PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antony Duke (ranked 8009 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mahali Jasuli (ranked 5672 p4p, 0 weight class). Antony Duke has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Duke
vs
Jasuli

179 cm
24
279 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
24
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antony Duke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mahali Jasuli!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Both fighters circling a little - Jasuli finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

Jasuli clinches with his opponent.
Jasuli is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Duke to keep the fight standing.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Duke takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Jasuli is trying to force a seperation but Duke has the dominant position.
Jasuli goes for a takedown attempt but Duke pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jasuli gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Duke counters with a nice body shot.
Antony Duke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mahali Jasuli.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jasuli has his takedown stuffed
and Duke counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Jasuli thinking.
Duke drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

It looks like Antony Duke has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jasuli catches Duke with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Jasuli lands a body shot.

Jasuli shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Duke manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Jasuli wants to control from the top but Duke keeps moving.
Duke has Jasuli pulled in close to control his posture.
Duke looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jasuli trying to control but Duke is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jasuli looking to sit in guard and control but Duke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Jasuli keeping moving, preventing Duke from controlling successfully.
Jasuli has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Duke has passed into side control.
Jasuli is looking to reverse the position.
Duke really is a fat lump.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke is looking to take a break and control but Jasuli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Duke controlling the position from side mount.
Jasuli tries to bench press Duke off him but Duke keeps the position.
Duke just content to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Jasuli is looking for a sweep.
Duke throws a strike aimed at the side of Jasuli's head but Jasuli avoids it well.
Jasuli is not content to let Duke control the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Jasuli takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Duke is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Jasuli knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Duke is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Jasuli is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mahali Jasuli will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Antony Duke's cut.
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.

Jasuli clinches with his opponent.
Duke blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Duke obliges.

Duke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Duke gets tackled into the cage by Jasuli. Jasuli maintains the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A frustrated look appears on Duke's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Jasuli taking a breather.
Jasuli tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke looking for a takedown.
Duke tries to pull guard but Jasuli holds him up against the cage and eventually Duke drops back down to his feet.
Duke is trying to break the clinch but Jasuli has him pressed against the cage.
Jasuli working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Jasuli is trying to pull guard but Duke turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Jasuli has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Duke wants to break free but Jasuli has control.

Duke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jasuli gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Duke counters by clinching up.
Antony Duke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mahali Jasuli.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jasuli tries to pull guard but Duke won't allow it.
Nice body punch from Jasuli - that landed with a thud.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Jasuli gets control of Duke's arms and successfully pulls guard. Jasuli will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Duke postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Jasuli is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Duke, into his guard.

Jasuli gets to his feet. Duke looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Jasuli with a lazy takedown attempt
and Duke counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke moves in looking to clinch but Jasuli pushes him off.
Jasuli lands with a shot to the body.
Jasuli shoots in for a double leg but Duke sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Jasuli clinches up against the cage.
Jasuli has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jasuli can't get the takedown.
Jasuli wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Jasuli. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Jasuli has Duke pressed against the cage, preventing Duke from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Duke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jasuli defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Duke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jasuli bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Duke is not content to let Jasuli control the position.
Jasuli taking a break here but Duke is having none of it and regains half guard.
Jasuli thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mahali Jasuli showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Antony Duke's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Jasuli moves into range and clinches up with Duke.

Duke pulls guard successfully.

Jasuli gets to his feet. Duke looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Jasuli connects with a single shot there.
Jasuli jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Duke stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Duke wants it to stay on the feet.

Jasuli closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jasuli tries to pull guard but Duke forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Duke tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jasuli just stands there and leans against the cage.

Jasuli's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jasuli cracks Duke with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Jasuli looks to score with a jab to the body but Duke is just out of range.

Jasuli rushes Duke and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Duke wants to break free but Jasuli has control.
Jasuli wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Duke lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Jasuli flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mahali Jasuli has got the better of the ground game so far.
Duke is thwarting Jasuli's attempts to control the position.

Duke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke slips a nice elbow through Jasuli's hands, connecting with Jasuli's forehead.
Jasuli is looking to control Duke's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jasuli avoid being mounted?

Jasuli looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Jasuli is looking to control Duke's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jasuli avoid being mounted?
Duke is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Jasuli manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Duke won't allow Jasuli to sweep him here.
Duke controls from within his opponent's guard.

Duke avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Duke has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Jasuli takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four 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.
Duke stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jasuli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jasuli looking to control.
Duke preventing the sweep.
Jasuli is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Jasuli trying to control the action but Duke is working from the bottom.
Antony Duke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mahali Jasuli is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jasuli tries to stand and escape but Duke is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mahali Jasuli comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Jasuli has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mahali Jasuli!