PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Saleh Hassan (ranked 23983 p4p, 615 weight class) and Nick Dual (ranked 23586 p4p, 621 weight class). Saleh Hassan had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 156.5lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. This should be a great matchup!

Hassan
vs
Dual

189 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

179 cm
21
160 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Saleh Hassan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nick Dual!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Matheus Silva and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hassan misses with a takedown attempt - Dual sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hassan goes for a double leg but Dual avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the ropes as Dual continues to drive forward.

Dual forces Hassan back against the ropes and clinches.
A short body shot lands from Dual as the two fighters clinch.
Dual lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Dual misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Dual.
Hassan has been working on his balance at BLACK PANTHER GYM 50$ only, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Dual.
Hassan avoiding damage as Dual throws knees to the body.
Dual is leaning against Hassan and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Hassan has Dual pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Dual manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Saleh Hassan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A shot in the inside from Dual.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short uppercut from Dual.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Dual throws an elbow but misses.
Dual misses with a short punch on the inside.
Dual lands a shoulder strike.
Hassan fails to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dual lands an uppercut.
Dual lands a damaging elbow.
Hassan is looking for a takedown.
Hassan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Dual leaning against his opponent.
Hassan tries for a takedown. No joy.
Dual pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Dual tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Dual tries to land a knee to the head but Hassan blocks with his arms.
Hassan looking to stall.
Dual blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dual misses with a knee to the head.
Hassan is trying to pull guard but Dual has him pressed against the ropes.
Hassan has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Dual after a bit of a struggle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hassan goes for a takedown attempt but Dual pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Dual takes the fight into the clinch.
Dual lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hassan backwards.
Hassan trying to stall but Dual improves his position.
Dual tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Dual scores with a nice hook to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hassan blocking some punches.
Dual lands a left hand.
Dual lands with a right to the head.
Hassan is trying to drag Dual to the mat but Dual just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Dual is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hassan trying to control the position but instead, Dual has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hassan into the ropes.
Dual tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hassan fails to pull guard.
Dual softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Dual lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hassan backwards.
Dual lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Hassan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Hassan darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Dual can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hassan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dual keeps working.
Dual tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Hassan has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dual is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hassan avoids the attempt from Dual to control.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hassan unloads with some shots from mount but Dual bucks and avoids them well.
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!
Hassan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Dual dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Dual moves into the clinch successfully.

Hassan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hassan circles away from the clinch attempt.

Hassan takes the fight into the clinch.
Dual is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hassan is keeping busy.
Hassan is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Dual gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Dual misses with an elbow over the top.
Hassan blocking some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hassan jumps guard but Dual stands there with Hassan around his waist. Hassan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Hassan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dual is looking to clinch.
Hassan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hassan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Dual is fending him off so far but Hassan persists. Nope, Dual circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Saleh Hassan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hassan throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Dual closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Dual swings wildly with an uppercut but Hassan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dual lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hassan backwards.
Dual trying to stall but Hassan improves his position.
Dual looking to stall.
Dual missing with knees to the body.
Dual lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Dual's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Dual with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Dual looking to throw knees to the head but Hassan is blocking nicely.
Dual fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Hassan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Dual pulls his leg out and moves away.

Dual has Hassan up against the ropes in a clinch.
Dual has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dual with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dual lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hassan backwards.
Hassan blocking some punches.
Hassan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dual just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Dual tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hassan avoids it.
Hassan managing to block the knees to the body from Dual.
Dual lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hassan backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dual misses with a body punch.
Dual lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dual is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hassan is defending well for now.
The referee calls for Hassan to work.
Hassan is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hassan is trying to pull guard but Dual has him pressed against the ropes.
The referee calls for Dual to work.
Dual has a couple of punches blocked by Hassan.
Hassan fails to pull guard.
Hassan with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short left from Dual.

Hassan pulls Dual into guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hassan holds on and takes a little breather.
Dual postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hassan keeping full guard, as Dual tries to pass.
Hassan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Dual trying to control but Hassan is working from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hassan trying to keep a closed guard but Dual is proving a slippery customer.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hassan looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Dual showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Dual moves in looking to clinch but Hassan pushes him off.
Hassan tries to score a power double leg takedown but Dual sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hassan somewhat.
Dual closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hassan counters with a nice body shot.

Dual instigates a clinch.
Dual softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Hassan tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hassan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hassan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Dual gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nick Dual seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Dual is trying to maintain a safe position but Hassan gets an underhook and turns Dual into the ropes.
Hassan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Saleh Hassan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hassan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Dual walks away with a smile on his face. Hassan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hassan rushes Dual and presses him up against the ropes.
Dual lands a left hand.
Dual makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Dual lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hassan backwards.
Dual lands a body shot.
Dual landing knees to the head.
Hassan tries to pull guard but Dual forces him back to his feet, against the ropes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dual is looking to control Hassan's arms but Hassan gets an underhook and turns him. Now Dual has his back to the ropes.

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

Dual clinches up against the ropes.
Hassan avoiding damage as Dual throws knees to the body.
Hassan managing to block the knees to the body from Dual.
Dual misses with a short punch on the inside.
Dual stalls.
Dual stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Dual.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dual creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Dual tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hassan changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Dual fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Dual gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Dual doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dual lands with a light punch inside.
Hassan fails to pull guard.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hassan.
Dual lands with a short shot to the head.
Dual lands a nice uppercut.
Hassan is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Dual is keeping busy.
Dual with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dual lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hassan backwards.
Dual tries to stall but Hassan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Dual doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hassan blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Hassan pulls Dual into guard.
Dual looking to pass the guard.
Hassan controlling Dual's posture.

Hassan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dual defends well.
Dual must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dual is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Dual tries to free his leg and advance position but Hassan is retaining full guard.
Hassan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dual manages to get himself to full guard.

Hassan working some strikes from top position.
Saleh Hassan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nick Dual is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dual trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Dual comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Dual winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight for Nick Dual!
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight for Nick Dual!
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Nick Dual!

Nick Dual wins by unanimous decision!
Our winner, Nick Dual, 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.