PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jabari Jelani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tanishk Soni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tanishk Soni will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Jelani
vs
Soni

185 cm
39
275 lbs
27 - 31 - 1

200 cm
44
274 lbs
30 - 31 - 2

Good takedowns
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 31 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jabari Jelani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 31 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tanishk Soni!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soni tries to score a power double leg takedown but Jelani sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Soni somewhat.
Jelani goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Soni pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Soni pushes Jelani up against the cage in a clinch.
Jelani changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Soni fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Soni sizes up Jelani with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Jelani checks a leg kick.
Jelani swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Jelani scores with a jab to the body.
Soni slaps away a takedown attempt from Jelani, before circling back to the center of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soni scores with a kick to the midsection.
Soni is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Jelani.
Soni throws a chopping leg kick but Jelani manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Soni scores with a nice strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soni misses with a kick to the body.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Jelani crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Soni - the referee stops the clock and Jelani gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Soni. Jelani manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Soni shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Jelani's guard.
Soni engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Jelani is looking for a triangle but Soni pushes his legs off easily.
Soni passes into half guard.

Soni is trying to work for a kimura but Jelani is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jelani is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Soni pulls his head out easily.

Jelani looking for submissions off his back.

Soni seems to be working for a kimura but Jelani defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jelani looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Jelani tries to kick Soni off but Soni keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Jelani looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Soni controlling the action here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Jelani misses with a low kick as Soni jumps back.
Soni takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Jelani walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Soni checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Soni dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Jelani. That did some damage!
Soni is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jelani leaves Soni with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Jelani swinging wildly here.

Soni clinches up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Soni breaks the clinch.
Jelani gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Soni.
Soni pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Soni misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tanishk Soni dominated that 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.

Jelani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jabari Jelani seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Soni clinches.
Soni tries to land a knee to the head but Jelani blocks with his arms.
Soni goes for a takedown attempt but Jelani pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jelani throws a nice inside leg kick.
Jelani shoots in looking for a takedown. Soni tries to sprawl out of it but Jelani keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Soni manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Soni scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jelani misses with a wild combination.
Soni replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Jelani blocks it well.
Soni dodges the punch combination from Jelani.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soni shoots in for a takedown but Jelani shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Soni is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Soni shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jelani as he jumps to the side.
Jabari Jelani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tanishk Soni.
Jelani misses the jab.
Soni unleashes a big counter combination but Jelani bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Jelani closes this distance looking for a takedown but Soni circles away.
Soni pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Soni takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Jelani closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Soni quickly recovers to half guard.
Jelani missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Jelani looks to land a strike but Soni avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Jelani tries to free his leg and advance position but Soni is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jelani keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Soni's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jelani trying to move into half guard but instead Soni has managed to sweep!

Jelani is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Soni is aware though and is defending well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jelani being controlled here, momentarily.
Tanishk Soni has got the better of the ground game so far.
Soni stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jelani swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soni trying to control the position from guard on top but Jelani is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Jelani had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Soni defends it easily.

Jelani is looking for a triangle but Soni pushes his legs off easily.

That's four 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.
Soni trying to control but Jelani is working from the bottom.

Jelani looking for a guillotine here but Soni defends easily.
Soni must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Jelani working for a triangle but Soni defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jabari Jelani dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Soni.
A punch combination from Jelani misses.
Soni shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Jelani but Jelani pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Soni fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jelani lands with a kick to the ribs.
Soni stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Jelani.

Soni clinches.
Jelani tries to score a body lock takedown but Soni shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Soni utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Soni tightens his grip and picks Jelani up, before dumping him to the ground. Jelani manages to land in guard.
Soni would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Soni working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Soni stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jelani swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jelani might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jelani looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Soni is pushing down on Jelani's leg trying to pass to half guard. Jelani is fighting to maintain full guard but Soni has managed to sneak the leg through.
Jelani looks like he's trying to stand up.

Jelani looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Soni moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Jelani.

Soni tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Soni has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Soni is trying to get an arm triangle but Jelani is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jelani tries to buck Soni off but Soni is having none of it.

Soni thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The referee asks Soni politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Soni prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jelani is trying to improve his position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jelani swats away the attempt to clinch by Soni.
Jelani throws a right and a left that Soni avoids nicely.
Soni darts in looking for a takedown but Jelani gets double underhooks and turns Soni into the cage.
Soni shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jelani as he jumps to the side.
As Soni looks to move away, Jelani throws a big counter combo bu Soni just gets out of the way.
Jabari Jelani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tanishk Soni.
Jelani tries to score with a low kick but Soni moves his leg out of the way.
Jelani closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Soni drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Jelani gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Jelani actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tanishk Soni comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Soni has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tanishk Soni!
A very excited looking Tanishk Soni made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
Jabari Jelani spoke after the fight, saying 'I'll be back !'.