PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Malek Mohammed (ranked 1685 p4p, 225 weight class) and Kai Rossiter (ranked 6937 p4p, 595 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mohammed
vs
Rossiter

189 cm
23
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

176 cm
23
174 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Malek Mohammed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kai Rossiter!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Daniel Bishop and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rossiter gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mohammed tries to circle away but Rossiter has him pinned against the cage.

Rossiter ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rossiter no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Mohammed tries to stand but Rossiter is controlling from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mohammed controlling from the top position.
Rossiter seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rossiter looking for a sweep. Not yet Rossiter, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mohammed is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mohammed is fighting to break Rossiter's control of his arms but Rossiter is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Mohammed misses with a two punch combination.

Rossiter clinches with his opponent.
Rossiter dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Rossiter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mohammed gets caught napping as Rossiter dives in and scores a takedown. Mohammed manages to retain guard.
Mohammed can't keep his opponent in guard - Rossiter advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Mohammed avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rossiter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mohammed won't allow Rossiter to pass to mount.
Mohammed's coaches at Touch Of Death Combat Academy have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Rossiter is taking a breather. Mohammed says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Rossiter stands up from half guard.

Rossiter closes the distance and clinches.
Mohammed looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rossiter drags the fight down to the ground.
Rossiter is pulling down on Mohammed's head to control his posture.
Rossiter wants to stand but Mohammed is controlling the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mohammed wants to stand and escape but instead Rossiter has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Rossiter stands up from Mohammed's guard - Rossiter perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mohammed throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mohammed misses with a few strikes there.
Mohammed wants to clinch

and Rossiter counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rossiter throwing strikes from guard but Mohammed blocks nicely.
Rossiter sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mohammed 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 crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rossiter passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kai Rossiter dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mohammed on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Mohammed misses with the combination.
Mohammed fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mohammed throws out a powerful jab.
Mohammed is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rossiter is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Rossiter rushes Mohammed and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mohammed is trying to break the clinch but Rossiter is controlling him.
Rossiter lands on the inside with an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rossiter has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mohammed uses from the top position.
Rossiter keeping moving, preventing Mohammed from controlling successfully.
Mohammed wants to stand but Rossiter has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mohammed stands and throws Rossiter's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Rossiter manages to get back to half guard.
Rossiter trying to control here.
Mohammed is keen to just control but Rossiter is a slippery customer.

Rossiter looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mohammed wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rossiter is looking to improve his position.

Rossiter is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mohammed pulls his head out easily.
Rossiter is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mohammed tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Rossiter.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mohammed misses with a wild combination.
Rossiter lands a nice looking kick to the body. Mohammed takes a step back to recover.
Mohammed will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Rossiter shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Mohammed is trying to defend but Rossiter finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rossiter seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossiter is thwarting Mohammed's attempts to control the position.
Rossiter thows a huge punch but Mohammed dodges it nicely.
Rossiter is looking to advance position but Mohammed won't allow it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mohammed wants to control the action here but instead Rossiter manages to pass to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kai Rossiter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rossiter drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Rossiter drops back, looking for a kneebar! Mohammed looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Mohammed looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Mohammed!

Rossiter is looking to reverse the position.
Mohammed advances to mount.
Mohammed wants to get back to his feet but Rossiter is holding on tight.
Rossiter has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mohammed stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Mohammed moves in looking to clinch but Rossiter pushes him off.

Rossiter closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mohammed is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mohammed throws a punch but it's blocked by Rossiter.
Mohammed is trying to break free.
Mohammed has had enough of the clinch but Rossiter keeps him there for the moment.
Mohammed is trying to force a seperation but Rossiter has the dominant position.
Mohammed looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Mohammed creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rossiter misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mohammed.

Rossiter breaks the clinch.
Rossiter pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Mohammed gets a clinch.

Rossiter breaks from the clinch.
A combination from Mohammed does no damage.
Mohammed tries to clinch but Rossiter moves out of range.

Mohammed gets tackled into the cage by Rossiter. Rossiter maintains the clinch.
Mohammed wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rossiter has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mohammed wants to break the clinch but can't.

Rossiter has Mohammed pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rossiter pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Mohammed tumbling to the mat - Rossiter dives into Mohammed's guard.

Rossiter stands up and waves to Mohammed to follow him.
Mohammed looks to land a combination but Rossiter avoids it well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Rossiter has Mohammed up against the cage in a clinch.
Mohammed is trying to push Rossiter away but Rossiter has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Mohammed tries to circle away but Rossiter has him pinned against the cage.
Rossiter lands a nice uppercut.
Mohammed has had enough of the clinch but Rossiter keeps him there for the moment.
Mohammed is trying to push Rossiter away but Rossiter has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Mohammed scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossiter blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mohammed throws a head punch that misses.

Rossiter tightens his grip and picks Mohammed up, before dumping him to the ground. Mohammed manages to land in guard.
Rossiter is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rossiter throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mohammed works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rossiter is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mohammed not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rossiter stands and steps away. Mohammed gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mohammed looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mohammed fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mohammed looks to land a combination but Rossiter avoids it well.
No joy there for Mohammed, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mohammed tries to clinch up.
Rossiter slips a jab and a cross from Mohammed.
Mohammed tries to bum rush Rossiter with a series of wild strikes but Rossiter uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mohammed swinging wildly here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mohammed misses with a series of wild punches.
Malek Mohammed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kai Rossiter is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Rossiter closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kai Rossiter.
I've got Rossiter 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 James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kai Rossiter!
A very excited looking Kai Rossiter made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.