for a sweep.

Duffy decides to stand up, so the ref orders Badi to his feet.
Badi has a takedown stuffed.

Duffy shoots in and gets a takedown into Badi's guard.
Duffy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Badi is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badi has his hands on Duffy's head, controlling the position.
Badi keeping full guard, as Duffy tries to pass.
Badi wants to sweep but no luck.
Duffy trying to control but Badi is working from the bottom.

Badi is working an open guard so Duffy takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Badi has a takedown stuffed.
Conor Duffy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thamer Badi.
Badi shoots in looking for a takedown. Duffy tries to sprawl out of it but Badi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Duffy manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Badi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Duffy lands with a nice body kick.

Duffy rushes Badi and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Badi tries to pull guard but Duffy holds him up against the cage and eventually Badi drops back down to his feet.
Badi tries to pull guard but Duffy won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Conor Duffy showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Duffy has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:28
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Conor Duffy!