PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Bird (ranked 928 p4p, 124 weight class) and Abed Nadir (ranked 1406 p4p, 173 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Nadir's choice of entrance music: Paul Hertzog - Fight to survive. 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.

Bird
vs
Nadir

170 cm
22
195 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

183 cm
22
195 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Condemned

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jake Bird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abed Nadir!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Ben Watson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nadir lands a jab to Bird's midsection.
Nadir misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bird has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Zero Tolerance in the buildup to the fight.
Nadir displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bird throws out the jab.
Nadir lands a nice shot to the body.
Nadir throws a sloppy head kick
and Bird connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nadir throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Bird counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bird.

Nadir manages to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head kick by Nadir misses

and Bird counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bird.
Bird controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bird slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bird takes a little break here. Nadir wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Bird has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Bird wants to control for a moment but Nadir uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

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.
Bird sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Nadir wants to get back to his feet.
Bird is taking a breather. Nadir 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.
Bird tries to pass to full mount but Nadir defends it.
Bird perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nadir throws a lazy head kick

and Bird counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Nadir preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Bird wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nadir keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Still in half guard, Bird seems content to control.
Nadir is in trouble now - Bird has advanced to mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nadir tries to lock up and control but Bird gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Nadir slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Bird in particular looking to stall.
Nadir looks like he's trying to stand up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Well, if Bird is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nadir stuffs the takedown.
Nadir lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bird circles away quickly and effectively.
Nadir misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bird appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Nadir throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bird displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nadir throws out the jab.
Bird scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Bird slips under a jab.
Nadir misses with a straight right.
Bird slips under a jab from Nadir.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nadir misses with a double jab
enabling Bird to counter with a crisp jab.
Nadir explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nadir looks to throw a body kick

and Bird counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nadir won't be happy with that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nadir manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Bird is trying is best to control the position here.
Bird trying to control but Nadir postures up.
Bird tries to get to full guard but Nadir has control of the leg.
Bird trying to hold on to Nadir's head to control him but Nadir postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Nadir in particular looking to stall.

Bird is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nadir pulls his head out easily.
Bird is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Nadir wants to take a breather but Bird is having none of it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Nadir has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bird tries to hold on but Nadir pushes him away.

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.
Nadir tries to stand up but Bird had a hold of his arm and he's managed to perform a nice reversal, into half guard.
Bird is trying to control the action in half guard but Nadir is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Bird seems to be looking for submissions.
Bird with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nadir gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abed Nadir showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Nadir is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Bird avoids the head kick by Nadir.
Bird half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Nadir misses with a straight left.
Nadir pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bird tries to counter with a takedown but Nadir is quick to defend against it.

Bird shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nadir manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Nadir scrambles and gets back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nadir throws a series of strikes that have Bird backpedaling.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bird avoids the head kick by Nadir.
Nice uppercut lands for Nadir. That snapped Bird's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Nadir misses.
Abed Nadir is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bird throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nadir lands a jab to the nose.
Bird fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nadir looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Nadir throws a series of punches but Bird avoids them all with ease.
Nadir uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nadir fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bird manages to avoid it.
Nadir looks to land a left hand but Bird moved out of range nicely.
Nadir throws a right hand that Bird ducks under and follows up with a left that Bird also avoids with ease.
Nadir has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bird throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Nadir stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nadir throws a head kick but Bird moves out of range.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Nadir.
Bird looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nadir misses with a head kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nadir misses with a head kick.
Bird drops down looking for a counter takedown but Nadir sprawls and moves away.
Nadir throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Bird counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Nadir takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nadir is looking to stand back up but Bird counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Nadir.
Bird is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Nadir trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nadir is looking for a sweep. Bird is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nadir is looking to control Bird's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nadir avoid being mounted?
Bird wants to pass the guard but Nadir is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Bird trying to control from half guard but Nadir is working away.

Bird is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nadir has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nadir tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Bird has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Nadir is trying to stand up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abed Nadir comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Nadir 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abed Nadir!
Abed Nadir decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.