PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Cage (ranked 3019 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mamed Khalidov (ranked 2606 p4p, 0 weight class). Cage comes to the cage accompanied by Walk - Pantera. The crowd seem to be enjoying Khalidov's choice of entrance music: Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up. Mamed Khalidov told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Cage
vs
Khalidov

190 cm
36
270 lbs
26 - 10 - 0

206 cm
32
241 lbs
12 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 26 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny Cage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mamed Khalidov!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Cage. No joy for Khalidov on that attempt.
Khalidov has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Khalidov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Khalidov throwing strikes but missing.
Khalidov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cage keeping moving, preventing Khalidov from controlling successfully.
Khalidov is pushing down on Cage's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cage is fighting to maintain full guard but Khalidov has managed to sneak the leg through.
Khalidov trying to control from half guard but Cage is working away.
Khalidov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cage blocking the ground and pound attempt from Khalidov.
Khalidov working Cage over with strikes.
Cage won't allow Khalidov to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage blocking the ground and pound attempt from Khalidov.
Cage wants to get back to full guard.
Khalidov wants to take a breather but Cage is having none of it.
Khalidov stalling.
Khalidov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cage keeps working.
Khalidov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cage's head.
Khalidov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Khalidov wants to take a breather but Cage is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Khalidov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cage swivels and escapes.
Cage fires out a quick counter leg kick but Khalidov just manages to avoid it.

Khalidov feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Khalidov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Cage's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalidov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Cage is trying is best to control the position here.
Cage won't allow Khalidov to pass to mount.
Cage keeping hold of Khalidov's head, controlling as best he can.
Khalidov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Khalidov moves nicely into side control.
Khalidov looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Cage is avoiding damage well.
Khalidov postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cage dodges the ground and pound from Khalidov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cage is trying to control Khalidov's posture but Khalidov avoids it.
Khalidov tries to move to mount but Cage blocks the move with his legs.
Cage struggling a bit here.
Khalidov wants to control but Cage is keeping him busy.
Cage takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Khalidov looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Cage is avoiding damage well.
Khalidov takes a little break here. Cage wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Khalidov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cage keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Khalidov is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cage knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Cage is trying to improve his position.
Cage wants to get back to his feet but Khalidov drags him back down.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cage misses with a hook.

Khalidov shoots in and bounces Cage off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Cage kicks Khalidov off and gets to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mamed Khalidov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cage stuffs the takedown attempt from Khalidov. Khalidov gets slowly back to his feet.
Cage connects with a nice looking jab.
Khalidov walks into a left hand.
Khalidov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cage but Cage pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Khalidov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cage quickly recovers to half guard.
Khalidov keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Khalidov is just content to waste time from the top position. Cage takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Cage managing to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Khalidov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage pulls Khalidov in to control the position.
Khalidov controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Khalidov passes Cage's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Khalidov controlling the action here.
Khalidov is trying to control the action in half guard but Cage is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Khalidov is looking for a kimura but Cage is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Khalidov to get the leverage.
Khalidov is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Khalidov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cage might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cage tries to get to full guard but Khalidov has control of the leg.
Khalidov wants to control but Cage is keeping him busy.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Khalidov. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Cage keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Khalidov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Khalidov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Khalidov lands in his opponent's guard.
Khalidov tries to free his leg and advance position but Cage is retaining full guard.
Khalidov trying to move into half guard but instead Cage has managed to sweep!

Khalidov is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Khalidov is on top in guard.

Khalidov trying to control but Cage is working from the bottom.
Cage is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Khalidov trying to control the position from guard on top but Cage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Khalidov sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cage has control of Khalidov's left arm, preventing Khalidov from doing any damage.
Khalidov wants to control from the top but Cage keeps moving.
Khalidov forces his way into half guard.
Cage is not content to let Khalidov control the position.
Khalidov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
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 Johnny Cage 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. This is the final round!

Khalidov moves out of range of the leg kick from Cage.

Cage has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Khalidov is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Cage is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Cage breaks from the clinch.
Cage loads up on a big right hand but Khalidov slips the punch.
Cage throws a right and a left that both miss.
Khalidov shoots in looking for a takedown. Cage tries to sprawl out of it but Khalidov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cage manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
It looked like Cage wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cage throws a low kick, looking for Khalidov's leg but Khalidov calmly moves out of range.

Cage gets caught napping as Khalidov dives in and scores a takedown. Cage manages to retain guard.
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!
Khalidov wants to control from the top but Cage keeps moving.
Mamed Khalidov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Khalidov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cage is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage is looking to stand up but Khalidov isn't so interested in that idea.
Khalidov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Khalidov trying to control the position from guard on top but Cage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Khalidov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cage is looking to stand up but Khalidov isn't so interested in that idea.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cage tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Khalidov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mamed Khalidov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Khalidov shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cage manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Cage is looking to stand back up but Khalidov counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Cage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cage blocking the ground and pound attempt from Khalidov.
Cage keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Khalidov throwing shots but Cage is blocking nicely.
Cage is not content to let Khalidov control the position.
Khalidov is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Khalidov stands and throws Cage's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cage on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Khalidov lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cage down.
Khalidov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Cage!
Khalidov throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Khalidov punching from mount but Cage doing a good job of avoiding damage.
BOOM! Khalidov connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Cage tries to lock up and control but Khalidov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cage is squirming around, avoiding Khalidov's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cage wants to control but Khalidov is having none of it.
Khalidov lands a big elbow.
Cage takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Khalidov trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Khalidov throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Khalidov trying to control but Cage is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mamed Khalidov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Khalidov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mamed Khalidov!
Mamed Khalidov seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.