PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Doyle Buckley (ranked 5325 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ismael Habib (ranked 5024 p4p, 0 weight class). Doyle Buckley has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Buckley
vs
Habib

186 cm
19
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Doyle Buckley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ismael Habib!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Habib tries to score with a low kick but Buckley moves his leg out of the way.
Buckley on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Habib shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Habib was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Buckley wants to get back to his feet.
Habib throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Buckley is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Habib is controlling him well.
Buckley sneaks back into half guard.

Buckley actively working from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buckley tries to kick Habib off but Habib keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Habib content to control rather than advance.
Habib is trying to control. Buckley wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckley wants to get back to his feet.
Habib perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Habib postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Buckley to stand up.

Habib 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.
Habib stays in close to Buckley's body and controls the position.
Buckley pulls Habib in close to his closed guard and prevents Habib from doing any damage or advancing position.
Buckley trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Buckley wants to stand but Habib is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Habib throws a big elbow that misses.
Habib looking to pass the guard.
Habib stops Buckley from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Habib shoots in and gets a takedown into Buckley's guard.

Buckley has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Habib has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Habib stalling the fight.
Habib has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Habib tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Habib manages to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckley tries to stand but Habib is controlling from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Habib wants to stand and escape but Buckley is having none of it.
Buckley wants to stand but Habib is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Buckley avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Buckley wanted to stand there but Habib had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Buckley sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Habib tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Buckley paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Habib shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Habib prevents Buckley from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ismael Habib dominated that 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.

Habib attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Buckley closes the distance and clinches.
Buckley has Habib pressed against the cage.
Buckley has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Buckley tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Habib's elbow.

Habib has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Buckley is trying to keep an underhook but Habib manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Buckley is trying to stand up here but Habib is controlling him well.
Habib throwing shots but Buckley is blocking nicely.
Habib throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Habib is trying to control the action in half guard but Buckley is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Buckley is trying to stand back up but Habib is controlling him

Buckley has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Habib is on him like a limpet, forcing Buckley back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Habib gets control of Buckley's arms and successfully pulls guard. Habib will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Buckley is looking to work some ground and pound but Habib has wrist control.
Buckley wants to stand but Habib has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Habib looking to hit a scissor sweep but Buckley is one step ahead there.
Habib is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Habib is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

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.
Buckley would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Buckley stands up from Habib's guard - Buckley perhaps looking for a knockout.
Habib wants to clinch up but Buckley keeps it at a distance.
A head kick misses from Buckley.

Habib closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Habib is breathing heavily.
Buckley looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Habib throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Habib prevents Buckley from standing back up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Habib closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Buckley has one foot on Habib's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Doyle Buckley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Habib tries to keep at a distance but Buckley has taken the fight into the clinch.

Buckley breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Habib closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Buckley's guard.
Buckley pulls Habib in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Buckley working a defensive guard here.
Buckley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Habib's guard.

Buckley stands up from Habib's guard - Buckley perhaps looking for a knockout.
Habib doesn't manage to clinch there - Buckley circles away.
Habib is looking to clinch.

Habib bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Doyle Buckley dominated that second round.
That's time! Buckley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Habib shoots in and gets a takedown into Buckley's guard.
Buckley is trying to keep Habib in close.
Buckley is looking to stand up but Habib isn't so interested in that idea.
Buckley is pulling down on Habib's head. It's preventing any offense from Habib, at least for the moment.
Habib must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buckley is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Habib is controlling him.
Buckley doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Ismael Habib has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Habib trying to control the position from guard on top but Buckley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick by Habib misses
and Buckley counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Buckley fails to land with a series of punches.

Habib gets a takedown into half guard.
Habib takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Habib tries to stand and escape but Buckley is controlling the position.
Buckley wants to get back to his feet.
Buckley tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Habib manages to move to mount!
Buckley squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Habib tries to control but Buckley wriggling away.
Buckley is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Buckley tries to hold on but Habib pushes him away.
Buckley is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Habib trying to control but Buckley is having none of it.
Habib throws some wild stikes that Buckley manages to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Habib has control of Buckley's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Buckley regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Habib avoids the attempt from Buckley to control.
Buckley trying desperately to get to his feet.
Buckley tries to buck Habib off but Habib takes his back!
Buckley trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Habib is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Buckley is trying to get back to his feet but Habib has full control of the position and if anything, Buckley has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Habib manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Habib not allowing Buckley to control his hands.
Buckley is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Habib is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Even with his hooks in, Habib manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Buckley is trying to get back to his feet but Habib has full control of the position and if anything, Buckley has just worked his way into a worse spot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ismael Habib comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Habib 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ismael Habib!