PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Arod Doyea (ranked 925 p4p, 115 weight class) and Malik Ali (ranked 1556 p4p, 182 weight class). Doyea comes to the cage accompanied by Doc Holiday - Volbeat. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Doyea
vs
Ali

166 cm
29
165 lbs
13 - 11 - 0

176 cm
31
163 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Sportivité

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 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Arod Doyea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Malik Ali !
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Gregory Folan and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ali moves into the clinch.
Doyea blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Doyea jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ali walks away with a smile on his face. Doyea gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Doyea tries to clinch but Ali moves out of range.

Ali clinches with his opponent.
Doyea throws a punch but it's blocked by Ali .
A short left from Doyea.
Doyea working aggressively here.
A head punch on the inside from Doyea fails to land.
Doyea jumps guard but Ali turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ali leaning against his opponent.
Doyea blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Doyea pulls guard successfully.

Doyea throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ali is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Doyea has his foot on Ali 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ali works his way back into a safe position though.
Ali wants to get up but he can't break Doyea's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ali not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ali wants to stand but Doyea is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ali stopping the sweep attempt from Doyea.
Ali wants to stand but Doyea has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Doyea is looking for a triangle but Ali pushes his legs off easily.

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.

Doyea is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Doyea looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ali has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Doyea is proving hard to escape from.
Ali is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Ali controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Doyea is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Ali trying to control the position from guard on top but Doyea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ali dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ali plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Arod Doyea has been cut.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ali .
Arod Doyea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Doyea is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Doyea moves into the clinch successfully.
Doyea lands with a short shot to the head.
Doyea tries to pull guard but Ali forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arod Doyea. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Doyea tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

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

Ali changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Doyea looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Doyea keeps working.
Doyea is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ali asserts his dominance and retains side control.
We've been hearing good reports from Doyea's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Doyea is trying to control Ali 's posture but Ali avoids it.
You can see the frustration on Doyea's face as Ali controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ali decides to stand back up. Ali steps back and let's Doyea get back to his feet.

Ali gets a clinch.
Doyea misses with some punches.
Doyea jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ali walks away with a smile on his face. Doyea gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Doyea fails with an attempt to clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ali lands with a straight right. Doyea didn't see that one coming.
Doyea tries to clinch but Ali is having none of it.
Ali keeps the fight on the outside.
Ali misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ali on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Doyea takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Doyea wants to clinch up but Ali keeps it at a distance.

Doyea closes the distance and pushes Ali back into the cage.
Doyea tries to pull guard but Ali holds him up against the cage and eventually Doyea drops back down to his feet.
Doyea misses with the head strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malik Ali dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Arod Doyea's cut.
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.

Doyea tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ali paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Doyea closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ali counters with a straight right hand.
Arod Doyea is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ali avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Doyea tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ali manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Doyea tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ali paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ali keeps the fight on the outside.

Ali has Doyea up against the cage in a clinch.
Doyea softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Doyea lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Doyea decides to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ali is looking to stand up but Doyea won't let him.

Doyea is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ali defends well.
Ali showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Doyea looking for a guillotine here but Ali defends easily.
Ali would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Doyea is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Ali presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Doyea lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Doyea.
Doyea jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ali walks away with a smile on his face. Doyea gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ali tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Doyea was well out of range. Poor timing from Ali .
Ali scores with a hook.
Arod Doyea is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Doyea tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ali swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali thuds his right hand into Doyea's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Doyea has Ali up against the cage in a clinch.
Ali blocking some punches.

Doyea jumps guard and drags Ali to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
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!
Ali controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Ali in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Arod Doyea overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Doyea looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ali is one step ahead there.

Doyea had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ali defends it easily.
Doyea can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ali controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doyea is trying to keep Ali in close.

Doyea looking for a guillotine here but Ali defends easily.
Doyea being controlled here, momentarily.

Doyea looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ali throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ali trying to control but Doyea is working from the bottom.
Ali passes Doyea's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

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.
Doyea wants to control but Ali is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Doyea keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Doyea is refusing to be controlled, as Ali sits in half guard.
Doyea wants to stand back up but Ali manages to pass into side control.
Ali wants to stand but Doyea is controlling his arm.
Doyea is trying to get back to half guard.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Doyea keeps working.
Doyea being controlled for a moment.
Doyea wants to control but Ali postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Arod Doyea will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Arod Doyea's cut.
That's time! Doyea's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Doyea tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ali manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Ali closes the distance and pushes Doyea back into the cage.
Ali is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Doyea is trying to pull guard but Ali turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Doyea slowing the pace effectively.
Doyea tries to pull guard but Ali won't allow it.

Doyea drags the fight down to the ground.
Ali wants to stand but Doyea is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ali 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.

Doyea is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ali is aware though and is defending well.
Ali works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Doyea scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Ali manages to mount him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali controlling the position easily from mount.
Doyea is squirming around, avoiding Ali 's attempts to control the action.
Ali content just to control the position here.
Doyea tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ali tries to control but Doyea wriggling away.
Doyea is desperately trying to improve his position but Ali has a good base and remains in mount.
Ali takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ali trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali controlling his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Doyea really wants to buck Ali off and get back to his feet.
Ali controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali looking to control but Doyea is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Doyea can't escape the position.
Ali sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Doyea is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Doyea is working to get back to half guard.
Ali trying to control but Doyea is having none of it.
Ali controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Ali has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Doyea tries to hold on but Ali postures up.
Ali sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ali wants to control the pace but Doyea is squirming around nicely.
Doyea sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ali is controlling the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malik Ali comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ali 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malik Ali !
Our winner, Malik Ali , 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.