PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tajik Stewart (ranked 4206 p4p, 3613 weight class) and Xla Noman (ranked 427 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Stewart
vs
Noman

185 cm
19
195
0 - 0 - 0

199 cm
25
185
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tajik Stewart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Xla Noman!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Anthony Taglia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stewart fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Noman avoids it really well and circles away.
Noman is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Stewart clinches up with Noman and pushes him back against the cage.
Noman slowing the pace effectively.
Noman stalls.

Noman escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stewart is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Noman doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Stewart tries to clinch but Noman is having none of it.
Stewart misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Noman dives in and scores a takedown into Stewart's guard.
Stewart is pulling down on Noman's head. It's preventing any offense from Noman, at least for the moment.
Stewart is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Noman is controlling him.
Noman controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Stewart might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Noman passes into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Stewart won't allow Noman to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stewart trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Noman is controlling the pace.
Noman frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Stewart is trying desperately to improve position.
Stewart is squirming around, avoiding Noman's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noman content just to control the position here.
Stewart is trying desperately to improve position.
Noman controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Noman has hold of Stewart's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Stewart manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Noman looking for a guillotine from mount but Stewart is having none of it.
Noman avoids the attempt from Stewart to control.
Noman postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Stewart looks a forlorn figure.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Noman working the ground and pound effectively.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Xla Noman dominated that 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.

Noman tries for a takedown but Stewart circles away easily
and Stewart counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Noman is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Noman is trying hard to land a takedown here. Stewart sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Noman shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Stewart's guard.
Noman sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stewart knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Noman on the ground.
Noman scoring with punches to the head and body.
Stewart is pulling down on Noman's head to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stewart is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Stewart keeping moving, preventing Noman from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stewart looking to hit a scissor sweep but Noman is one step ahead there.
Noman is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Noman is stalling in the full guard.
Stewart keeping moving, preventing Noman from controlling successfully.
Noman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stewart is keeping the position for now.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stewart changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Noman tries to avoid it but Stewart manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Noman to the ground. Noman escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Noman stuffs the takedown attempt from Stewart. Stewart gets slowly back to his feet.
Noman wants to counter the offense by Stewart and move into the clinch position.
Noman shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Stewart as he avoids it easily.
Tajik Stewart has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xla Noman.
Stewart throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Noman counters with a nice double leg into side control. Stewart won't be happy with that.
Stewart wants to control but Noman postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Noman cracks Stewart with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Noman tries to stand but Stewart is controlling his head.
Noman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stewart keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noman happy to just control the position for now.
Noman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stewart keeps working.

Stewart is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Noman's leg. Oh but that's left an opportunity for Noman! He's got an arm triangle... it looks tight! He's rotating and Stewart has tapped! This one is allllll over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Xla Noman!