PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Khalil Malla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Troy Bourke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Troy Bourke has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Malla
vs
Bourke

187 cm
22
193 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

190 cm
19
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Khalil Malla!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Troy Bourke!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Bruno Hogan and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bourke.
No luck for Bourke with that takedown attempt.
Malla stuffs the takedown attempt from Bourke. Bourke gets slowly back to his feet.
Khalil Malla has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Troy Bourke.
Horrible takedown by Bourke or perhaps it was just good defense by Malla which made him look bad.

Bourke closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Malla sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Malla looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Malla is looking to improve his position.

Bourke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malla is pressing down on Bourke's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Bourke working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Malla's head.

Malla throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bourke in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Malla is controlling Bourke's posture.

Bourke avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bourke slips nicely into half guard.
Bourke looks gassed!
Bourke throwing shots but Malla is blocking nicely.
Bourke throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Malla slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Malla keeping moving, preventing Bourke from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bourke advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malla wants to control but Bourke is keeping busy.

Bourke is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Malla sees it coming and defends easily.
Malla wants to control but Bourke is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Bourke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Malla is trying to control but can't.
Bourke not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bourke shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Malla pinned against the cage. Malla gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Malla shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Bourke napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Bourke is looking for a sweep.
Bourke tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Malla trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Bourke doesn't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khalil Malla dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Malla drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Bourke seems a little lost for a moment, as Malla dominates the positioning.
Bourke prevents Malla from moving into mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malla trying to control the action but Bourke is working from the bottom.
Malla is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Bourke is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Bourke is looking to get back to his feet here but Malla is keeping cool and he's managed to take Bourke's back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bourke is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Malla.
Bourke controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Malla controlling the positon.
Malla's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Khalil Malla just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bourke looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Bourke scores with a takedown into Malla's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bourke in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Bourke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Khalil Malla will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Bourke gets a takedown into half guard.

Bourke is working for a kimura but Malla is defending it quite comfortably.
Malla moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Bourke is posturing up here but Malla has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Bourke tries to roll out but it's too tight and Bourke has to tap! Slick submission there by Malla!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Khalil Malla!