PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cheikh Ali (ranked 7485 p4p, 0 weight class) and Slave Master (ranked 5059 p4p, 240 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Ali
vs
Master

169 cm
24
140 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

150 cm
24
135 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cheikh Ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Slave Master!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Chris Saunders and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ali fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Master to the ground. Ali is now in Master's guard.
Ali won't allow Master to sweep him here.
Ali postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Master is controlling Ali's posture.
Ali 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.
Master keeping moving, preventing Ali from controlling successfully.

Ali drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ali jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Master utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ali wants to control from the top but Master keeps moving.
Ali passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Master really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ali. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ali is looking to take a break and control but Master is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Master parries the strikes from Ali easily there. Ali is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Master to escape.
Master tries to improve position but can't.

Ali wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Master, who protects the arm well.
Master wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali is working Master over with some ground and pound from side control.
Master looks to move to half guard but instead Ali has passed into mount! Damn!
Ali avoids the attempt from Master to control.

Ali wants to finish this one by submission but Master is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Ali.
Master taking shots to the head.
Ali with the ground and pound from mount.
Master tries to reverse the position but Ali maintains control.
Ali scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Master in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Master is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali dominating with strikes here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Master tries to buck Ali off but he can't manage it.
Master is working to get back to half guard.
Ali tries to control but Master wriggling away.
Ali pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Master takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Master is squirming around, avoiding Ali's attempts to control the action.
Ali lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Master hang on?
BOOM! Ali connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Master is in all sorts of trouble here.
Master is squirming around, avoiding Ali's attempts to control the action.
Master working to try and regain half guard.
Ali looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Master is trying desperately to improve position.
Ali dominating with strikes here.
Master is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ali breaks from Master's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Master working to try and regain half guard.
Ali avoids the attempt from Master to control.
Ali looking to control but Master is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ali will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ali putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Ali can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Master is looking to escape.
Ali cracks Master with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Ali cracks Master with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Master is desperately trying to improve his position but Ali has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali working Master over with strikes here.
Ali lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Master is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ali avoids the attempt from Master to control.
Ali lands with some strikes.
Master really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Ali is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Master can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Ali lands a big shot there that rocks Master but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Master tries to hold on but Ali postures up.
Master is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ali lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Ali looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Master can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cheikh Ali dominated that 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.

Master shoots in and bounces Ali off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Ali manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Master manages to get himself to full guard.

Master looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ali is one step ahead there.
Master pulls Ali in close to his closed guard and prevents Ali from doing any damage or advancing position.
Ali lands a couple of decent looking shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Master has Ali pulled in close to control his posture.
Master 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.
Ali scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ali trying to control but Master is working from the bottom.
Ali keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Master's head.
Ali throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Master works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ali passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Cheikh Ali overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Master parries the strikes from Ali easily there. Ali is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Master to escape.
Ali is putting a hurting on Master here, landing some big shots from side control.
Ali lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Ali lands a few punches from side control.
Ali landing strikes.
Ali cracks Master with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Master is trying to get back to half guard.
Master gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Ali is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Master has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Master tries to hold on but Ali pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands a heavy elbow.
Master is desperately trying to improve his position but Ali has a good base and remains in mount.
Master wants to control but Ali is having none of it.
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!
Ali trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ali lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Master is bucking up trying to escape but Ali cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Master takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Ali tries to control but Master wriggling away.
Master wants to hold on but Ali pushes him away.

Ali looking to secure an arm triangle but Master defends it well.
Ali looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Master hang on?

Ali with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Ali with good strikes from the mount here!

Ali has hold of Master's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Master manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Ali scoring with strikes but Master is staying in there.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Ali cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Master is looking to improve his position but Ali isn't that keen on the idea.
Ali landing strikes from the mount.
Master keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Ali breaks from Master's wrist control and lands an elbow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Master regains half guard.
Master is trying to get back to full guard.
Ali is trying to control. Master wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ali not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ali seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Master does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ali lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Master is looking for a sweep. Ali is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Master is refusing to be controlled, as Ali sits in half guard.
Master keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Master tries to get to full guard but Ali has control of the leg.
Ali thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cheikh Ali dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ali is looking to clinch but Master is avoiding it.

Master closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Ali moves into full guard.
Master must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ali pulls Master in close to his closed guard and prevents Master from doing any damage or advancing position.
Ali is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Master wants to improve his position but Ali is controlling well.
Ali is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Master is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Master trying to control but Ali postures up.
Ali is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Master keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Ali is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Master is looking to improve his position.
Master taking some punishment here, with Ali in his half guard.
Master tries to roll over but Ali keeps him under control.

Ali seems to be looking for submissions.
Master is staying active underneath Ali, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ali tries to pass the half guard into mount. Master knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ali not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Master is trying to get back to full guard.
Master avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ali.
Master is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Ali jumps into side control!
Master is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Ali is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Master taking shots to the head.
Master tries to reverse the position but Ali maintains control.
Ali with a couple of short strikes.
Ali landing shots from mount.
Ali looking to control and managing it successfully.
Master working to try and regain half guard.
Ali lands a nice shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ali landing strikes, looking to finish!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Master can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ali has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Master's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Master taking shots to the head.

Ali looking to secure an arm triangle but Master defends it well.
Ali is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Master can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Ali won't let Master get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Ali prevents Master from getting the reversal.
Ali looking to control but Master is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ali pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Master tries to lock up and control but Ali gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ali is landing with some decent strikes but Master is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Master squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Ali wants to finish this one by submission but Master is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Ali.
Master wants to control but Ali is having none of it.
Ali lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Ali putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ali with a couple of short strikes.
Ali trying to control but Master is having none of it.
Master is desperately trying to improve his position but Ali has a good base and remains in mount.
Master is still trying to improve position.
Ali lands a big shot there that rocks Master but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Ali fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Master is desperately trying to improve his position but Ali has a good base and remains in mount.
Ali trying to control but Master is having none of it.

Ali jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Master manages to avoid the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cheikh Ali showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ali, 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cheikh Ali!