PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Abbot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xiao Long Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Abbot
vs
Long Li

178 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matthew Abbot!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xiao Long Li!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li circles away from the clinch attempt.
Abbot tries to clinch but Li moves out of range.
Abbot throws a head kick but Li moves out of range.

Li shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Abbot's guard.

Li drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Li jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Li preventing the sweep.
Abbot working a defensive guard here.

Li thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Abbot is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Li defends well.
Li stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Abbot swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Li jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Abbot is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Li is controlling him.

Li drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Abbot dives on top into guard.
Abbot wanted to stand there but Li had control of the position.
Abbot looking to sit in guard and control but Li gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Li has gone for a leg lock! Abbot slips out almost immediately though and dives into Li's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abbot advances to half guard.

Li looking for submissions off his back.
Abbot not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Li looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Abbot lands a nice short elbow.
Abbot drops an elbow to the side of Li's head.
Abbot seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Abbot not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Abbot is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Abbot throwing shots but Li is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abbot is nestled in close to Li, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Abbot throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Abbot is looking for a kimura but Li is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Abbot to get the leverage.
Abbot is looking to take a break and control but Li is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Li keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Abbot missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Abbot dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Li throws a leg kick but Abbot sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Abbot throws a nice looking combination but Li bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Abbot misses with a two punch combination.
Li swats away the attempt to clinch by Abbot.
Abbot misses with a takedown
and Li counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abbot slaps away a takedown attempt from Li, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Abbot wants to clinch up but Li keeps it at a distance.
Li is breathing heavily.

Li shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Abbot is trying to defend but Li finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li is looking for a kimura here.
Li wants to pass the guard but Abbot is defending well.

Li is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Abbot still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Abbot has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Abbot moves into full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Abbot looking to secure an arm triangle but Li defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Abbot is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Li can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Abbot lands a big shot there that rocks Li but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li is in a horrible position here. Abbot smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Abbot fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Abbot working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Li in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Abbot raining down shots from the mount!
Abbot looking to control but Li is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abbot unloading with bombs!
Abbot landing strikes, looking to finish!
Abbot lands a heavy elbow.
Abbot fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Li really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
BOOM! Abbot connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Abbot throws a head kick but Li moves out of range.
A combination from Abbot does no damage.
Abbot misses with a wild combination.

Li darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Li seems to be looking for submissions.

Li is looking for a kimura here.

Li 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.
Li takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li is looking for a kimura but Abbot is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Li to get the leverage.
Abbot has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Li is working away from the top position though.
Abbot wants to get back to full guard.

Li is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Abbot looks like he's trying to stand up.
Abbot is looking to improve his position.

Li seems to be looking for submissions.

Li is working for a submission of some sort.
Abbot is trying to stand back up but Li is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abbot trying to control but Li postures up.
Abbot wants to get back to his feet.
Li is pressing down on Abbot's thigh, looking to free his foot. Abbot is holding on for now.

Li seems to be working for a kimura but Abbot defends the submission attempt.

Li 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.

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.
Li trying to pass the guard but Abbot defending well.
Abbot is looking to improve his position.

Li is looking for a kimura here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Li is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Abbot is just riding it out for now. Li eventually gives up the hold.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xiao Long Li comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Abbot has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matthew Abbot!