PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gilmar Alves (ranked 3863 p4p, 4562 weight class) and Muhammad Zulfikar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Alves
vs
Zulfikar

170 cm
25
145
1 - 0 - 0

163 cm
25
155
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gilmar Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Muhammad Zulfikar!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Sandra Marshall and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zulfikar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Zulfikar looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Alves!

Alves explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Zulfikar throws a series of punches but Alves avoids them all with ease.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch but Zulfikar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
No luck for Zulfikar with that takedown attempt.
Zulfikar takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zulfikar tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Alves swivels and escapes.
Alves drops down looking for a counter takedown but Zulfikar sprawls and moves away.
Alves has his takedown stuffed

and Zulfikar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Zulfikar.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zulfikar decides to pull guard.
Zulfikar trying to control the position.

Zulfikar looking for a guillotine here but Alves defends easily.
Zulfikar keeping moving, preventing Alves from controlling successfully.
Zulfikar is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

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.
Zulfikar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alves trying to control the position from guard on top but Zulfikar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zulfikar pulls Alves in close to his closed guard and prevents Alves from doing any damage or advancing position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Zulfikar misses with a straight right.
Alves displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Zulfikar.
Gilmar Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Muhammad Zulfikar.
Zulfikar stuffs the takedown attempt from Alves. Alves gets slowly back to his feet.
Despite the aggression on Zulfikar's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zulfikar fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zulfikar throws a head kick but Alves moves out of range.
Alves goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Alves darts in and clinches Zulfikar up against the cage.
Alves is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Zulfikar manages to pull guard.
Zulfikar is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zulfikar can do anything to dispel that myth.
Alves preventing the sweep.

Alves gets to his feet. Zulfikar looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Alves fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zulfikar misses with a straight left.
Alves shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Zulfikar counters with a takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zulfikar working the head and body with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Alves's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Alves is not content to let Zulfikar control the position.
Zulfikar is working Alves over with some ground and pound from side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Muhammad Zulfikar will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Alves tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Zulfikar defends well and Alves ends up having to push Zulfikar into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Alves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Alves as Zulfikar shoots in.
As Zulfikar looks to move away, Alves throws a big counter combo but Zulfikar just gets out of the way.

Zulfikar rushes Alves and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Alves is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Zulfikar to keep the fight standing.

Zulfikar breaks from the clinch.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch but Zulfikar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zulfikar tries to score a power double leg takedown but Alves sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Zulfikar somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zulfikar fails to land the takedown.
Gilmar Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Muhammad Zulfikar.
Alves lands a right hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zulfikar pinned against the cage. Zulfikar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Zulfikar throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Alves throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zulfikar's waist but Zulfikar gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Alves off to one side.
Alves is looking to clinch but Zulfikar is avoiding it.
Alves is looking to clinch.
Zulfikar takes a kick to the side of the head.
Zulfikar shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Alves as he avoids it easily.

Zulfikar has managed to clinch.
Alves wants a takedown.
Zulfikar is trying to pull guard but Alves has him pressed against the cage.
Zulfikar goes for a takedown attempt but Alves pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Zulfikar is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zulfikar shoots in and drives through. Alves sprawls well.
Alves tries to clinch there but Zulfikar circles away.
Zulfikar shoots in for a double leg but Alves sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gilmar Alves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alves tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Zulfikar defends well and Alves ends up having to push Zulfikar into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Alves drops down looking for an ankle pick but Zulfikar pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gilmar Alves is winning the standup battle so far.
Alves lands a head shot.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Zulfikar.
Zulfikar dives in and grabs Alves's left leg, looking for a takedown. Alves pushes down on Zulfikar's head and hops out.
Alves tries to counter by clinching up but Zulfikar breaks away and moves out of range.
Zulfikar takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Alves looks to land a combination. Zulfikar sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gilmar Alves is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Alves clinches up against the cage.

Alves's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zulfikar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Alves.
Zulfikar flicks out a counter leg kick but Alves steps away.

Zulfikar drives through with a takedown into guard.

Alves is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Zulfikar presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Alves is trying to break the clinch but Zulfikar is controlling him.
Zulfikar is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Alves to keep the fight standing.

Alves breaks the clinch.
Alves tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zulfikar tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alves feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Zulfikar on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Alves scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Alves tries to clinch but Zulfikar moves out of range.
Zulfikar throws a body kick that misses.
Alves stuffs the takedown attempt from Zulfikar. Zulfikar gets slowly back to his feet.
Alves tries to clinch up.
Alves is looking to clinch but Zulfikar is avoiding it.
Alves fails with a takedown attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gilmar Alves dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Zulfikar throws a head kick that misses.
Alves fails with the takedown.
Alves lands with a right hand.
Alves throws a leg kick that misses.
Zulfikar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zulfikar misses with a few strikes there.
Alves connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zulfikar drives through with a takedown into Alves's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Alves is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alves looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zulfikar is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zulfikar lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Zulfikar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Alves is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Alves is working hard here to advance position.
Zulfikar wants to pass the guard but Alves is keeping the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Alves trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two 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.
Alves scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Zulfikar doesn't seem bothered though.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Zulfikar.
Alves shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zulfikar pinned against the cage. Zulfikar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Zulfikar shoots in and bounces Alves off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alves has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Zulfikar off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Alves tries to clinch there but Zulfikar circles away.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zulfikar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alves fails to land with a series of punches.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Zulfikar.
Zulfikar lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Alves down.
Alves is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alves pushes Zulfikar away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Zulfikar gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Zulfikar is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Zulfikar wants to stand but Alves is controlling his arm.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alves is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Muhammad Zulfikar.
I think Zulfikar 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 David Hoff scores the fight 29:29
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Gilmar Alves!