PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Simon Sims (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zico Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sims comes to the cage accompanied by Scribe - Not Many. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Sims
vs
Ali

184 cm
21
207 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

193 cm
21
218 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Simon Sims!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zico Ali!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sims sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ali somewhat.
Ali doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Ali with a lazy takedown attempt
and Sims counters with a nice uppercut.
Sims throws a looping overhand right but Ali ducks down to avoid it.
A slow jab from Sims misses its intended target.
Ali ducks under a wild hook from Sims.
Sims rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ali moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sims tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ali was well out of range. Poor timing from Sims.
Ali throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sims cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Zico Ali has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ali closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sims is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ali throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ali uses his free foot to push down on Sims's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Sims.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ali is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sims is surviving well by controlling Ali's body position as best he can.
Sims tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sims wants to control but Ali is having none of it.
Sims's coaches at Gorilla Warfare MMA have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.

Ali swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Sims is now in Ali's guard. A big mistake from Ali there, giving up the dominant position!
Sims has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sims throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ali wants to stand up but Sims is controlling him.

Ali looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sims is working Ali over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ali working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sims.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sims trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.
Sims keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ali's head.
Sims trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.
Ali controls Sims momentarily but Sims frees himself.
Ali keeping moving, preventing Sims from controlling successfully.
Sims is in close to Ali's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Ali has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sims can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sims working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sims content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Ali throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ali is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sims defends well.

Ali escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sims gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sims postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sims won't allow Ali to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ali looking for a guillotine here but Sims defends easily.
Sims knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ali on the ground.
Ali can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sims controls the pace.
Ali managing to control the position.

That's four 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.
Ali utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ali has his foot on Sims's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sims works his way back into a safe position though.
Sims is working Ali over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Sims distracts Ali with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sims postures up and lands a big shot to Ali's brow.
Ali preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ali is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sims cracks Ali with a solid left hand.
Sims is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sims chips away with some ground and pound.
Ali wants to sweep here but Sims controlling him for the moment.

Sims got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ali has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sims has managed to get both his arms back between Ali's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Sims dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zico Ali's cut.
That's time! Sims's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ali doesn't manage to clinch there - Sims circles away.
Sims wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Ali throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jab from Sims.
Sims pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ali misses with a hook.
Sims jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sims misses with a looping left.
Sims swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ali shoots in for a double leg but Sims sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ali blocks a jab.
Sims misses with a wild body shot.
Sims lands a really nice looking cross but Ali seems unphased.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sims throws a jab but it's blocked by Ali.
Ali scores with a shot to the body.

Ali shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Ali was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ali throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Sims struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sims is looking to regain half guard here but Ali keeps moving and retains side control.
Sims dodges the ground and pound from Ali.

Ali working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Ali tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Sims is looking for a sweep.

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.

Ali tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ground and pound from Ali seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sims stops Ali from passing to mount.
Ali working away.
Sims is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ali can do to turn this around?
Sims is trying to improve his position.
Sims wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Sims wants to control but Ali postures up.
Ali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sims keeps working.
Sims dodges the ground and pound from Ali.
Sims on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sims tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ali is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sims has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sims regains half guard there - taking advantage of Ali's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

Ali is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Sims is concentrating on defense, preventing Ali from advancing position.
Sims trying to control from the bottom.

Ali is looking for a kimura but Sims is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ali to get the leverage.
Sims trying to control but Ali postures up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Ali sitting and controlling from the half guard.

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.
Sims is trying to get back to full guard.

Ali is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sims is just riding it out for now. Ali eventually gives up the hold.
Ali throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ali prevents Sims from improving his position.
Sims missing with punches from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zico Ali will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Zico Ali's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ali fails to land the takedown.
Sims is looking to counter the offense by Ali and move into the clinch.
Ali tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sims swivels and escapes.
Sims scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Sims uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ali.
Sims seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Ali bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sims fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sims cracks Ali with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Zico Ali is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sims misses with a series of wild punches.
Ali walks into a left hand.
Simon Sims is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot by Ali.
Sims swings for the body but Ali moves out of range.
Ali ducks under a wild hook from Sims.
Ali is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Ali displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sims throws out the jab.

Ali closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sims regains half guard.
Sims keeping control of the position.
Sims continues to stall.
Sims wants to improve his position but Ali is controlling well.

Ali has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Sims defend it? Ali steps over the head and cranks it - Sims is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Ali!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Zico Ali!