PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Matt Seal (ranked 187 p4p, 204 weight class) and Julian Bashir (ranked 12 p4p, 14 weight class). Bashir is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Exodus - The Toxic Waltz. Julian Bashir has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Seal
vs
Bashir

165 cm
26
135
10 - 4 - 0

170 cm
28
140
16 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction
Â© Trap House

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matt Seal!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Julian Bashir!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bashir needs to keep his hands up - Seal had a free shot at his head there.
Seal throws a predictable looking body shot
and Bashir counters with a nice uppercut.
Matt Seal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bashir tries to move into range but Seal moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Bashir lands with a nice body punch.
Bashir looks to land a right hand but Seal moved out of range.
Bashir bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Seal's head backwards.
Seal misses with a hook. Bashir ducked under it nicely.
Seal throws a looping overhand right but Bashir ducks down to avoid it.
Seal ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Seal throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bashir let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Bashir looks to land a left hand but Seal moved out of range nicely.
Seal misses with a hook. Bashir ducked under it nicely.
Seal clobbers Bashir with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Seal bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Bashir throws a nice looking combination but Seal bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Seal on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Seal swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Bashir counters with a stiff right hand.
Bashir misses with a double jab
and Seal counters with a straight right hand.
Seal uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bashir.
Bashir moves away from the strike by Seal.
A nice side step and Bashir releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Bashir getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Seal staying out of range there.
Seal throws a body punch but Bashir moves out of range.
Seal loads up on a big right hand but Bashir slips the punch.
Bashir throws out a counter right but Seal avoids it with no problem.
Seal fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Bashir pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Seal lands a right hook to the body.
Bashir misses with a wild body shot.
A left lands for Seal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Seal misses with a hook.
Seal pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bashir swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Seal misses with an uppercut. Bashir saw that one coming.
Seal lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A big left from Bashir misses.
Seal scores with a jab. Bashir acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Bashir jabs Seal to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Seal throws a poor cross that misses

and Bashir counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Seal!
Bashir cracks Seal with a big elbow.
Seal is trying to control Bashir's posture but Bashir avoids it.
Seal is trying to get back to half guard.
Bashir trying to control the action but Seal is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Seal is trying to control Bashir's posture but Bashir avoids it.
Seal sneaks back into half guard.
Seal is looking for a sweep. Bashir is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Seal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Bashir winds up and cracks Seal with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Seal looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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.
Seal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Seal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Seal trying to control but Bashir postures up.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bashir looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Seal with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Seal manages to get to full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bashir's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Bashir chips away with some ground and pound.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Seal preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Seal throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Seal working for a triangle but Bashir defends it easily.
Bashir is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Bashir chips away with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bashir missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bashir forces his way into half guard.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Seal is trying to control but can't.
Bashir is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Seal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Seal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Seal trying to control here.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.

Bashir seems to be working for a kimura but Seal defends the submission attempt.
Seal tries to roll over but Bashir keeps him under control.
Bashir has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bashir looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Bashir is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Bashir working Seal over with strikes.
Bashir landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Bashir takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Bashir is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Seal is trying to get back to full guard.
Seal is refusing to be controlled, as Bashir sits in half guard.
Bashir is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Bashir trying to control the action but Seal is working from the bottom.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.
Seal is trying to get back to full guard.

Seal is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bashir pulls his head out easily.
Well, if Bashir is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Bashir is just content to waste time from the top position. Seal takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Seal is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bashir trying to control the position from guard on top but Seal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Bashir postures up.
Seal is trying to hold Bashir in close to prevent damage but Bashir has managed to pass into half guard.
Seal tries to roll over but Bashir keeps him under control.
Seal wants to control but Bashir is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Seal tries to get to full guard but Bashir has control of the leg.

Bashir looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Bashir lands strikes from half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Seal takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Seal fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Seal swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Seal thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bashir swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Bashir has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bashir lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Seal throws a lazy right hand but Bashir sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Seal swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Seal digs a good body shot into Bashir's ribs.
Seal throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bashir drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Seal defends it well.
Bashir throws out a loose jab but Seal uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bashir staying out of range there.
Seal lands a glancing blow to the side of Bashir's head.
Seal lands with a nice combination. Bashir backs away looking to recover.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Seal misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Seal slips under a jab.
Matt Seal is winning the standup battle so far.
Seal will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Matt Seal is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bashir uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Seal.
Seal scores with a crisp jab that stopped Bashir in his tracks.
Seal slips a straight right by Bashir.
Seal throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bashir connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Seal momentarily.
Seal connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Seal throws out a loose jab but Bashir uses good head movement to avoid it.
Seal misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Bashir counters with a straight right hand.
Bashir uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Seal is rocked!
Seal keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Oh Seal is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bashir misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bashir tries to move into range but Seal moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Seal seems to have got his legs back now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Seal scores with the left hand. Bashir knows he should have avoided that one.
Seal uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bashir.
It looked like Seal was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Bashir.
Seal throws a body shot but no joy.
Bashir misses with a hook
and Seal counters with a nice uppercut.
Seal takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Bashir blocks a jab.
Seal keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bashir.
Bashir lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Bashir and Seal goes tumbling to the canvas! Bashir follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.
Seal has his hands clasped together around Bashir's back. He's all about the action.
Seal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bashir is trying to work for a kimura but Seal is defending well.

