PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jahangir Al Rahim (ranked 4689 p4p, 4581 weight class) and Bryant Gumbel (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.

Al Rahim
vs
Gumbel

195 cm
20
175
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
20
165
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jahangir Al Rahim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bryant Gumbel!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Fujiwara and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Rahim has his takedown stuffed
and Gumbel counters with a straight right hand.
Al Rahim fails with a takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gumbel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jahangir Al Rahim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Al Rahim throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gumbel's waist but Gumbel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Al Rahim off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jahangir Al Rahim. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gumbel has closed the distance and engaged Al Rahim in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Gumbel is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Al Rahim really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Gumbel is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Rahim is trying to push Gumbel away but Gumbel has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Gumbel wants to stall.
Al Rahim can't break the clinch.

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

Gumbel gets caught flat footed, as Al Rahim shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Al Rahim is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Al Rahim is pushing down on Gumbel's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gumbel is fighting to maintain full guard but Al Rahim has managed to sneak the leg through.
Al Rahim slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Rahim has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Al Rahim is working for a submission of some sort.
Gumbel is trying to stand up here but Al Rahim is controlling him well.
Al Rahim seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Al Rahim lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Rahim sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Al Rahim is pressing down on Gumbel's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gumbel is holding on for now.
Al Rahim sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Al Rahim seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gumbel for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Gumbel wants to stand back up but Al Rahim manages to pass into side control.

Al Rahim tries for a kimura but Gumbel is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gumbel trying to remain calm as Al Rahim controls from the top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jahangir Al Rahim dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gumbel tries to clinch up but Al Rahim circles away and keeps his distance.

Al Rahim takes the fight into the clinch.
Gumbel presses Al Rahim against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Gumbel breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Al Rahim fails with the takedown.
Gumbel swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gumbel tries to clinch but Al Rahim moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gumbel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Gumbel closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gumbel is trying to stall.
Al Rahim is working for takedown but Gumbel is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gumbel has Al Rahim pressed against the cage, preventing Al Rahim from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gumbel misses with a punch to the body.
Al Rahim jumps guard but Gumbel turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jahangir Al Rahim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gumbel crunches a lovely knee into Al Rahim's ribcage.
Gumbel is trying to maintain a safe position but Al Rahim gets an underhook and turns Gumbel into the cage.
Al Rahim jumps guard but Gumbel turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Al Rahim wants a takedown but no success here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Al Rahim is trying to push Gumbel away but Gumbel has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Gumbel is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Al Rahim is keeping busy.
Al Rahim stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Gumbel is looking to control Al Rahim's arms but Al Rahim gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gumbel has his back to the cage.
Gumbel trying to control the position but instead, Al Rahim has worked for underhooks and has pushed Gumbel into the cage.
Gumbel blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Rahim is looking for a takedown.

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

Gumbel moves into the clinch.

Al Rahim ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Al Rahim no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Al Rahim will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Al Rahim throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Gumbel has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Al Rahim is proving hard to escape from.
Gumbel is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Al Rahim trying to control the position here.
Al Rahim keeping moving, preventing Gumbel from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Rahim bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gumbel's guard.

Al Rahim stops Gumbel from standing up.
Al Rahim is stalling in the full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gumbel pushes Al Rahim off and gets back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bryant Gumbel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gumbel feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Al Rahims jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Gumbel wants to clinch.
Al Rahim lands with an overhand left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Rahim misses with a double jab.

Al Rahim tries to keep at a distance but Gumbel has taken the fight into the clinch.
Al Rahim tries to score a body lock takedown but Gumbel shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good body shot from Gumbel.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Gumbel missing with knees to the body.
Al Rahim can't get the takedown.
Al Rahim stalling the fight.

Al Rahim pulls guard successfully.
Al Rahim on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Al Rahim tries to get out of the position.
Gumbel has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Al Rahim is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Al Rahim working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gumbel doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gumbel manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gumbel wants to stand but Al Rahim is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gumbel wants to stand and escape but instead Al Rahim has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Al Rahim stops Gumbel from standing up.
Al Rahim stays in close to Gumbel's body and controls the position.
Al Rahim prevents Gumbel from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Rahim's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gumbel keeping full guard, as Al Rahim tries to pass.
Gumbel wants to stand up but Al Rahim is controlling him.
Al Rahim is stalling in the full guard.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Al Rahim.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gumbel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gumbel moves in looking to clinch but Al Rahim pushes him off.
Gumbel throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Bryant Gumbel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice body kick from Gumbel.
Gumbel tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jahangir Al Rahim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gumbel slaps away a takedown attempt from Al Rahim, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jahangir Al Rahim. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Al Rahim moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jahangir Al Rahim.
I think Al Rahim has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Jahangir Al Rahim!
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Jahangir Al Rahim!
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Bryant Gumbel!

Jahangir Al Rahim wins by split decision!