PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chitavake Cheetah (ranked 4212 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rasheed Al Malik (ranked 25166 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cheetah
vs
Al Malik

167 cm
25
157 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

177 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chitavake Cheetah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rasheed Al Malik!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Eddie Farnsworth and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Malik shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cheetah sprawls well. Cheetah wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Al Malik gets slowly back to his feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Al Malik. Cheetah does a little dance to reset his feet.

Cheetah clinches.

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

Cheetah gets a clinch.
Al Malik is trying to pull guard but Cheetah has him pressed against the cage.
Cheetah taking a breather.
Cheetah throws an elbow but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cheetah escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cheetah lands a high kick!

It looks like Rasheed Al Malik has been cut.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Al Malik.
Chitavake Cheetah has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rasheed Al Malik.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cheetah stuffs the takedown.
Cheetah ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
No luck for Cheetah with that takedown attempt.
Cheetah walks into a stiff left hand from Al Malik.
Al Malik shoots in and drives through. Cheetah sprawls well.

Cheetah takes the fight into the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Cheetah tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Al Malik smiles and moves away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Al Malik.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cheetah has managed to clinch.

Cheetah breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Al Malik throws a head kick but Cheetah moves out of range.
Al Malik stuffs the takedown.
Cheetah fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Cheetah rushes Al Malik and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Al Malik pulls Cheetah into guard.
Al Malik controls Cheetah momentarily but Cheetah frees himself.
Cheetah wants to get up but he can't break Al Malik's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Al Malik working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Malik might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Cheetah haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Cheetah content to stall in guard here.
Cheetah has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cheetah's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's four 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cheetah goes for a double leg but Al Malik avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Al Malik continues to drive forward.
Al Malik tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Al Malik scores with a body shot.
Al Malik tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Al Malik shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cheetah but Cheetah pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Al Malik looks for the body kick but Cheetah saw that one coming.
Al Malik tries for a takedown but Cheetah circles away easily

and Cheetah counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cheetah.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Al Malik gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cheetah.
Al Malik missing with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chitavake Cheetah dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rasheed Al Malik's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cheetah fails to land the takedown.
Cheetah buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Al Malik shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cheetah defends it nicely.
Cheetah fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cheetah is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Al Malik can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Al Malik.

Cheetah has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Malik gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cheetah.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cheetah gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Al Malik has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Cheetah has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Cheetah tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Al Malik avoids it.
Al Malik is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Al Malik wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cheetah prevents Al Malik from breaking the clinch.
Cheetah stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cheetah has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Al Malik avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chitavake Cheetah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cheetah is pressed up against the cage. Al Malik has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cheetah down to the mat. Cheetah avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Al Malik is defended easily by Cheetah.
Cheetah is looking to counter the offense by Al Malik and move into the clinch.
Cheetah shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Al Malik defends it nicely.
Cheetah swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Al Malik shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cheetah as he avoids it easily.
Al Malik misses with a few strikes there.
Al Malik fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cheetah avoids it really well and circles away.
Al Malik is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cheetah stuffs the takedown.
Al Malik stuffs the takedown.
Cheetah will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Al Malik throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cheetah drops down looking for a counter takedown but Al Malik sprawls and moves away.
Cheetah fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Al Malik avoids it really well and circles away.
Al Malik tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cheetah swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Al Malik fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cheetah throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

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

Cheetah jumps guard.
Al Malik trying to control but Cheetah is working from the bottom.
Al Malik trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Al Malik decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chitavake Cheetah dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rasheed Al Malik's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Al Malik throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cheetah's waist but Cheetah gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Al Malik off to one side.
Cheetah tries to counter with a takedown but Al Malik is quick to defend against it.
Al Malik throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Al Malik.

Cheetah instigates a clinch.
Al Malik wants to take the fight to the mat but Cheetah manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Cheetah pulls guard effortlessly.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cheetah has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Al Malik can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Cheetah pushes Al Malik off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Chitavake Cheetah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cheetah rushes Al Malik and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Malik stalling in the clinch but Cheetah improves position.

Al Malik manages to pull guard.
Al Malik takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Al Malik looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Al Malik is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cheetah showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

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.
Al Malik wants to sweep here but Cheetah controlling him for the moment.
Cheetah would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Al Malik is trying to keep Cheetah in close.
Al Malik lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Cheetah is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Al Malik is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cheetah looking to hit a scissor sweep but Al Malik is one step ahead there.
Al Malik tries to free his leg and advance position but Cheetah is retaining full guard.
Al Malik trying to control but Cheetah is working from the bottom.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cheetah throws a nice outside leg kick.

Cheetah moves into the clinch successfully.
Al Malik jumps guard but Cheetah turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Chitavake Cheetah has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rasheed Al Malik.
Cheetah lands with a short shot to the head.

Cheetah breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Al Malik looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Al Malik has a takedown stuffed.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Al Malik sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Rasheed Al Malik has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chitavake Cheetah is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cheetah has a takedown stuffed.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chitavake Cheetah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cheetah has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chitavake Cheetah!