PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Zayden Ahmad (ranked 1079 p4p, 1273 weight class) and Jae Woon Ki (ranked 96 p4p, 112 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ahmad
vs
Ki

173 cm
25
155
10 - 8 - 1

178 cm
24
153
6 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

Conquest Nutrition™ (160Q) $97

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 10 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zayden Ahmad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Jae Woon Ki!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Donald Grub and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ahmad lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A big right from Ki misses.
It looked like Ahmad wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Nice cross by Ahmad.
Ahmad misses the jab.
Ahmad scores with a jab to the jaw.
A jab from Ahmad finds it's way through Ki's defenses.
Ahmad throws a body kick that misses
and Ki counters with a stiff right hand.
Ki moves out of range of the strikes.
Ki counters with a body kick.
Ki slips a straight right by Ahmad.
Ahmad misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahmad throws a lazy uppercut
and Ahmad takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ahmad falls off balance throwing a combination
and Ki connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ahmad misses with a lunging right hand
and Ki makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Ahmad as he connects with a hook.
Ki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Ahmad clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ki tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ahmad just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ahmad struggles to land a body shot inside as Ki controls his hands.

Ki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ahmad throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
It looks like Ahmad has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Ahmad scores with a jab to the jaw.
Zayden Ahmad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ahmad throws a hook but Ki blocks it.

Ahmad moves into range and clinches up with Ki.

Ahmad drags the fight down to the ground.
Ki wants to control from the top but Ahmad keeps moving.
Ki stands and throws Ahmad's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ahmad seems a little lost for a moment, as Ki dominates the positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ki tries to advance to mount but can't.

Ki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ahmad knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ki wants to control but Ahmad is keeping him busy.
Ki has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Ahmad!
Ki trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ahmad regains half guard.
Ki is trying to control. Ahmad wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Ki is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ahmad sees it coming and defends easily.

Ki is working for a kimura but Ahmad is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ahmad is trying to control but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zayden Ahmad dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ahmad paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ahmad throws a right hand that misses
and Ki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ahmad blocks a jab.
Ahmad misses with an uppercut
and Ki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ahmad displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ki throws out the jab.
Ki throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ahmad clinches up with Ki and pushes him back against the cage.
Ahmad has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Ahmad scores with a shot to the side of Ki's head.
Ahmad tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ki wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ahmad misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ki blocks an uppercut.
Ahmad swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ahmad jumps guard but Ki stands there with Ahmad around his waist. Ahmad gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Ki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ahmad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ki manages to avoid it.
Ki takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ahmad throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ki bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ahmad looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahmad connects with a jab.
Ahmad swings widly with a right hand
and Ahmad takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ki takes one to the chin there.
Ahmad misses with a body shot.
Ki doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Ahmad misses the jab.
Ki is looking for the big counter here.
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!
Ahmad scores with a jab to the head.
Ahmad paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ahmad lands with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahmad looks to land a left hand but Ki moved out of range nicely.
A little jabbing left from Ki on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A big left from Ahmad misses.
Ki raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Ahmad throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ahmad takes a kick to the side of the head.
Ahmad looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Ki looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Ahmad misses with an uppercut
and Ki counters with a left and a right that stings Ahmad.
Ahmad thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ahmad missing with a left hand there. Ki was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A jab from Ahmad misses.
Ki takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Ahmad is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ki can do to turn this around?
Ahmad swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ki has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Ahmad finds it's way round the side to connect with Ki's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ahmad connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ki. Ki circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ahmad works the jab nicely.
Ki bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ahmad backing away here, and Ki unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zayden Ahmad dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Ki slips under a jab.
Ahmad fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Ahmad tests Ki's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ki misses with a double jab.
Ahmad throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Ki sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ahmad throws the left hand but Ki avoids the punch easily.
Ki moves out of range of the strikes.
Ki is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Ahmad with a body shot.
Ahmad is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahmad throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A jab from Ki finds it's way through Ahmad's defenses.
Some wild striking there from Ki.
Ahmad was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nice straight punches there by Ahmad. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ahmad.
Ki darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Ahmad finds it's target.
Ahmad is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Ahmad avoids the body shot from Ki.
Ahmad tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ki counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ahmad blocks a head kick by Ki.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ki uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ahmad.
Ki looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ki rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ahmad counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ki moves out of range of the strikes.
Ahmad throws a body shot but no joy.
Ahmad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ahmad is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ki.
Ahmad smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Ahmad misses with an uppercut.
It seemed like Ki was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ki misses the jab.
Ahmad throwing a counter right hand but Ki manages to avoid it.
Ahmad fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ki has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Ahmad loads up on a big right hand but Ki slips the punch.
Ki is trying to counter with his kicks.
Ahmad connects with a single shot there.
Ahmad connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice body punch from Ahmad.
Ki uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ahmad.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zayden Ahmad showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ahmad, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zayden Ahmad!
After winning the bout, Zayden Ahmad thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.