PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Axmed Abdullah (ranked 1529 p4p, 2079 weight class) and Tokoni Soaki (ranked 190 p4p, 250 weight class). Soaki has chosen Le Manu - Shepherds Reign as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Abdullah
vs
Soaki

182 cm
26
238
11 - 4 - 0

204 cm
31
290
13 - 12 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Axmed Abdullah !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Tokoni Soaki!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Abdullah connects with a body shot that sends Soaki's belly button to the back.
Abdullah swings for the body but Soaki moves out of range.
Soaki rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Abdullah moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Abdullah showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Soaki.
Abdullah ducks under a wild hook from Soaki.
Soaki steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Abdullah .
Soaki misses with a takedown attempt
and Abdullah counters with a one-two to the body.

Abdullah gets a clinch.

Soaki is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Abdullah can't fight it off and eventually Soaki manages to take the fight to the floor. Abdullah looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Soaki is looking to advance position but Abdullah has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdullah throwing strikes here but Soaki is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Soaki wants to hold on but Abdullah pushes him away.
Abdullah lands a nice shot to the head.
Abdullah is landing with some decent strikes but Soaki is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Soaki is looking to get to half guard.
Abdullah is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Abdullah throws a sloppy strike and Soaki uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Soaki has ended up in Abdullah 's guard.
Abdullah has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soaki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Abdullah manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Soaki manages to get himself to full guard.

Soaki managing to control the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Abdullah is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Abdullah is looking to work some ground and pound but Soaki has wrist control.
Abdullah lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Abdullah looking to sit in guard and control but Soaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Soaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Abdullah is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Soaki might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Abdullah haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soaki wants to pass the guard but Abdullah is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soaki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Soaki looking to pass the guard.
Abdullah has his hands on Soaki's head, controlling the position.
Abdullah wants to sweep here but Soaki controlling him for the moment.
Soaki sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Soaki trying to control but Abdullah is working from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Soaki seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Soaki wants to slow Abdullah down by chopping away at his legs.
Soaki swings for the body but Abdullah moves out of range.
It looked like Abdullah was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Abdullah throws a body punch but Soaki moves out of range.

Soaki 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.
Soaki content to stall in guard here.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah keeping moving, preventing Soaki from controlling successfully.
Abdullah keeping full guard, as Soaki tries to pass.
Abdullah pulls Soaki in close to his closed guard and prevents Soaki from doing any damage or advancing position.
Soaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Abdullah might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Soaki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Soaki prevents Abdullah from improving his position.
Soaki with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Soaki trying to mount his opponent but Abdullah defends it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Abdullah swings widly with a right hand
letting Soaki counter with a right hand.
Nice defenses there by Abdullah .
Soaki keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Abdullah .
Abdullah ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Soaki lands with an overhand left.

Abdullah forces Soaki back against the cage and clinches.
Soaki wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Abdullah has him pressed against the cage.
Abdullah tries to stall but Soaki uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Abdullah breaks from the clinch.
Tokoni Soaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Soaki catches Abdullah with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Soaki misses with a wild body shot.
Abdullah changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Soaki lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Abdullah circles away quickly and effectively.
A counter left hand to the body from Abdullah misses its target.
Soaki throws a body punch but Abdullah moves out of range.
Soaki misses with a leg kick.
Abdullah uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Soaki.

Soaki looking to score a takedown here. Abdullah is defending well but Soaki drives through and ends up in Abdullah 's guard.
Abdullah is pulling down on Soaki's head. It's preventing any offense from Soaki, at least for the moment.
Soaki wants to control from the top but Abdullah keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tokoni Soaki will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Abdullah closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Soaki's guard.
Abdullah trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Soaki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Soaki is trying to keep Abdullah in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soaki looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Abdullah throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Abdullah uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Soaki.
Soaki swings away with a body shot that misses
and Abdullah counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Tokoni Soaki has been cut.
Soaki swings widly with a right hand
and Soaki takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Abdullah swats away the attempt to clinch by Soaki.
Soaki throws a hook to the side of Abdullah 's head but Abdullah sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Tokoni Soaki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Soaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Soaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Abdullah .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soaki misses with a left hand
and Abdullah counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Abdullah instigates a clinch.

Soaki manages to break the clinch.
Soaki loads up on a big right hand but Abdullah slips the punch.
Soaki throws an off balance right hand
and Abdullah counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Soaki tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Abdullah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Abdullah uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Soaki.
Abdullah pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Soaki moves out of range as Abdullah strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Abdullah misses.
A jab lands there for Abdullah .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soaki fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Abdullah looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Abdullah shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Soaki defends it nicely.

Abdullah darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Soaki is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah wants to take a breather but Soaki is having none of it.
Soaki is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Soaki manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Abdullah lands a couple of digs.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Abdullah here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Abdullah sitting in guard here, content to control.
Soaki is trying to hold Abdullah in close to prevent damage but Abdullah has managed to pass into half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Soaki moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
We've been hearing that Abdullah has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Abdullah works over Soaki with some ground and pound from guard.
Axmed Abdullah overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Soaki wants to sweep but no luck.
Abdullah with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Abdullah landing some decent shots from guard.
Soaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Abdullah is one step ahead there.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah trying to control but Soaki is working from the bottom.
Abdullah throws a strike but Soaki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Abdullah can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Soaki controls the pace.
Abdullah 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.
Soaki looking to pass the guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Abdullah holds on and takes a little breather.
Soaki is stalling in the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Soaki is looking to clinch.
A clash of legs there as Abdullah blocks the low kick.
Soaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Abdullah .
Abdullah changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Soaki shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Abdullah as he jumps to the side.
Soaki is breathing heavily.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Soaki changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Abdullah tries to avoid it but Soaki manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Abdullah to the ground. Abdullah escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Soaki takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That has opened up Tokoni Soaki's cut even more.
Abdullah drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Abdullah checks a low kick from Soaki.

Abdullah clinches up with Soaki and pushes him back against the cage.
A short right from Abdullah on the inside.
Abdullah scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Abdullah tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Abdullah digs a right hand underneath Soaki's ribcage. Soaki let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Abdullah turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Soaki looking for a sweep but Abdullah has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Abdullah with the ground and pound from mount.

Soaki is rocked!

The cut above Tokoni Soaki's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Abdullah lands a big shot to the head and Soaki winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Axmed Abdullah !
Our winner, Axmed Abdullah , made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
The defeated Tokoni Soaki had this to say: 'Thank you to my opponent and all the fans, my coaches and sponsors. And to everyone in my division, Teke lava tauolunga mo au? (Do you wanna Dance with me?)'.