PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Ariyanayakam (ranked 4406 p4p, 4610 weight class) and Oba Ziyad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ariyanayakam
vs
Ziyad

165 cm
20
180
0 - 0 - 0

197 cm
23
220
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thomas Ariyanayakam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Oba Ziyad!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown attempt by Ariyanayakam or perhaps it was just good defense by Ziyad, which made it look bad.
Ariyanayakam throws a head kick that misses.
Ziyad tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Ariyanayakam fails with the takedown.
Ziyad with the counter takedown but Ariyanayakam avoids it easily.
Ziyad misses with a head kick.
Ariyanayakam fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Ariyanayakam. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ziyad shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Ariyanayakam is trying to defend but Ziyad finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, if Ziyad 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.
Ariyanayakam is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ariyanayakam taking some punishment here, with Ziyad in his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ziyad looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ariyanayakam with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ziyad scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ariyanayakam is looking to escape.
Ziyad working Ariyanayakam over with strikes.

It looks like Thomas Ariyanayakam has been cut.
Ziyad is nestled in close to Ariyanayakam, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ziyad has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ground and pound from Ziyad.
Ariyanayakam trying to control but Ziyad postures up.
Ariyanayakam is breathing heavily.
Ziyad working over Ariyanayakam with some ground and pound. Ariyanayakam looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Ariyanayakam is rocked!
Ziyad scores with a big shot! Ariyanayakam's head bounced off the canvas with a huge thud! More strikes land and the referee has jumped in to save Ariyanayakam! He was hurt real bad - good stoppage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Oba Ziyad!
After winning the bout, Oba Ziyad thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.