PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Balbus Michael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahsan Hamed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hamed has chosen Ahmed's Theme as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Michael
vs
Hamed

178 cm
25
150 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

178 cm
25
155 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing

Urban Fighter

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Balbus Michael!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ahsan Hamed!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Columbo Gatti and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hamed misses with a kick to the body.
Michael slips under a jab from Hamed.
Michael wants to clinch.
Hamed tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hamed swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hamed moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hamed pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A head kick misses from Hamed.
Hamed misses with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No joy there for Hamed, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A bone on bone clash there as Hamed blocks the leg kick.
Hamed takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Hamed misses with a kick to the body
and Michael counters with a nice uppercut.
Hamed shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael avoids the head kick by Hamed.
Michael throws a jab but it's blocked by Hamed.
And Hamed responds with a good body kick, but Michael manages to step out the way in time.

Michael pushes Hamed up against the cage in a clinch.
Michael tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Michael misses with a hook from the clinch.
Michael tries a knee to the head but Hamed blocks it.
Hamed is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Michael lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hamed has a couple of punches blocked by Michael.
Michael lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hamed or not.

Hamed manages to break the clinch.
Michael has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hamed finds it's way round the side to connect with Michael's head.
Hamed goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Michael fires out a quick counter leg kick but Hamed just manages to avoid it.
Hamed fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Michael manages to avoid it.
Michael is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Michael feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hamed's calf.
Michael staying out of range there.
Hamed throws a push kick but Michael slaps the foot to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Hamed.
That kick from Hamed tenderised Michael's leg. Michael is trying to keep his angry face on.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Michael avoids the head kick by Hamed.
Hamed swings away with a body shot that misses
and Michael counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Hamed. That's going to slow Michael down.
Ahsan Hamed seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hamed throws a leg kick but Michael sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hamed tries to move into range but Michael moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Michael misses with a hook.
Michael takes one to the side of the head.
Hamed will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Hamed misses with a lunging right hand
and Michael counters with a straight right hand.
Michael cracks Hamed with a good jab.
Michael misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hamed throws a sloppy head kick and Michael moves out of range easily.
Hamed looks for the body kick but Michael saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamed avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Michael moves out of range as Hamed throws a body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Michael looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Michael takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Michael scoring well with a low kick there.
A clash of legs there as Michael blocks the low kick.
Hamed takes one to the chin there.
Michael takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Hamed.
Michael walks into a jab.
Michael is looking to clinch.
Hamed drops his hands momentarily and Michael takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael connects with a solid leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Michael avoids the head kick by Hamed.
Michael tried to counter with a leg kick but Hamed avoided it.
Hamed throws an overhand right that lands on Michael's shoulder, as Michael tries to avoid the shot.
Hamed misses with a looping right.
Hamed fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Michael has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A nice inside leg kick there by Michael. That's going to slow Hamed down.
Michael feints and then cracks Hamed's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hamed down.
Hamed misses with a few strikes there.
Hamed dips to his left and cracks Michael with an uppercut!
The fight stays on the outside here - Michael looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hamed does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hamed listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Hamed pivots, looking for a leg kick but Michael is out of range and Hamed settles back down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahsan Hamed dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hamed circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hamed only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Ahsan Hamed seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hamed misses with a kick to the body
enabling Michael to counter with a crisp jab.
Hamed throws a leg kick which misses Michael's front leg but catches the back leg as Michael tries to avoid it.

Michael moves into range and clinches up with Hamed.

