PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lulu Basiku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon Beswick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lulu Basiku had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Basiku
vs
Beswick

183 cm
18
167 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
24
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Lulu Basiku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Simon Beswick!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Colin Fotheringham and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Beswick tries to clinch but Basiku is having none of it.
Lulu Basiku seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Beswick tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Beswick darts in trying to clinch

and Basiku counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Beswick's guard now.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Beswick wants to stand up but Basiku is controlling him.
Basiku in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Beswick wants to stand but Basiku is controlling the position.
Basiku scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Beswick is looking to stand up but Basiku isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Basiku accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Basiku stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Beswick swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Basiku throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Basiku trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Basiku thows a big elbow that misses.
Basiku postures up and lands a big shot to Beswick's brow.
Basiku throws and elbow that misses. Beswick uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Basiku's guard. Nice move by Beswick!
Basiku has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beswick throwing strikes from guard but Basiku blocks nicely.
Beswick wants to pass the guard but Basiku is keeping the position.
Beswick throwing strikes from guard but Basiku blocks nicely.
Beswick thows a big elbow that misses.
Beswick stands and throws Basiku's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Basiku avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Beswick.
Basiku is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Basiku avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Beswick.
Basiku is looking to regain half guard here but Beswick keeps moving and retains side control.
Beswick tries to score with some ground and pound. Basiku controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Basiku stops Beswick from passing to mount.
Beswick is trying to ground and pound but Basiku uses the momentary lack of control by Beswick to regain half guard.
Beswick is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beswick looking to pass the guard.
Beswick is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Beswick slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sloppy strikes there by Beswick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Basiku with a poor takedown

and Beswick holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Beswick landing knees to the head.
Beswick throws a knee to the head but misses.
Beswick with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Beswick tries to land a knee to the head but Basiku blocks with his arms.
Basiku has Beswick pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Beswick manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Basiku is trying to drag Beswick to the mat but Beswick just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lulu Basiku. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Basiku tries for a takedown. No joy.
Beswick scores with a knee to the head.
Beswick scores with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Beswick connects with a knee to the head.
Beswick lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Beswick with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beswick connects with a knee to the head.
Beswick with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Beswick stops a takedown attempt from Basiku.
Beswick tries to land a knee to the head but Basiku blocks with his arms.
Basiku wants a takedown.
Beswick with a knee to the head.

Basiku lands a takedown into guard.
Basiku is looking to work some ground and pound but Beswick has wrist control.
Beswick working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Basiku.
Basiku looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Basiku throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Basiku prevents Beswick from getting back to his feet.
Basiku pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Beswick is keeping the position for now.
Lulu Basiku overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Basiku throws a strike but Beswick rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Beswick preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beswick wants to pass the guard but Basiku is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Beswick working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Beswick passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Basiku on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Basiku tries to get out of the position.
Beswick throws a strike aimed at the side of Basiku's head but Basiku avoids it well.
Beswick misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Basiku gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Beswick working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beswick misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Basiku is bucking up trying to escape but Beswick cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Basiku is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Basiku holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Beswick tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

Basiku bucks up and throws Beswick to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Basiku shoots in but no luck this time.
Beswick is looking to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Beswick showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Basiku scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Beswick regains half guard there - taking advantage of Basiku's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Basiku wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Beswick uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Basiku throws and elbow that misses. Beswick uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Basiku's guard. Nice move by Beswick!
Beswick in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Basiku keeping full guard, as Beswick tries to pass.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beswick is pushing down on Basiku's leg trying to pass to half guard. Basiku is fighting to maintain full guard but Beswick has managed to sneak the leg through.
Beswick is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Basiku!
Poor strikes thrown by Beswick there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Basiku is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
BOOM! Beswick connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Beswick has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Beswick thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Beswick with shots to the head and body - Basiku looks very uncomfortable down there.
Beswick sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Beswick sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Basiku is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Beswick avoids the attempt from Basiku to control.
Beswick thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Basiku avoids a series of strikes thrown by Beswick.
Beswick throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Basiku can't escape the position.
The referee warns Basiku that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Basiku knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Beswick on the ground.
Basiku wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Beswick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Basiku wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Beswick working the ground and pound effectively.
Beswick lands a big shot there that rocks Basiku but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Beswick thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Basiku blocking the ground and pound.
Beswick in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Beswick looking to ground and pound but Basiku is blocking nicely.
Beswick putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beswick throws some wild stikes that Basiku manages to avoid easily.
Poor strikes thrown by Beswick there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Basiku tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Beswick scoring with strikes but Basiku is staying in there.
Basiku wants to control but Beswick is having none of it.
Beswick prevents Basiku from getting the reversal.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Beswick misses with a head shot.
Beswick throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
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!
Basiku is trying to stand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simon Beswick comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Beswick 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simon Beswick!