PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Naghi Mamoli (ranked 5050 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Banner (ranked 5647 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruce Banner is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Mamoli
vs
Banner

190 cm
21
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Naghi Mamoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bruce Banner!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Banner gets a clinch.

Mamoli gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Banner regains guard.
Mamoli stays in close to Banner's body and controls the position.
Mamoli really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Banner is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mamoli wants to stand but Banner is controlling his posture from full guard.
Banner being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mamoli avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mamoli trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Banner has a closed guard, preventing Mamoli from standing up.
Banner will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mamoli slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Banner wants to sweep but no luck.
Mamoli is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Mamoli wants to get up but he can't break Banner's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Banner dives in for a single leg takedown but Mamoli sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A little feinted left hand from Mamoli on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Mamoli has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mamoli keeps the fight on the outside.
Mamoli is looking to counter the offense by Banner and move into the clinch.
Banner fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner is looking to clinch but Mamoli is avoiding it.
Mamoli throws a big counter combination but Banner scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Mamoli throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Banner was covering up waiting for the punch and Mamoli finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Mamoli not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mamoli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Banner swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Banner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mamoli is one step ahead there.
Mamoli landing with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mamoli prevents Banner from getting back to his feet.
Mamoli engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Banner wants to control but Mamoli passes easily into half guard.
Banner tries to kick Mamoli off but Mamoli keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mamoli wants to pass to mount but Banner is defending the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Naghi Mamoli dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Mamoli closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Banner to the mat! Banner manages to get full guard.
Banner is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mamoli would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Naghi Mamoli overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Banner wants to sweep but no luck.
Mamoli stops Banner from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mamoli would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mamoli controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mamoli prevents Banner from getting back to his feet.
Mamoli tries to free his leg and advance position but Banner is retaining full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Mamoli drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Banner wants to sweep here but Mamoli controlling him for the moment.
Mamoli is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mamoli seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Banner for as long as he can get away with.
Mamoli is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
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.
Mamoli sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Banner 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mamoli defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Banner.
Banner tries to clinch up.
Mamoli takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mamoli is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Banner's half guard.
Banner manages to get to full guard.
Mamoli trying to control but Banner is working from the bottom.

Banner is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Banner is breathing heavily.
Mamoli works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mamoli stalling.
Banner is trying to get back to full guard.
Mamoli wants to stand up but Banner is controlling the position.
Mamoli working over Banner with some ground and pound. Banner looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mamoli tries to pass to full mount but Banner defends it.
Banner wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Naghi Mamoli dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Mamoli throws a right and a left that both miss.
A head kick misses from Mamoli.
Banner shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mamoli as he avoids it easily.

Banner takes the fight into the clinch.

Mamoli gets control of Banner's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mamoli will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banner wants to pass the guard but Mamoli is keeping the position.

Mamoli isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Banner stacks Mamoli on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Banner!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mamoli seems a little lost for a moment, as Banner dominates the positioning.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banner is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mamoli has escaped the position, nice work there.
Banner advances nicely into full mount.
Mamoli tries to hold on but Banner pushes him away.
Mamoli is trying desperately to improve position.
Banner avoids the attempt from Mamoli to control.
Mamoli working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mamoli on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mamoli tries to get out of the position.
Mamoli tries to hold on but Banner pushes him away.
Mamoli is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mamoli tries to hold on but Banner postures up.
Poor strikes thrown by Banner there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Mamoli regains half guard.

Mamoli looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner trying to control from half guard but Mamoli is working away.
Banner trying to control the pace.

Banner is working for a kimura but Mamoli is defending it quite comfortably.
Banner has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Poor strikes thrown by Banner there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Mamoli knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Banner on the ground.
Banner avoids the attempt from Mamoli to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Banner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mamoli is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Banner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mamoli 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Naghi Mamoli!
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight for Naghi Mamoli!
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight for Naghi Mamoli!

Naghi Mamoli wins by unanimous decision!