PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bashar Essassani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Pyne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bashar Essassani has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Essassani
vs
Pyne

172 cm
18
153 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bashar Essassani!
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, Aaron Pyne!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Pyne throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pyne shoots in looking for a takedown but Essassani manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Pyne's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Pyne tries for a takedown but Essassani sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pyne is trying hard to land a takedown here. Essassani sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bashar Essassani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aaron Pyne.
Pyne fails to land the takedown.
Pyne dives in and grabs Essassani's left leg, looking for a takedown. Essassani pushes down on Pyne's head and hops out.

Essassani clinches up against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Essassani misses with a knee to the head.
Essassani with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Essassani is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pyne is defending well for now.
Pyne wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Essassani misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pyne.
Essassani using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pyne has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but Pyne blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pyne tries to work over Essassani's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Pyne managing to block the knees to the body from Essassani.
Pyne avoids the elbow strike from Essassani, against the cage.
Pyne tries to pull guard but Essassani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Pyne is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Essassani connects with a nasty looking knee right to Pyne's face.
Pyne on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Pyne tries to pull guard but Essassani won't allow it.
Essassani throws a knee to the head but misses.
Essassani lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Essassani prevents the takedown attempt.
Essassani misses with a knee to the head.
Essassani landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pyne managing to block the knees to the body from Essassani.
Knees to the body from Essassani.
Pyne looks winded!
Essassani landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pyne is looking to control Essassani's arms but Essassani gets an underhook and turns him. Now Pyne has his back to the cage.
Essassani holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Essassani with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Essassani lands a good knee to the midsection. Pyne won't want to take too many of those.
Pyne looking for a takedown.
Essassani lands a knee to the body.
Essassani utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Essassani looking to throw knees to the head but Pyne is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Essassani.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but Pyne blocks it.
Essassani lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Essassani tries to land knees in the clinch but Pyne avoids the damage to the body.
Essassani misses with a knee to the head.
Essassani is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Pyne takes a knee right on the jaw!
Pyne on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Essassani is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pyne is defending well for now.
Pyne is trying to drag Essassani to the mat but Essassani just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Essassani landing knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Essassani misses with a knee strike.
Essassani tries to land knees in the clinch but Pyne avoids the damage to the body.
Essassani unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Pyne avoiding damage as Essassani throws knees to the body.
Essassani misses with an elbow over the top.
Essassani is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pyne is defending well for now.
Essassani missing with knees to the body.
Pyne has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pyne is trying to pull guard but Essassani turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Essassani is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but Pyne blocks it.
Pyne wants a takedown.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but Pyne blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bashar Essassani dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Essassani closes the distance and pushes Pyne back into the cage.
Essassani tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Essassani stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Pyne tries to pull guard but Essassani holds him up against the cage and eventually Pyne drops back down to his feet.
Essassani crunches a lovely knee into Pyne's ribcage.
Pyne is working for takedown but Essassani is calmly controlling the position for now.
Pyne tries for a takedown but Essassani manages to get underhooks.
Bashar Essassani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aaron Pyne.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Pyne has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Essassani uses from the top position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Essassani is looking to work some ground and pound but Pyne has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pyne is breathing heavily.
Essassani slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Essassani got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pyne has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Essassani has managed to get both his arms back between Pyne's legs - danger averted.
Essassani throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pyne works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Essassani seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Essassani slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Essassani is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pyne wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Pyne is not content to let Essassani control the position.
Essassani tries to score with some ground and pound. Pyne controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Pyne is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pyne struggling a bit here.
Pyne is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pyne seems a little lost for a moment, as Essassani dominates the positioning.
Essassani working the ground and pound but Pyne is defending the strikes.
Pyne is being controlled here.
Pyne can't do much from the bottom here.
A lull in the action here as Essassani stalls from top position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
The fight stays on the outside here - Essassani looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Essassani closes the distance and pushes Pyne back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Essassani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pyne blocks it with crossed arms.
Essassani misses with a knee strike.
Pyne takes a knee to the side of the body.
Essassani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pyne blocks it with crossed arms.
Pyne avoids the elbow strike from Essassani, against the cage.
Essassani connects with a knee to the head.
Essassani scores with a knee to the head.
Essassani misses with a knee to the head.
Essassani lands a knee to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pyne throws an elbow but it misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pyne tries to pull guard but Essassani holds him up against the cage and eventually Pyne drops back down to his feet.
Bashar Essassani has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Essassani with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bashar Essassani dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Pyne swats away the attempt to clinch by Essassani.

Pyne forces Essassani back against the cage and clinches.
Pyne is stalling here.
Essassani misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pyne.
Essassani tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Essassani is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pyne is defending well for now.
Pyne blocks an elbow strike.

Pyne's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Essassani moves in looking to clinch but Pyne pushes him off.
Essassani tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Pyne manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pyne avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pyne clinches up against the cage.
Pyne looking to slow down the pace here.
Pyne is looking for a takedown.
Essassani scores a nice knee to the body.
Pyne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Pyne's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pyne circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pyne fails to land the takedown.
Pyne shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Essassani as he avoids it easily.
Bashar Essassani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aaron Pyne.
Pyne keeps the fight on the outside.
Essassani fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Essassani tries to clinch but Pyne moves out of range.
Essassani is looking to clinch.
Essassani tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pyne misses with a takedown

and Essassani holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Essassani throws an elbow but it misses.
Essassani lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Essassani misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pyne.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Essassani working Pyne over with knees to the body.
Pyne takes a knee to the side of the body.
Essassani lands a knee to the head.
Essassani slowing the pace effectively.
Essassani throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Essassani to work.
Pyne takes a knee to the side of the body.
Pyne managing to block the knees to the body from Essassani.
Essassani working Pyne over with knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Essassani obliges.
Essassani landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Essassani misses with a knee strike.
Essassani is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pyne can do to turn this around?
Essassani will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Pyne up against the cage.
Pyne managing to block the knees to the body from Essassani.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Essassani working Pyne over with knees to the body.
Pyne drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Essassani gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Essassani missing with knees to the body.
Essassani throws an elbow that misses.
Essassani with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pyne tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Essassani just stands there and leans against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Essassani throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Essassani lands a knee to the body.
Aaron Pyne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bashar Essassani is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Essassani tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bashar Essassani showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Essassani 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bashar Essassani!
Bashar Essassani took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'Excitement is the physical translation of the vibrational resonance that is your true, core natural being. Follow your excitement!'.