PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Michael Death (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mako Choliman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mako Choliman has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Death
vs
Choliman

172 cm
21
145 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

170 cm
28
143 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Death!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mako Choliman!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Death looks for a takedown but Choliman sprawls well.
Death tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Choliman defends well and Death ends up having to push Choliman into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Death looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Death tries to clinch but Choliman is having none of it.
Choliman drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Death defends it well.
Death with a poor takedown

and Choliman counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Death. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Choliman drops down looking for an ankle pick but Death pulls his leg out and moves away.
Death tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Choliman defends well and Death ends up having to push Choliman into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Choliman with the counter takedown but Death avoids it easily.
Death closes the distance and clinches up with Choliman, looking for a takedown. Death pushes Choliman against the cage but Choliman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Death closes the distance and clinches up with Choliman, looking for a takedown. Death pushes Choliman against the cage but Choliman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Choliman looks for a takedown but Death sprawls well.

Choliman gets caught napping as Death dives in and scores a takedown. Choliman manages to retain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Choliman wants to sweep but no luck.
Death stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Choliman swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Death stopping the sweep attempt from Choliman.
Choliman keeping moving, preventing Death from controlling successfully.
Death throws a big right hand that misses.
Choliman wants to sweep here but Death controlling him for the moment.
Death sitting in guard here, content to control.
Choliman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Choliman not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Death drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Death jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Death trying to control the position from guard on top but Choliman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Choliman is trying to keep Death in close.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
No luck for Death with that takedown attempt.
Choliman is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Choliman slaps away a takedown attempt from Death, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Choliman jumps into guard, dragging Death to the mat.
Choliman wants to sweep here but Death controlling him for the moment.
Choliman is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Death wants to pass the guard but Choliman is keeping the position.
Choliman is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Choliman keeping moving, preventing Death from controlling successfully.
Choliman manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Death manages to get himself to full guard.

Choliman trying to control but Death is working from the bottom.
Choliman told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Choliman content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Death keeping moving, preventing Choliman from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Choliman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Death trying to control the position.
Death is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Choliman is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Choliman controlling from the top position.
Death is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Choliman advances position into side control!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Choliman working the ground and pound from side control.
Death gets back to half guard.
Death taking some punishment here, with Choliman in his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mako Choliman dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Death changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Death throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Choliman was covering up waiting for the punch and Death finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Death slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Death tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Death has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Michael Death overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Choliman regains half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Death passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Choliman!
Choliman is trying desperately to improve position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Death 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.
Death looking to ground and pound but Choliman is blocking nicely.
Death misses with a head shot.
Death 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.
Choliman is in all sorts of trouble here.

Death is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Choliman to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Choliman shrugs it off.
Choliman wants to get back to his feet.
Death can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Choliman is looking to escape.
Choliman working to try and regain half guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Death avoids the attempt from Choliman to control.
Choliman can't escape the position.
Death can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Choliman is looking to escape.
Death throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Choliman because Death loaded up on that one.
Death throws some wild stikes that Choliman manages to avoid easily.

Death is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Choliman is surviving well by controlling Death's body position as best he can.
Choliman is trying desperately to improve position.
Choliman tries to hold on but Death pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Choliman is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Death is staying active.
Death is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Choliman can do to turn this around?
Death prevents Choliman from getting the reversal.
Death trying to control but Choliman is having none of it.
Choliman tries to reverse the position but Death maintains control.
Death looking to ground and pound but Choliman is blocking nicely.

Death is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Choliman has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Choliman tries to reverse the position but Death maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Choliman in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Death 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.
Choliman keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Choliman blocking the ground and pound.
Death scoring with strikes but Choliman is staying in there.
Choliman is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Choliman holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Death tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Death dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Death is defended easily by Choliman.
Death looks to land a right hand but Choliman moved out of range.
Choliman steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Death.
Death shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Choliman pinned against the cage. Choliman gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Death fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Death. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Choliman slaps away a takedown attempt from Death, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Death tries for a takedown but Choliman sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Choliman changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Death or perhaps it was just good defense by Choliman, which made it look bad.
Death shoots for a double leg takedown but Choliman sprawls well. He's pushed Death's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Choliman changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Death looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Choliman is fending him off so far but Death persists. Nope, Choliman circles away and we're back to standing.
Choliman with the counter takedown but Death avoids it easily.
Death shoots for a double leg takedown but Choliman sprawls well. He's pushed Death's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Death looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Choliman is fending him off so far but Death persists. Nope, Choliman circles away and we're back to standing.
Choliman throws an overhand right that lands on Death's shoulder, as Death tries to avoid the shot.
Death stuffs the takedown.
Choliman tries for a takedown but Death circles away easily

and Death counters with a nice double leg into side control. Choliman won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Choliman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Choliman is looking to regain half guard here but Death keeps moving and retains side control.
Death tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Choliman manages to get back to half guard.

Death is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Choliman sees it coming and defends easily.
Choliman is trying to control but can't.
Death thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Choliman keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Death sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Choliman defending well though.
Death is thwarting Choliman's attempts to control the position.
Death throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Death wants to control but Choliman is keeping him busy.

Death is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Choliman sees it coming and defends easily.
Death prevents Choliman from standing back up.
Death lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Death is trying to control the action in half guard but Choliman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Death thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Choliman's head.
Death is trying to control. Choliman wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Death throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Choliman is looking to improve his position.
Choliman pushes Death off looking to stand but Death dives back in and keeps control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Death scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Death tries to advance to mount but can't.

Death tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Death has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Death trying to control the action but Choliman is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Choliman is trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Death showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Death has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Death!