PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Samir Aljani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joel Conner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Conner has chosen M.O.P. Ante Up as his entrance music. Joel Conner is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Aljani
vs
Conner

180 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Rush Supplements 160Q

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Samir Aljani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joel Conner!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Kavanagh and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aljani misses with a wild combination.
Conner blocks a head kick by Aljani.
Conner tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Aljani defends well and Conner ends up having to push Aljani into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Conner jumps guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Conner is pulling down on Aljani's head. It's preventing any offense from Aljani, at least for the moment.

Aljani got a little sloppy there for a moment and Conner has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Aljani has managed to get both his arms back between Conner's legs - danger averted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aljani has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Conner is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aljani trying to control but Conner is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Samir Aljani wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Conner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Aljani tries to avoid it but Conner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Aljani to the ground. Aljani escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Conner darts in and clinches Aljani up against the cage.
Conner's coach down at Abobomination Training $700 13 LEGIT elite coaches was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Conner's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Conner tries to circle away but Aljani has him pinned against the cage.

Conner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Conner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Aljani tries to avoid it but Conner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Aljani to the ground. Aljani escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Samir Aljani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joel Conner.
Aljani scores with a leg kick.
Conner fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Aljani avoids it really well and circles away.
Aljani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Aljani misses with a two punch combination.
Conner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aljani paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Aljani tests Conner's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conner is looking to clinch.
Conner blocks a head kick by Aljani.
Conner tries to move into range but Aljani moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Conner closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Aljani did well to prevent Conner getting side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Conner thows a huge punch but Aljani dodges it nicely.
Aljani is not content to let Conner control the position.
Conner prevents Aljani from standing back up.

Conner stands up and beckons Aljani to join him on the feet.
Conner looks for a takedown but Aljani sprawls well.
Aljani plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Aljani tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Conner feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Conner passes Aljani's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Conner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Aljani is defending against the submission attempts here by Conner.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Conner trying to control from half guard but Aljani is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aljani wants to get back to his feet.

Conner 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.

Conner is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Conner prevents Aljani from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joel Conner dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Conner bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Conner stands up and beckons Aljani to his feet.
Conner avoids the head kick by Aljani.

Aljani rushes Conner and presses him up against the cage.

Conner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Aljani defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Conner.
Conner tries to clinch up.
Conner wants to clinch up but Aljani keeps it at a distance.
Aljani leaves Conner with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Conner shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Aljani pinned against the cage. Aljani gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Samir Aljani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joel Conner.
Conner showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aljani.
Aljani throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Conner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Aljani tries to avoid it but Conner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Aljani to the ground. Aljani escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Conner shoots in for a takedown but Aljani shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aljani tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Aljani displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Aljani throws a head kick that misses.

Aljani closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Aljani unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Aljani manages to break the clinch.
Conner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Conner has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Conner closes the distance and clinches up with Aljani, looking for a takedown. Conner pushes Aljani against the cage but Aljani circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Conner closes this distance looking for a takedown but Aljani circles away.
Conner is breathing heavily.

Aljani gets caught napping as Conner dives in and scores a takedown. Aljani manages to retain guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aljani looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Conner wants to control from the top but Aljani keeps moving.
Conner looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aljani keeping moving, preventing Conner from controlling successfully.
Conner won't allow Aljani to sweep him here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Joel Conner hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Conner fails with the takedown.
Aljani tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Conner tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Aljani defends well and Conner ends up having to push Aljani into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Conner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Aljani putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Conner in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Conner letting Aljani take a breather here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Aljani.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aljani's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Conner tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Aljani defends well and Conner ends up having to push Aljani into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Aljani misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Conner.
Conner drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Aljani breaks the clinch.
Aljani throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Samir Aljani is winning the standup battle so far.
Conner tries to clinch up.
Aljani tries to clinch but Conner is having none of it.
Aljani misses with a head kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Aljani, right into the meat.
Aljani misses with a head kick.
Conner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Aljani tries to avoid it but Conner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Aljani to the ground. Aljani escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aljani scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Aljani throws a big shot that misses.
Conner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Aljani tries to avoid it but Conner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Aljani to the ground. Aljani escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Aljani throws out a powerful jab.
A head kick from Aljani lands but Conner takes it in his stride.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Conner tries to clinch but Aljani is having none of it.
Aljani pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Aljani slaps away a takedown attempt from Conner, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Aljani is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Conner's half guard.
Conner controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Conner trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samir Aljani dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Conner blocks a head kick by Aljani.
Aljani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Aljani with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Samir Aljani is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aljani tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Aljani tries a head kick but it misses.
Conner wants to clinch.
Conner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Aljani swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aljani throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Conner dives in for a single leg takedown but Aljani sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Conner tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Aljani just stands there and leans against the cage.
Aljani is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Conner to keep the fight standing.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Aljani obliges.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Conner jumps guard but Aljani turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Samir Aljani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joel Conner.
Conner on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Aljani lands an elbow inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Conner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Conner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Aljani tries to avoid it but Conner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Aljani to the ground. Aljani escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Aljani swinging wildly here.
Aljani lands with a slapping head kick.
Conner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Aljani swats him away and circles back towards the center.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Conner.
Conner doesn't manage to clinch there - Aljani circles away.
Aljani throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Aljani throws a right and a left that both miss.

Aljani moves into the clinch successfully.
Aljani tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Conner avoids it.

Aljani is fighting off a takedown attempt but Conner is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Aljani to the mat. Aljani regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Conner trying to control the position from guard on top but Aljani is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Conner advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Conner wants to control but Aljani is keeping him busy.
Aljani stops Conner from passing to mount.
Aljani is not content to let Conner control the position.
Aljani is being controlled here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Conner has hold of Aljani's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Aljani tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Conner cranks the arm and Aljani screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Aljani, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Joel Conner!
Joel Conner seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Samir Aljani was interviewed post fight and said 'Sometimes you can learn more from a loss than a win, I'll go away rebuild and come back stronger!'.