PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Phoenix Templar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rahkim Abdullah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Phoenix Templar has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Templar
vs
Abdullah

173 cm
25
167 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

190 cm
30
149 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Phoenix Templar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rahkim Abdullah!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Abdullah lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Templar throws a body shot but no joy.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Abdullah.
An attempted straight right counter from Templar misses the target.
Abdullah shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Templar pinned against the cage. Templar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Templar dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Abdullah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Abdullah staying out of range there.
Templar misses with a looping left.
Templar moves in looking to clinch but Abdullah pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abdullah moves out of range of the strikes.
And Abdullah tries to counter it with a takedown but Templar pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Abdullah misses with a jab, cross combination.

Templar gets a double leg takedown into Abdullah's guard.
Abdullah trying to keep a closed guard but Templar is proving a slippery customer.
Templar being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdullah working a defensive guard here.
Templar landing some decent shots from guard.
Templar throws a big elbow that misses.
Templar trying to control the position from guard on top but Abdullah is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Templar throws a strike but Abdullah rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah trying to control but Templar is working from the bottom.
Abdullah controlling from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Templar trying to keep a closed guard but Abdullah is proving a slippery customer.
Templar wants to control but Abdullah passes easily into half guard.
Abdullah is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Templar holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Templar blocking the ground and pound attempt from Abdullah.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Abdullah wants to lay and pray for a moment but Templar keeps working.
Abdullah with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Templar trying to control from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Abdullah feints and as Templar raises his hands in defense, Abdullah changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Abdullah wants to control from the top but Templar keeps moving.
Templar trying to keep a closed guard but Abdullah is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Templar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Abdullah content to stall in guard here.
Abdullah in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Abdullah postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Abdullah controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Templar fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Templar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Templar thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rahkim Abdullah will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Abdullah uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Templar.
Templar uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Abdullah.
Rahkim Abdullah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Templar takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Templar misses with an attempted mid kick.
Templar misses the jab.
Abdullah is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Templar with a body shot.
Both fighters circling a little - Templar finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

Abdullah shoots in and bounces Templar off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Abdullah stands up over Templar, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abdullah advances to half guard.
Abdullah is nestled in close to Templar, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Templar might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Abdullah wants to lay and pray for a moment but Templar keeps working.
Abdullah controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Templar gets back to full guard.

Templar looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Abdullah with a flurry of punches that miss.
Abdullah wants to pass the guard but Templar is keeping the position.
Templar 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Abdullah slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Templar is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Abdullah is stalling in the full guard.
Abdullah's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
That kick from Templar tenderised Abdullah's leg. Abdullah is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah works the jab nicely.
Abdullah ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Templar moves away.
Abdullah will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Abdullah moves away from the strike by Templar.
Abdullah takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rahkim Abdullah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Abdullah misses with a hook to the body
and Templar counters with a series of strikes. Abdullah will be more careful next time no doubt.
Abdullah throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Abdullah is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Templar.
Templar lands with a good body shot.
Templar throws a body punch but Abdullah moves out of range.
Abdullah has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Abdullah misses the shot to the body.
Abdullah shoots in looking for a takedown. Templar tries to sprawl out of it but Abdullah keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Templar manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A telegraphed right hand from Templar misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Templar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Phoenix Templar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rahkim Abdullah.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Abdullah has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Abdullah there as he acknowledges the shot.
Templar stuffs the takedown.
Templar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Templar throwing a counter right hand but Abdullah manages to avoid it.
Templar throws a jab but it's blocked by Abdullah.
Templar lands with a cross.
Abdullah gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Templar connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Templar looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Templar clobbers Abdullah with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Abdullah throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Templar fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Abdullah misses with a takedown attempt
and Templar counters with a three punch combo that has Abdullah backing up. Abdullah nods at Templar to acknowledge the strikes.
Abdullah is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Templar rather than just go for the knockout.
Abdullah fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phoenix Templar dominated that second round.
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. And we move into the final round!

Templar feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Abdullahs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Abdullah throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Templar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Templar drives through with a takedown into Abdullah's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Templar trying to control but Abdullah is working from the bottom.
Rahkim Abdullah has got the better of the ground game so far.
Templar looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Templar looking to sit in guard and control but Abdullah gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Templar working for a triangle but Abdullah defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Templar not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Abdullah throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Templar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Abdullah is aware though and is defending well.

Templar is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Abdullah slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Templar seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Templar is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Abdullah frees his head nicely. Oh but Templar has switched to an armbar! Abdullah is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Phoenix Templar!
During a confident post fight interview, Phoenix Templar thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.