PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roman Vitali (ranked 3969 p4p, 3550 weight class) and Faarooq Rahim (ranked 421 p4p, 388 weight class). Vitali comes to the cage accompanied by ULKENDER - Machenskii. This should be a great matchup!

Vitali
vs
Rahim

180 cm
25
180
2 - 3 - 0

179 cm
25
172
2 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Roman Vitali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Faarooq Rahim!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Santiago Holmes and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vitali tries to clinch but Rahim moves out of range.
Vitali wants to clinch.
Vitali tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vitali uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rahim.
Rahim throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rahim misses with an uppercut.

Rahim decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rahim prevents Vitali from improving his position.
Vitali on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Vitali tries to get out of the position.
Rahim wants to control but Vitali is keeping him busy.
Vitali wants to improve his position but Rahim is controlling well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vitali keeps control of the position for the meantime.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rahim performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rahim prevents Vitali from improving his position.
Rahim trying to control the action but Vitali is working from the bottom.
Rahim looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Vitali wants to get back to full guard.
Vitali is doing well to control the position and prevent Rahim from advancing to side control.
Rahim is just content to waste time from the top position. Vitali takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Rahim trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Vitali keeping moving, preventing Rahim from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vitali looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rahim is one step ahead there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A swing and a miss from Rahim.
Rahim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vitali is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Vitali slips a straight right by Rahim.
Vitali tries to clinch up.
Rahim misses with a low kick.
Vitali moves away from the strike by Rahim.

Rahim fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Vitali to the ground. Rahim is now in Vitali's guard.
Rahim stopping the sweep attempt from Vitali.
Vitali bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rahim's guard.

Vitali postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rahim wants to sweep here but Vitali controlling him for the moment.
Vitali not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rahim has Vitali pulled in close to control his posture.
Vitali sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rahim's guard.
Vitali working the head and body with strikes.
Rahim is looking to improve his position.
Rahim is trying to maintain the position but Vitali is very close to passing his half guard.

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.
Rahim is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Vitali is staying active.
Rahim is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rahim wants to control but Vitali is keeping busy.
Rahim moves into full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rahim manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Vitali manages to get himself to full guard.

Rahim is fighting to break Vitali's control of his arms but Vitali is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Faarooq Rahim dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rahim looks to land a right hand but Vitali moved out of range.
Vitali moves out of range of the strikes.
Vitali doesn't manage to clinch there - Rahim circles away.
Rahim swats away the attempt to clinch by Vitali.
Vitali defending well as Rahim loads up on a big left hand.

Rahim drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Vitali is looking for a sweep.
Vitali is not content to let Rahim control the position.
Vitali can't do much from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rahim working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
You can see the frustration on Vitali's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vitali takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Vitali gets back to half guard.
Vitali is staying active underneath Rahim, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rahim has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vitali wants to get back to full guard.
Rahim is taking a breather. Vitali says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Vitali is controlling Rahim's trapped leg to prevent Rahim from advancing to side control.
Rahim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vitali keeps working.
Rahim looks to land a strike but Vitali avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rahim wants to pass the guard but Vitali is keeping the position.
Vitali managing to control the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rahim stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vitali swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Rahim throws out a loose jab but Vitali uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rahim circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rahim misses with a straight left.
Vitali slips under a jab from Rahim.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vitali tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Vitali tries to clinch up.
Rahim is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Roman Vitali is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vitali moves in looking to clinch but Rahim pushes him off.
Rahim throws a hook but Vitali blocks it.
Rahim throws a looping overhand right but Vitali ducks down to avoid it.
Vitali is looking to clinch but Rahim is avoiding it.
Rahim loads up on a big right hand but Vitali slips the punch.
Rahim throws the left hand but Vitali avoids the punch easily.
Vitali tries to clinch but Rahim is having none of it.
Rahim misses with an uppercut.

Rahim closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Vitali to the mat! Vitali manages to get full guard.
Rahim trying to control the position from guard on top but Vitali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rahim is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vitali is on top in guard.

Vitali pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rahim is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vitali looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rahim has control of Vitali's left arm, preventing Vitali from doing any damage.
Rahim looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Vitali is stalling in the full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Faarooq Rahim 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! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rahim swats away the attempt to clinch by Vitali.

Rahim feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rahim controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rahim trying to control but Vitali is working from the bottom.
Vitali is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vitali wants to sweep but no luck.
Rahim trying to control the position from guard on top but Vitali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Vitali controlling the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Rahim gets the takedown into side control.
Vitali sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Vitali is refusing to be controlled, as Rahim sits in half guard.
Vitali wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Vitali is looking to control Rahim's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Vitali avoid being mounted?
Vitali moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rahim's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Vitali pulls Rahim in close to prevent any damage.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Vitali tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Vitali is controlling Rahim's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vitali tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vitali moves in looking to clinch but Rahim pushes him off.
A nice inside leg kick there by Rahim. That's going to slow Vitali down.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rahim.
Vitali is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rahim off and has taken his back!
Rahim wants to escape the position.
Rahim is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Vitali avoiding Rahim 's attempts to control his hands.
Rahim turns into Vitali and is now in his guard.
Vitali is controlling Rahim's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vitali continues to stall.
Vitali preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rahim trying to control the position from guard on top but Vitali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vitali is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Roman Vitali has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vitali looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rahim is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Faarooq Rahim comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rahim has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Faarooq Rahim!