Hamed pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hamed misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Michael misses the target.
A decent looking cross lands there for Michael.
Hamed throws a poor cross that misses
and Michael counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hamed takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hamed looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Michael was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Hamed throws a jab but it's blocked by Michael.
Hamed misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hamed throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Hamed. That's going to slow Michael down.
Michael has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hamed looks to land a right hand but Michael moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Hamed.
Hamed chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Michael throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Hamed.
Michael slips a straight right by Hamed.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Michael blocks a body shot from Hamed.
A knee to the head by Michael.
Hamed lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Michael misses with a knee strike.
Hamed swings wildly with an uppercut but Michael uses good head movement to avoid it.
Michael looking to throw knees to the head but Hamed is blocking nicely.
Michael misses with a punch on the inside.
Michael lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Michael unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hamed lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Michael tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hamed blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hamed breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Michael rushes Hamed and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Michael.
Good body shot from Hamed.
Balbus Michael has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Michael misses with a body punch.
Michael throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hamed lands a right hand.
Michael blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Michael.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hamed tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hamed scores with a nice hook to the head.
Hamed has a couple of punches blocked by Michael.
Michael throws a knee to the head but misses.
Michael struggles to land a body shot inside as Hamed controls his hands.
Michael lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hamed looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hamed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hamed escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hamed throws a leg kick
and Hamed takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Michael tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hamed loads up on a big right hand but Michael slips the punch.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Michael.
Hamed looks to throw a body kick
and Michael cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hamed throws a head kick that misses.
Michael throwing a counter right hand but Hamed manages to avoid it.
Hamed turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Michael throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Michael is looking to slow Hamed down with leg kicks.
Michael throws a head kick but Hamed moves out of range.
Michael doesn't manage to clinch there - Hamed circles away.
Hamed goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Michael tries to counter by clinching up but Hamed breaks away and moves out of range.
Hamed throws a body punch but Michael moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hamed looks for the body kick but Michael saw that one coming.
Hamed keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hamed throws a hook but Michael avoids it easily.
Michael tries to clinch up.
Hamed throws the kick towards the body but Michael avoids it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hamed scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Hamed looks to score with a jab to the body but Michael is just out of range.
Hamed throws a lazy body kick
enabling Michael to counter with a crisp jab.
Hamed uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Michael has time to react.
Michael moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Good leg kick by Michael there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Michael connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hamed throws a sloppy head kick and Michael moves out of range easily.
Michael throws a nice outside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Balbus Michael will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Michael scores with a jab. Hamed acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Hamed swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hamed throws a right and a left that both miss.
Michael swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Michael slips under a jab.
A left lands for Michael.
Hamed misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Michael.
Michael staying out of range there.
Hamed avoids the body shot from Michael.
Hamed dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Michael. That did some damage!
Hamed throws a low kick but Michael moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hamed buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A jab from Hamed does it's job there.
Michael takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Michael tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamed will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Michael lands with a right hand.
Hamed throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Michael clinches with his opponent.
Hamed misses with some punches.
Michael tries to work over Hamed's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Michael misses with a punch to the body.
Michael misses with a punch on the inside.
Michael with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Michael tries a knee to the head but Hamed blocks it.
Michael lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Michael tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Michael landing knees to the head.
Michael lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Michael tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Hamed breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Hamed does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A good leg kick by Michael.
Hamed tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Michael is able to avoid easily.
Michael is looking to clinch.
Michael scores with a leg kick.
Good work by Hamed as he checks the leg kick.
Michael on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Michael looks to land a right hand but Hamed moved out of range.
Michael connects with a solid leg kick.
Hamed throws a solid leg kick but Michael takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hamed.
Hamed throws a half hearted mid kick.
Hamed swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hamed misses with a body shot
and Michael counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hamed looks for the body kick but Michael saw that one coming.
Hamed throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hamed takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael moves out of range of the strikes.
Michael scores with a leg kick.
Michael throws a leg kick that is checked
and Hamed counters with a good, hard body kick but Michael shrugs it off.
Michael throws a low kick, looking for Hamed's leg but Hamed calmly moves out of range.
Hamed lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Michael throws a head kick that misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hamed.
Hamed takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Michael dips to his left and cracks Hamed with an uppercut!
Michael tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Michael doesn't manage to clinch there - Hamed circles away.
Michael tries a head kick but it misses.
Michael keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hamed.
Michael lands a head kick. Hamed smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Hamed.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Michael checks a low kick from Hamed.
Hamed's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Michael slips a jab from Hamed.
An attempted straight right counter from Michael misses the target.
Hamed throws a wild body kick that Michael sees coming a mile off.
Hamed throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Michael tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Hamed manages to circle out of the way.
A head kick misses from Michael.
Michael uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hamed.
Hamed tries to land a front kick but Michael steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hamed avoids the head kick by Michael.
Hamed misses with a straight right.
Michael tried to counter with a leg kick but Hamed avoided it.
Hamed misses with a body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Balbus Michael.
I think Michael has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Balbus Michael!
In his post fight interview, Balbus Michael started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.