PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Malvin Mandi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khatir Afridi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Khatir Afridi was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Mandi
vs
Afridi

180 cm
24
157 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

167 cm
26
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Malvin Mandi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Khatir Afridi!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Franklyn Lucas and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Afridi throws a shot from downtown. Mandi moves away and avoids it.

Mandi rushes Afridi and presses him up against the cage.
Afridi misses with some punches.
Afridi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mandi prevents Afridi from breaking the clinch.
Afridi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mandi being controlled against the cage.
Afridi scores with a shoulder strike.
A short left from Afridi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch on the inside from Afridi fails to land.

Mandi gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Afridi gets back to full guard.
Afridi is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandi wants to stand but Afridi is controlling his posture from full guard.
Afridi has control of Mandi's left arm, preventing Mandi from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Afridi wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Mandi is now in half guard.
Afridi wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Afridi is holding on to half guard well.
Afridi trying to hold on to Mandi's head to control him but Mandi postures up.
Afridi is looking for a sweep. Mandi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Afridi trying to control but Mandi postures up.
Afridi preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Mandi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Afridi keeps working.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Afridi is pressing down on Mandi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mandi is fighting to break Afridi's control of his arms but Afridi is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Afridi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mandi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mandi trying to stand up but can't free himself from Afridi's guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Afridi pulls Mandi in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Afridi misses with a hook. Mandi ducked under it nicely.

Mandi closes the distance and pushes Afridi back into the cage.

Mandi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Afridi.
Mandi went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Mandi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Afridi to the mat! Afridi manages to get full guard.
Mandi being controlled here momentarily.
Afridi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mandi advances position into side control!
Mandi working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malvin Mandi dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mandi gets the takedown into side control.
Mandi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Who's going to make the next move?
Afridi gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Afridi trying to control from the bottom.

Mandi postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Afridi to stand up.
Mandi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Afridi manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mandi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Afridi's waist but Afridi gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mandi off to one side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mandi staying out of range there.
Afridi lands with a good body shot.
Afridi throws a shot from downtown. Mandi moves away and avoids it.
Khatir Afridi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Afridi missing with a left hand there. Mandi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A looping hook to the body misses from Afridi. Mandi does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Afridi leaves Mandi with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Afridi throws a hook to the side of Mandi's head but Mandi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mandi is looking for a counter combo.
Afridi missing with a left hand there. Mandi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mandi avoids a kick to the body.

Mandi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Afridi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Afridi wants to control but Mandi postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Afridi is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Afridi wants to control but Mandi postures up.

Mandi decides to stand back up.
Mandi fails to land with a series of punches.
Mandi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Afridi.
Khatir Afridi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mandi throws a combination that misses
and Afridi counters with a straight right hand.
Mandi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mandi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Afridi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Afridi throws a shot from downtown. Mandi moves away and avoids it.
Mandi seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Afridi throws a hook to the side of Mandi's head but Mandi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Afridi misses with a wild body shot.
Malvin Mandi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Afridi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Afridi misses.
Afridi throws an overhand right that lands on Mandi's shoulder, as Mandi tries to avoid the shot.
Afridi connects with a body shot that sends Mandi's belly button to the back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Afridi. Mandi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Khatir Afridi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Afridi jabs Mandi right on the nose. Mandi blinks but takes it well.
Afridi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mandi defending well as Afridi loads up on a big left hand.

Mandi gets a clinch.
Mandi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Afridi working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Afridi lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Afridi is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Malvin Mandi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Afridi scores with a shot to the side of Mandi's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Afridi misses with a short punch on the inside.

Mandi ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Mandi no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mandi trying to control the position.
Malvin Mandi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Mandi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Afridi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Afridi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Afridi slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Afridi trying to control the position from guard on top but Mandi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mandi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Afridi's guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Khatir Afridi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Afridi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mandi.
Mandi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Khatir Afridi has been cut.
Afridi is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Afridi throws a body punch but Mandi moves out of range.
Mandi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
An inside leg kick lands from Afridi.
Jab, jab by Afridi - just one landing.
Mandi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Afridi avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mandi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Afridi throws a shot to the body.
The crowd cheers as Afridi lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mandi doesn't seem phased though.

Mandi is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandi takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Oh Mandi is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Afridi moves in close and cracks Mandi with a massive right hand! Mandi, frozen momentarily in time, tumbles to the canvas, already out cold! A brutal knockout by Afridi!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:10 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Khatir Afridi!