PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Belal Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derrick James Magnaye (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Li's entrance music is Fearless. A fine choice. Magnaye is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Here comes the Boom. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Li
vs
James Magnaye

195 cm
25
188 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

185 cm
27
195 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Belal Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Derrick James Magnaye!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Roger Salmon and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
Magnaye slips under a jab from Li.

Li darts in and clinches Magnaye up against the cage.
Li is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Li is trying to push Magnaye away but Magnaye has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Li has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Magnaye told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Magnaye keeps control of Li as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Li throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Magnaye blocks it with crossed arms.
Li can't break the clinch.
Magnaye content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Li can't break the clinch.
Li is trying to break the clinch but Magnaye is controlling him.
Li with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Magnaye keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Li's efforts to push away.
Li working hard to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Li's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Li has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Li is trying to break the clinch but Magnaye is controlling him.
Li has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Li wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Li tries to circle away but Magnaye has him pinned against the cage.
Li letting Magnaye take a breather here.

Li breaks from the clinch.
Li lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like Derrick James Magnaye has been cut.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li throws a nice inside leg kick.
Li moves in looking to clinch but Magnaye pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li connects with a leg kick. Magnaye looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Li fails with an attempt to clinch.
Li misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Magnaye.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.

Li clinches up against the cage.
Li tries to circle away but Magnaye has him pinned against the cage.
Li is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Magnaye goes for a takedown attempt but Li pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Li lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magnaye circles away from the clinch attempt.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Magnaye avoids a kick to the body.
Magnaye blocks a head kick by Li.
Li misses with a head kick.
Li lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
Magnaye blocks a head kick by Li.
Li throws a wild body kick that Magnaye sees coming a mile off.
Li fails with an attempt to clinch.
Li throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Magnaye's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li moves in looking to clinch but Magnaye pushes him off.
Li throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Li instigates a clinch.

Magnaye has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Li clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Magnaye is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Li is defending well though. Magnaye let's go of the attempt for now.

Magnaye tightening his grip on Li, looking for the choke.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Magnaye is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Li knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Li for a finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Belal Li dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Derrick James Magnaye's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Magnaye avoids the head kick by Li.
Magnaye blocks a head kick by Li.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li misses with a kick to the body.
Li moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Li misses with a head kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Li.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Magnaye manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Li shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li moves to clinch but Magnaye breaks away

and Magnaye counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Magnaye seems to be looking for submissions.

Magnaye seems to be looking for submissions.
Magnaye wants to pass the guard but Li is defending well.

Magnaye wants to work for an arm triangle but Li is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Magnaye is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Magnaye is looking to pass Li's guard but actually Li recovers to full guard.
Magnaye trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Magnaye is still trying to improve position.
Li is trying to keep Magnaye in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Li is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magnaye stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Magnaye keeps trying to improve his position.
Magnaye is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Magnaye passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Li gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Magnaye has hold of Li's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Li manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magnaye takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.

Li is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Li tries to escape the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derrick James Magnaye showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Derrick James Magnaye's cut.
That's time! Li's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Crunch! Li slams his shin into Magnaye's torso.
Li closes the distance looking to clinch

and Magnaye counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Li's guard now.
Li is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Magnaye is controlling him.
Magnaye is looking to pass into half guard but Li pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Li is in guard.
Magnaye throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Magnaye tries to strike from the bottom.
Magnaye trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Magnaye tries to strike from the bottom.
Magnaye lands a good elbow from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Magnaye doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Li has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magnaye throws a couple of heel strikes.
Magnaye being controlled here, momentarily.
Magnaye doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Magnaye throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Magnaye trying to strike off his back.
Magnaye throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Magnaye looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Li's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Magnaye lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Li tries to stand but Magnaye is controlling from the bottom.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Magnaye is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Magnaye has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Magnaye throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Magnaye throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Magnaye trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Magnaye trying to strike off his back.
Magnaye tries to strike from the bottom.
Magnaye throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Magnaye throws a couple of heel strikes.
Magnaye trying to strike off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Magnaye throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Li trying to control but Magnaye is working from the bottom.
Magnaye trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Li looking to pass the guard.
Magnaye throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magnaye will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Magnaye is on top in guard.
Magnaye pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Li is keeping the position for now.
Li controls Magnaye momentarily but Magnaye frees himself.
Li wants to stand and escape but Magnaye is having none of it.
Magnaye looking to pass the guard.
Magnaye stops Li from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magnaye trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Magnaye passes into half guard.
Li is looking to improve his position.

Magnaye is working for a submission of some sort.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Li tries to kick Magnaye off but Magnaye keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Derrick James Magnaye comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Magnaye has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Josh West scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Derrick James Magnaye!
Post fight, an emotional Derrick James Magnaye said 'i thank god for this victory...'.