PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Murtaz Vatsadze (ranked 474 p4p, 1358 weight class) and Ebubekir Siddik (ranked 74 p4p, 203 weight class). Vatsadze kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Guerilla Radio/ R.A.M.. Murtaz Vatsadze could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Ebubekir Siddik's chin.

Vatsadze
vs
Siddik

186 cm
29
202
17 - 8 - 0

184 cm
28
190
13 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Pound Town INC
Conquer

FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR

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 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Murtaz Vatsadze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Ebubekir Siddik!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vatsadze keeps the fight on the outside.
Siddik ducks under a wild hook from Vatsadze.
Siddik rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Vatsadze counters with a straight right hand.

Vatsadze closes the distance and pushes Siddik back into the cage.
Siddik wants to take the fight to the mat but Vatsadze manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Vatsadze wants to get back to striking at distance but Siddik won't allow it.
Vatsadze has had enough of the clinch but Siddik keeps him there for the moment.
Siddik is looking to take this one to the mat.
Siddik misses with a hook from the clinch.

Siddik gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Vatsadze regains guard.
Siddik working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Siddik is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Siddik looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Vatsadze holds on and takes a little breather.
Siddik passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siddik seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Vatsadze tries to get to full guard but Siddik has control of the leg.
Ground and pound from Siddik.
Vatsadze wants to control but Siddik is keeping busy.
Siddik sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Siddik prevents Vatsadze from improving his position.

That's two 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.
Vatsadze holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Vatsadze trying to control here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Siddik lands a nice short elbow.
Siddik thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Vatsadze wants to control but Siddik is keeping busy.
Siddik working over Vatsadze with some ground and pound. Vatsadze looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Siddik working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Vatsadze trying to control from the bottom.
Siddik scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Vatsadze tries to roll over but Siddik keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siddik lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Siddik prevents Vatsadze from improving his position.
Vatsadze is looking to control Siddik's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Vatsadze avoid being mounted?

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Siddik throws a hook to the side of Vatsadze's head but Vatsadze sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Vatsadze misses with a straight right.
Siddik with the counter takedown but Vatsadze avoids it easily.

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.
Siddik bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vatsadze lands with a straight right. Siddik didn't see that one coming.
Vatsadze swats away the attempt to clinch by Siddik.
Siddik slips a straight right by Vatsadze.
Siddik scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Siddik misses with a left hand
enabling Vatsadze to counter with a crisp jab.
Vatsadze doesn't manage to clinch there - Siddik circles away.
Siddik displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Vatsadze throws out the jab.
Siddik shoots in for a takedown but Vatsadze shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Murtaz Vatsadze has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ebubekir Siddik.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Siddik ducks under a wild hook from Vatsadze.
And Siddik tries to counter it with a takedown but Vatsadze pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Vatsadze swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vatsadze throws the left hand but Siddik avoids the punch easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Murtaz Vatsadze will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Vatsadze tries to break free but Siddik pushes him back against the cage.
Vatsadze is trying to push Siddik away but Siddik has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Vatsadze breaks from the clinch.
Siddik fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Vatsadze manages to avoid it.
Nice defenses there by Vatsadze.
Vatsadze appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Siddik fails to land the takedown.
Vatsadze is looking to clinch.
And Siddik tries to counter it with a takedown but Vatsadze pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Vatsadze throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Siddik sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Siddik slips under a jab from Vatsadze.
Siddik gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Vatsadze counters with a stiff right hand.
Siddik ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fighters circling - Siddik throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ebubekir Siddik seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siddik lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A jab from Vatsadze misses.
Vatsadze is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Vatsadze tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Siddik paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A jab from Siddik finds it's way through Vatsadze's defenses.
Vatsadze takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Siddik tries to close the distance and clinch but Vatsadze swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Siddik's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Vatsadze connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Siddik scrambles back to his feet.
Siddik uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Vatsadze.
Siddik shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Vatsadze pinned against the cage. Vatsadze gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A little feinted left hand from Vatsadze on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Murtaz Vatsadze has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ebubekir Siddik.
Siddik darts in looking for a takedown but Vatsadze gets double underhooks and turns Siddik into the cage.
Vatsadze was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Vatsadze stuffs the takedown attempt from Siddik. Siddik gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Siddik bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Siddik controls the position.
Vatsadze struggling a bit here.
Vatsadze avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Siddik.
Vatsadze tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Siddik wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Siddik fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Siddik working the body and head with strikes.
Siddik cracks Vatsadze with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siddik trying to control the action but Vatsadze is working from the bottom.
Vatsadze tries to bench press Siddik off him but Siddik keeps the position.
Vatsadze can't do much from the bottom here.
Vatsadze is looking for a sweep.
Siddik is putting a hurting on Vatsadze here, landing some big shots from side control.
Siddik has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
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.
Siddik fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Ebubekir Siddik has got the better of the ground game so far.
Siddik throws a strike aimed at the side of Vatsadze's head but Vatsadze avoids it well.
Siddik landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Siddik creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Siddik misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Siddik scores with punches from side control.
Siddik working the ground and pound.
Vatsadze is looking to reverse the position.
Siddik lands some shots froms side control.
Vatsadze is looking to reverse the position.
Vatsadze on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Siddik working the body and head with strikes.
Siddik cracks Vatsadze with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Siddik scoring with punches and elbows.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ebubekir Siddik showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Siddik connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Siddik throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Vatsadze counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Siddik shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Vatsadze as he avoids it easily.

Siddik has closed the distance and engaged Vatsadze in a clinch.

Vatsadze breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Siddik drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Vatsadze tries to buck Siddik off but Siddik is having none of it.
Siddik lands a nice forearm strike.
Vatsadze tries to improve position but can't.
Siddik connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Vatsadze some visible discomfort.
Vatsadze is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Siddik in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Vatsadze's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Siddik has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Siddik working the body and head with strikes.
Vatsadze takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Siddik working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Siddik controls the position.
Vatsadze trying his best to control but Siddik has mounted him.
Siddik landing punches.
Vatsadze is looking to improve his position but Siddik isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Siddik in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Siddik raining down shots from the mount!
Siddik raining down hammerfists from mount.
Vatsadze knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Siddik on the ground.
Vatsadze is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Siddik with a couple of short strikes.
Siddik tries to control but Vatsadze wriggling away.
Siddik has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Vatsadze's face.

Vatsadze is rocked!
Siddik is landing with some decent strikes but Vatsadze is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Oh Vatsadze is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Siddik working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siddik putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Siddik looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Vatsadze on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Vatsadze tries to get out of the position.
Siddik looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Vatsadze covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ebubekir Siddik!
A less than humble Ebubekir Siddik misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.
Murtaz Vatsadze was interviewed post fight and said 'Props to my opponent, you know me I'll go kick some ass and be right back challenging. '.