PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Malik Jones (ranked 438 p4p, 44 weight class) and Leo Yaj (ranked 962 p4p, 101 weight class). Yaj has chosen Dragula - Rob Zombie as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Jones
vs
Yaj

169 cm
37
142 lbs
25 - 11 - 0

156 cm
33
158 lbs
24 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

Velocity Fightwear

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 25 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Malik Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leo Yaj!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yaj has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Jones is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Yaj moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Yaj looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Good work by Yaj as he checks the leg kick.
Nice takedown defense from Jones. No joy for Yaj on that attempt.
Jones lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Jones shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Yaj eats them both and turns towards Jones to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Jones uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yaj.

Jones drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yaj takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Jones slows the pace down.
Jones will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Jones misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Yaj some visible discomfort.
Jones lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Yaj down.
Yaj looks to move to half guard but instead Jones has passed into mount! Damn!
Yaj is desperately trying to improve his position but Jones has a good base and remains in mount.
Jones lands with some strikes.
Jones lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yaj is working to get back to half guard.
Jones looking to control but Yaj is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Jones in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Jones looking to control but Yaj is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Yaj is in a horrible position here. Jones smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yaj can't escape the position.
Jones landing strikes, looking to finish!
Jones with a couple of short strikes.
Yaj in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Jones with good strikes from the mount here!
Yaj is looking to improve his position but Jones isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones lands a heavy elbow.
Jones lands a couple of good shots and Yaj has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Jones has good solid back control here.
Yaj is really stuck here.
Jones scores with punches to the body.
Jones struggling to keep hold of the position.
You can see the frustration on Yaj's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Jones lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Jones.
Jones scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Yaj is looking for a way out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Jones.
Jones is punishing Yaj with strikes - can he finish him?!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Jones scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Yaj is looking for a way out.
Yaj tries to roll but Jones sticks to his back.
Good control from Jones.
Jones trying to control momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jones walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Yaj checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Yaj moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Jones.
Yaj scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Jones just misses with a punch to the body.
Yaj shoots in for a takedown but Jones shows good takedown defense.
Yaj tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jones showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Yaj.
Yaj looks to score with a jab to the body but Jones is just out of range.
Jones connects with a crisp jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yaj tries to clinch up.

Jones rushes Yaj and presses him up against the cage.
Jones lands an uppercut.
Jones lands a hook to the side of the head.
Yaj looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Jones lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Yaj pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Malik Jones overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yaj looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jones wants to control from the top but Yaj keeps moving.
Jones sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Yaj's guard.
Jones scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Well, if Jones is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Jones is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Yaj taking some punishment here, with Jones in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones is looking to take a break and control but Yaj is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Yaj looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Yaj trying to control here.
Jones working Yaj over with strikes.
Jones slips a nice elbow through Yaj's hands, connecting with Yaj's forehead.
Jones is taking a breather. Yaj says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Jones scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones slows the pace down in half guard.
Yaj tries to roll over but Jones keeps him under control.
Yaj missing with punches from the bottom.
Jones content to control rather than advance.
Jones lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four 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.
Yaj is pressing down on Jones's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Yaj is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Jones postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Yaj is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Jones is aware though and is defending well.
Jones cracks Yaj with a solid left hand.
Jones controlling from the top position.
Jones stopping the sweep attempt from Yaj.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malik Jones dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Yaj throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Jones to counter with a crisp jab.
Jones lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Jones lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Jones misses with a straight right.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Jones, right into the meat.
Yaj misses with a wild body shot.
Nice uppercut there from Jones.
Jones is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yaj can do to turn this around?
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Jones.
Yaj unleashes a big counter combination but Jones bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Yaj throws a jab but it's blocked by Jones.
A jab from Jones finds it's way through Yaj's defenses.
Jones throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yaj.
Yaj misses with a straight left.
Jones connects with a right hand. Yaj shakes it off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Jones changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Yaj looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Jones creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Jones is looking to take a break and control but Yaj is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj gets back to half guard.
Jones winds up and cracks Yaj with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Yaj tries to get to full guard but Jones has control of the leg.

Yaj actively working from the bottom here.
Jones perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Jones seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Yaj works his way to full guard. Good work.
Jones trying to control the position from guard on top but Yaj is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jones is working Yaj over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Jones trying to control but Yaj is working from the bottom.
Jones in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jones trying to control but Yaj is working from the bottom.
Jones lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj is not content to let Jones control the position.
Jones has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Yaj is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Jones works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Malik Jones is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jones controlling from side mount.
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yaj keeps working.
Yaj is trying to escape the position but Jones is controlling the position.

That's four 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.
Jones working the ground and pound from side control.
Jones cracks Yaj with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Leo Yaj has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yaj tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Jones wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Jones lands a decent elbow from side control.
Jones in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Yaj is not content to let Jones control the position.
Jones takes a little break here. Yaj wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yaj keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malik Jones showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Jones 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:26
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:26
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malik Jones!
Malik Jones bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.