Bashir is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Seal has managed to free his arm - good work.
Seal is trying to control but can't.

Seal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Seal controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four 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.

Seal looking for submissions off his back.
Bashir drops an elbow to the side of Seal's head.
Bashir working Seal over with strikes.
Seal is refusing to be controlled, as Bashir sits in half guard.
Bashir is pressing down on Seal's thigh, looking to free his foot. Seal is holding on for now.

Seal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Bashir trying to control the action but Seal is working from the bottom.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Bashir seems to be looking for submissions.
Seal is staying active underneath Bashir, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Julian Bashir has got the better of the ground game so far.
Seal tries to roll over but Bashir keeps him under control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bashir lands a nice short elbow.
Bashir trying to control the action but Seal is working from the bottom.
Bashir works his foot free and advances to mount.
Seal gets back to half guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Bashir trying to control from half guard but Seal is working away.
Bashir lands strikes from half guard.
Seal is refusing to be controlled, as Bashir sits in half guard.

Seal has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Bashir escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Bashir!
Seal on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Bashir tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Seal wants to control but Bashir postures up.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Seal takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Bashir lands some shots froms side control.
Bashir lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Seal down.
Seal is working to avoid the ground and pound but Bashir connects with a decent elbow.
Seal is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Bashir working the head and body with strikes.
Bashir working away.
Bashir landing strikes.
Bashir working the head with strikes.
Seal is looking for a sweep.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Bashir working the ground and pound from side control.
Bashir trying to control the position but Seal is working away.
Bashir working away.

Bashir is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Seal knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Seal is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Seal's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Bashir trying to control the action but Seal is working from the bottom.
Seal tries to improve position but can't.
Bashir trying to control the action but Seal is working from the bottom.
Seal taking punishment in the form of punches.
Seal is looking for a sweep.
Bashir working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Bashir scores with punches from side control.
Bashir landing strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Julian Bashir showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Seal thows a left - swing and a miss!
Seal fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bashir manages to avoid it.
Seal slips under a jab.
Seal slips under a jab from Bashir.
A quick step to the side and Seal tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bashir might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Bashir will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Seal scores with a jab.
Bashir throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Bashir takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bashir takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Seal throws a right hand that Bashir ducks under and follows up with a left that Bashir also avoids with ease.
A big right from Seal misses.
A slow jab from Seal misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Seal throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bashir swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bashir cracks Seal with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bashir throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Seal on the side of the head.
Seal misses with an uppercut. Bashir saw that one coming.
Bashir ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Bashir slips under a jab from Seal.

Bashir lands a big shot that drops Seal! Can he finish him?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Seal wants to control but Bashir passes easily into half guard.

Seal is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bashir pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Seal is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bashir pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bashir passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Seal!
Bashir in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Seal gets back to half guard.

Bashir wants to work for an arm triangle but Seal is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bashir seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Seal does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bashir landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ground and pound from Bashir.
Bashir trying to control from half guard but Seal is working away.
Bashir prevents Seal from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bashir drops an elbow to the side of Seal's head.

Seal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.
Seal wants to control but Bashir is keeping busy.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bashir lands a nice short elbow.
Bashir working Seal over with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Bashir connects with a nice short shot to Seal's temple.
Bashir keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Seal wants to control but Bashir is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Seal looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bashir is trying to control. Seal wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Seal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bashir working the head and body with strikes.

Seal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.
Julian Bashir is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Bashir with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Seal tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Bashir has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Bashir looking to finish Seal with some ground and pound. This is bad for Seal!
Bashir is landing with some decent strikes but Seal is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Bashir with shots to the head and body - Seal looks very uncomfortable down there.
Seal tries to lock up and control but Bashir gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bashir lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Seal regains half guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Seal regains full guard. Nicely done.

Seal is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bashir defends well.
Bashir pushes down on Seal's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bashir controlling the action here.
Seal is looking for a sweep. Bashir is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Seal is refusing to be controlled, as Bashir sits in half guard.

Seal looking for submissions off his back.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Bashir perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.
Seal is looking for a sweep. Bashir is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bashir looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Seal with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Seal tries to roll over but Bashir keeps him under control.
Bashir is looking to take a break and control but Seal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bashir is looking for a kimura here.
Bashir drops an elbow to the side of Seal's head.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Seal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if Bashir is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Seal has hold of Bashir's hands but Bashir slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Bashir is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Seal actively working from the bottom here.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Bashir controlling the action here.

Seal looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bashir lands a nice short elbow.
Seal trying to control from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bashir prevents Seal from improving his position.
Still in half guard, Bashir seems content to control.
Matt Seal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bashir wants to control but Seal is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Julian Bashir comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bashir 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 William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Julian Bashir!
Julian Bashir is the new bantamweight champion!
Julian Bashir decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.