PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sohail Sheikh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russell Brin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sheikh
vs
Brin

170 cm
18
149 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 The Island, Sohail Sheikh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Russell Brin!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sheikh tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Brin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sheikh doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sheikh tries to close the distance and clinch up but Brin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sheikh dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Brin shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sheikh manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Brin wants to pass the guard but Sheikh is keeping the position.
Brin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sheikh throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Brin passes into half guard.
Brin trying to control from Sheikh's half guard. Sheikh has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brin lands a couple of digs.
Brin wants to get up but he can't break Sheikh's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Brin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Nice sprawl there from Sheikh as Brin shoots in.
Sheikh connects with a solid leg kick.
Sheikh keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A good leg kick by Sheikh.
Sheikh stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Brin.
Sheikh misses with a wild body shot.
Brin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sheikh sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sohail Sheikh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Russell Brin.

Brin drives through and clinches with Sheikh against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sheikh trying to land knees to the body.

Sheikh manages to break the clinch.
Brin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sheikh blocks a head kick by Brin.

Brin is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sheikh's half guard.
Brin controlling the action here.
Brin trying to control from Sheikh's half guard. Sheikh has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brin sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sheikh wants to stand but Brin is controlling the position.
Sheikh keeping moving, preventing Brin from controlling successfully.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Brin wants to stand and escape but instead Sheikh has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Brin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Brin seems keen to control Sheikh's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sheikh pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brin is keeping the position for now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Brin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Brin is pulling down on Sheikh's head to control his posture.
Brin looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sheikh puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sheikh is trying to control. Brin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Brin trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Brin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Brin shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sheikh's guard.
Brin wants to control from the top but Sheikh keeps moving.
Brin stays in close to Sheikh's body and controls the position.
Sheikh keeping moving, preventing Brin from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Sheikh is trying to hold Brin in close to prevent damage but Brin has managed to pass into half guard.
Sheikh wants to control but Brin is keeping busy.

Brin is looking for a kimura here.
Russell Brin has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Sheikh wants to improve his position but Brin is controlling well.
Sheikh works his way to full guard. Good work.
Brin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sheikh looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sheikh striking off his back but it's not causing Brin any problems.

Sheikh looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Brin stands up and waves to Sheikh to follow him.

Brin scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Brin controlling the action here.
Brin is looking to take a break and control but Sheikh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brin content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sheikh is looking for a sweep. Brin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Brin lands a nice short elbow.
Brin tries to stand and escape but Sheikh actually recovers to full guard.
Brin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Brin stands up and waves to Sheikh to follow him.

Brin manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sheikh on his heels. He'll look to pass Sheikh's guard now, I'm sure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sheikh is looking for a triangle but Brin pushes his legs off easily.
Sheikh controls Brin momentarily but Brin frees himself.
Sheikh wants to get back to his feet but Brin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
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!
Brin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Brin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Brin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sheikh is proving hard to escape from.
Sheikh keeping moving, preventing Brin from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Brin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Brin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sheikh sprawls well initially but Brin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Brin decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Brin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sheikh.
Sheikh changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Brin tries to avoid it but Sheikh manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Brin to the ground. Brin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sheikh shoots in looking for a takedown. Brin tries to sprawl out of it but Sheikh keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Brin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sheikh attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Sohail Sheikh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Brin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Brin drives through with a takedown into Sheikh's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brin advances position into side control!
Sheikh tries to bench press Brin off him but Brin keeps the position.

Brin is trying to get an arm triangle but Sheikh is defending well.

Brin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sheikh is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Brin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sheikh has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sheikh can't do much from the bottom here.
Brin lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sheikh down.

Brin has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Brin moves into the clinch.

Brin breaks the clinch.
Jab, jab by Brin - just one landing.
Brin shoots in but Sheikh avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sheikh defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Brin.

Brin shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sheikh napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Brin wants to take a breather but Sheikh manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Brin.
Brin looking to sit in guard and control but Sheikh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sheikh is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Brin has an active guard here but Sheikh has managed to pass into half guard.
Brin is positioning himself well to prevent Sheikh advancing to mount.
Brin moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Sheikh stands and steps away. Brin gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sheikh wants to clinch up but Brin keeps it at a distance.
Sohail Sheikh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Russell Brin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sheikh takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Russell Brin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Brin 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russell Brin!