PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rahkim Abdullah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Moreira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Abdullah
vs
Moreira

190 cm
31
158 lbs
17 - 13 - 0

170 cm
48
149 lbs
36 - 22 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rahkim Abdullah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 22 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Moreira!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moreira misses the shot to the body.
Abdullah fails with a takedown attempt.
Rahkim Abdullah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Moreira stuffs the takedown.
Abdullah dives in and grabs Moreira's left leg, looking for a takedown. Moreira pushes down on Abdullah's head and hops out.
Moreira has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rahkim Abdullah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Abdullah dives in for a single leg takedown but Moreira sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Abdullah on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Moreira swings for the body but Abdullah moves out of range.
Abdullah slips a jab from Moreira.
Abdullah lands a jab to Moreira's midsection.
Abdullah connects with the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abdullah tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Moreira swivels and escapes.
Moreira looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Abdullah shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Moreira defends it nicely.
Moreira flicks out a counter leg kick but Abdullah steps away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Abdullah. Moreira does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdullah tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Moreira swivels and escapes.
Abdullah takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Moreira lands a nice shot that snaps Abdullah's head back.
Abdullah getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Abdullah shoots in and bounces Moreira off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Moreira 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.
Abdullah throwing strikes from guard but Moreira blocks nicely.
Moreira controlling Abdullah's posture.
Moreira tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreira is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Abdullah content to stall in guard here.
Moreira keeping moving, preventing Abdullah from controlling successfully.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moreira controlling Abdullah's posture.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Moreira tries to score a power double leg takedown but Abdullah sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Moreira somewhat.
Moreira shoots in looking for a takedown. Abdullah tries to sprawl out of it but Moreira keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Abdullah manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah shoots in for a takedown but Moreira shows good takedown defense.

Abdullah scores with a takedown into Moreira's guard.
Moreira wants to sweep here but Abdullah controlling him for the moment.
Moreira working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Abdullah.
Abdullah pushes down on Moreira's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Abdullah wants to lay and pray for a moment but Moreira keeps working.
Abdullah drops an elbow to the side of Moreira's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah prevents Moreira from improving his position.
Abdullah thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Moreira wants to improve his position but Abdullah is controlling well.
Abdullah wants to take a breather but Moreira is having none of it.
Moreira is looking to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Abdullah passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rahkim Abdullah will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Abdullah dives in for a single leg takedown but Moreira sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Moreira punishes Abdullah's body with a nice straight punch.
Moreira swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Abdullah shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Abdullah keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Moreira's head.
Moreira working a defensive guard here.
Rahkim Abdullah overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Abdullah stays in close to Moreira's body and controls the position.
Moreira is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moreira 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 one minute gone in the round.
Abdullah loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Abdullah throws a big right hand that misses.
Moreira trying to keep a closed guard but Abdullah is proving a slippery customer.
Abdullah trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Moreira wants to sweep but no luck.

Moreira throws his legs up looking for a submission but Abdullah uses it to pass to side control.
Abdullah landing a few strikes.
Abdullah wants to control but Moreira is keeping him busy.
Moreira is looking to regain half guard here but Abdullah keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreira wants to get back to his feet but Abdullah drags him back down.
Moreira takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Abdullah wants to control but Moreira is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Moreira tries to buck Abdullah off but Abdullah is having none of it.
Abdullah working the ground and pound.
Abdullah has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Abdullah working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Abdullah lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Moreira down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah trying to control the position but Moreira is working away.
Abdullah throwing strikes but Moreira manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Moreira working away.
Abdullah manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Abdullah trying to control the action but Moreira is working from the bottom.
Abdullah not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Abdullah wants to take a breather but Moreira is having none of it.
Abdullah winds up and cracks Moreira with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Abdullah really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Abdullah trying to control from half guard but Moreira is working away.
Ground and pound from Abdullah.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Abdullah will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Abdullah uses his free foot to push down on Moreira's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Moreira.
Abdullah fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Abdullah lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Abdullah trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Abdullah raining down shots from the mount!
Moreira is squirming around, avoiding Abdullah's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rahkim Abdullah dominated that second round.
That's time! Abdullah's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Moreira throws a hook to the side of Abdullah's head but Abdullah sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Abdullah gets the takedown into side control.
I wouldn't like to be where Moreira is right now.
Moreira tries to bench press Abdullah off him but Abdullah keeps the position.
Abdullah lands a nice forearm strike.
You can see the frustration on Moreira's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Moreira takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abdullah working the ground and pound but Moreira is defending the strikes.
Moreira tries to bench press Abdullah off him but Abdullah keeps the position.
Abdullah wants to control but Moreira is keeping him busy.
Abdullah lands a few punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdullah working the ground and pound.
A lull in the action here as Abdullah stalls from top position.
Abdullah wants to control but Moreira is keeping him busy.
Abdullah is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Moreira can do to turn this around?
Moreira struggling a bit here.

Abdullah thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Abdullah throws a strike aimed at the side of Moreira's head but Moreira avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Moreira wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Daniel Moreira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Abdullah working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Moreira wants to control but Abdullah postures up.
Abdullah has control of an arm but Moreira manages to advance to Abdullah's back!
Moreira punches the canvas rather than the man.
Moreira keeps control of the position as Abdullah tries to break free.
Abdullah looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Moreira is looking for the choke from the back position but Abdullah is controlling his hands well.
Moreira takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Abdullah breaks Moreira's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Moreira wants to control but Abdullah passes easily into half guard.
Moreira trying to control here.
Abdullah controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah working over Moreira with some ground and pound. Moreira looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Moreira has hold of Abdullah's hands but Abdullah slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Abdullah working over Moreira with some ground and pound. Moreira looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Abdullah wants to lay and pray for a moment but Moreira keeps working.
Abdullah lands with a punch from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Abdullah prevents Moreira from improving his position.
Moreira punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rahkim Abdullah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Abdullah, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rahkim Abdullah!