PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Khaliq Khalid (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Cirkunov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cirkunov has chosen Eye of the Tiger as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Khaliq Khalid
vs
Cirkunov

193 cm
20
220 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

190 cm
26
205 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Abdul Khaliq Khalid!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Alex Cirkunov!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Peter Branson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khaliq Khalid stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Cirkunov missing with a left hand there. Khaliq Khalid was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Khaliq Khalid cracks Cirkunov with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Cirkunov looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Khaliq Khalid finish him?

Cirkunov is rocked!

It looks like Alex Cirkunov has been cut.

Khaliq Khalid gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Khaliq Khalid working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khaliq Khalid creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cirkunov's defenses.
Khaliq Khalid lands a nice shot to the body.

Cirkunov gets control of Khaliq Khalid's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cirkunov will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Khaliq Khalid wants to control from the top but Cirkunov keeps moving.

Cirkunov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

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

Cirkunov working for submissions but it's allowed Khaliq Khalid to get to half guard.
Cirkunov is trying to maintain the position but Khaliq Khalid is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cirkunov is looking to improve his position.
Khaliq Khalid seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cirkunov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Khaliq Khalid is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Khaliq Khalid is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cirkunov sees it coming and defends easily.
Khaliq Khalid throwing shots but Cirkunov is blocking nicely.
Khaliq Khalid missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Khaliq Khalid knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cirkunov on the ground.
Cirkunov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Khaliq Khalid thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cirkunov wants to control but Khaliq Khalid passes into side.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cirkunov is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Khaliq Khalid tries to advance to mount but can't.
Khaliq Khalid working away.
Khaliq Khalid has knee on belly and moves into mount.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cirkunov tries to lock up and control but Khaliq Khalid gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Khaliq Khalid controlling the position easily from mount.
Cirkunov tries to reverse the position but Khaliq Khalid maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cirkunov tries to hold on but Khaliq Khalid pushes him away.
Khaliq Khalid lands with some strikes.
Cirkunov bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Khaliq Khalid keeping moving, preventing Cirkunov from controlling successfully.
Khaliq Khalid has a closed guard, preventing Cirkunov from standing up.
Cirkunov trying to control the position from guard on top but Khaliq Khalid is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cirkunov throws an elbow that misses. Khaliq Khalid uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cirkunov's guard. Nice move by Khaliq Khalid!

Khaliq Khalid trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Khaliq Khalid postures up in Cirkunov's guard and throws a big left but Cirkunov blocks it.
Khaliq Khalid has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cirkunov is trying to keep Khaliq Khalid in close.
Khaliq Khalid is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Cirkunov is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Khaliq Khalid is aware though and is defending well.

Cirkunov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Khaliq Khalid can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Cirkunov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Cirkunov working for a triangle but Khaliq Khalid defends it easily.
Cirkunov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Khaliq Khalid dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alex Cirkunov's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Khaliq Khalid with a nice cross.
Cirkunov sizes up Khaliq Khalid with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Cirkunov swings widly with a right hand
and Khaliq Khalid counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cirkunov misses with a hook.
Khaliq Khalid tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Khaliq Khalid fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cirkunov, pushing him back against the cage.
Khaliq Khalid is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Khaliq Khalid is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cirkunov can do to turn this around?
Cirkunov tries to pull guard but Khaliq Khalid forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cirkunov jumps guard but Khaliq Khalid stands there with Cirkunov around his waist. Cirkunov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Khaliq Khalid.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cirkunov jumps guard but Khaliq Khalid turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Abdul Khaliq Khalid has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Cirkunov.
Cirkunov tries to pull guard but Khaliq Khalid forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Khaliq Khalid creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cirkunov's defenses.
Khaliq Khalid is struggling to control the position.
Khaliq Khalid lands a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Khaliq Khalid.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Khaliq Khalid.
Khaliq Khalid misses with a body punch.
Khaliq Khalid has Cirkunov pushed against the cage.
Cirkunov fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Khaliq Khalid.
Cirkunov letting Khaliq Khalid take a breather here.
Khaliq Khalid lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cirkunov backwards.
Khaliq Khalid is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Cirkunov is breathing heavily.
A hook to the body from Khaliq Khalid.
Knees to the body from Khaliq Khalid.
Abdul Khaliq Khalid has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Khaliq Khalid effectively controlling the action here.
Khaliq Khalid avoiding damage.
Khaliq Khalid lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Cirkunov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cirkunov letting Khaliq Khalid take a breather here.
Cirkunov takes an elbow to the temple.
Cirkunov fails to pull guard.
Khaliq Khalid scores a nice knee to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khaliq Khalid lands an uppercut.
Khaliq Khalid putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cirkunov in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Khaliq Khalid putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cirkunov in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Khaliq Khalid dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A short right from Khaliq Khalid on the inside.
Cirkunov is still on wobbly legs! Can Khaliq Khalid finish him?
Cirkunov fails to pull guard.
Cirkunov seems to have recovered his senses.
Khaliq Khalid comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Khaliq Khalid lands an elbow that stopped Cirkunov in his tracks for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khaliq Khalid landing knees to the body.
A hook to the body from Khaliq Khalid.
Khaliq Khalid has Cirkunov pressed up against the cage in a tight Thai clinch. Cirkunov is arching his back, trying to avoid the knees but a big one sneaks through from Khaliq Khalid - that's hurt Cirkunov badly! Oh, another knee lands and Cirkunov is covering up! The referee steps in to save him - possibly a bit early but Cirkunov doesn't seem to be complaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Abdul Khaliq Khalid!
Our winner, Abdul Khaliq Khalid, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.