PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Cengiz Toprak (ranked 4242 p4p, 0 weight class) and Magomedrasul Hasbullaev (ranked 3354 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Toprak
vs
Hasbullaev

177 cm
25
155 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

178 cm
25
155 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cengiz Toprak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Magomedrasul Hasbullaev!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hasbullaev looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Toprak is looking to counter punch.
Toprak closes the distance and clinches up with Hasbullaev, looking for a takedown. Toprak pushes Hasbullaev against the cage but Hasbullaev circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hasbullaev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Toprak makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Toprak clinches up against the cage.
Toprak is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hasbullaev is defending well.

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

Toprak changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hasbullaev looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Hasbullaev wants to control but Toprak postures up.
Hasbullaev looking for a sweep but Toprak has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Hasbullaev wants to control but Toprak is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toprak can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hasbullaev is looking to escape.
Toprak controlling from the full mount.
Hasbullaev regains half guard.
Hasbullaev controlling the position well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Toprak tries to pass to full mount but Hasbullaev defends it.
Hasbullaev is trying to control but Toprak passes into side control!
Toprak wants to stand but Hasbullaev is controlling his arm.

Toprak thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hasbullaev is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toprak trying to control the action but Hasbullaev is working from the bottom.
Hasbullaev is looking for a sweep.
An elbow from Toprak crashes against the mat.
Hasbullaev struggling a bit here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hasbullaev.
Toprak throws a quick counter head kick but Hasbullaev was just out of range.

Hasbullaev closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hasbullaev lands in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hasbullaev working some strikes from top position.

Toprak looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hasbullaev's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Toprak looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hasbullaev passes into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice strikes from Hasbullaev there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cengiz Toprak dominated that round.
That's time! Toprak's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hasbullaev tries to bum rush Toprak with a series of wild strikes but Toprak uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Toprak is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Hasbullaev.
Toprak fails with a takedown attempt.

Toprak gets a takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hasbullaev can do anything to dispel that myth.
Toprak throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toprak prevents Hasbullaev from standing back up.
Toprak wants to stand up but Hasbullaev has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Toprak seems to be working for a kimura but Hasbullaev defends the submission attempt.
Hasbullaev is positioning himself well to prevent Toprak advancing to mount.
Hasbullaev gets full guard.

Hasbullaev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Toprak doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Toprak manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Toprak tries to free his leg and advance position but Hasbullaev is retaining full guard.

That's two 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.

Toprak got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hasbullaev has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Toprak has managed to get both his arms back between Hasbullaev's legs - danger averted.
Toprak throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Toprak's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Toprak seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Hasbullaev for as long as he can get away with.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Toprak wants to control from the top but Hasbullaev keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Hasbullaev blocks a head kick by Toprak.
Hasbullaev tries to clinch there but Toprak circles away.
Hasbullaev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Toprak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hasbullaev punishes Toprak's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hasbullaev lands a right hook to the body.
Hasbullaev goes for a double leg but Toprak avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Toprak continues to drive forward.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hasbullaev.
Toprak throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hasbullaev's waist but Hasbullaev gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Toprak off to one side.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Toprak wants to clinch.

Toprak gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Toprak shoots in and bounces Hasbullaev off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Toprak throwing strikes but missing.
Toprak pushing down on Hasbullaev's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Hasbullaev is trying to stand back up but Toprak is controlling him
Toprak slows the pace down in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Toprak is looking to take a break and control but Hasbullaev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cengiz Toprak dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hasbullaev tries for a takedown but Toprak circles away easily
and Toprak counters with a good low kick that Hasbullaev was not able to check.
Hasbullaev with a jab.

Hasbullaev shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Toprak manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Toprak controlling the position.
Toprak working a defensive guard here.
Toprak working a defensive guard but Hasbullaev manages to pass into side control anyway.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toprak controls the position for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toprak is trying to control Hasbullaev's posture but Hasbullaev avoids it.
Hasbullaev has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Toprak!
Toprak is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hasbullaev blocks Toprak's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Hasbullaev trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Toprak tries to hold on but Hasbullaev pushes him away.
Hasbullaev takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hasbullaev is looking to stand but Toprak has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Hasbullaev controlling the pace for now.
Toprak is working to get back to half guard.
Hasbullaev controlling from the full mount.
Magomedrasul Hasbullaev has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toprak tries to hold on but Hasbullaev pushes him away.
Hasbullaev trying to control but Toprak is having none of it.
Hasbullaev is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Toprak tries to reverse the position but Hasbullaev maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hasbullaev controlling his opponent.

Hasbullaev looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Hasbullaev tries to control but Toprak wriggling away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Toprak gets back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Magomedrasul Hasbullaev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Toprak 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cengiz Toprak!