PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nipa Normaali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muhummad Abdul Rahim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Normaali
vs
Abdul Rahim

183 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Nipa Normaali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Muhummad Abdul Rahim!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Chris Edwards and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Normaali fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Normaali tries to clinch but Abdul Rahim is having none of it.
Normaali tries to clinch there but Abdul Rahim circles away.

Abdul Rahim lands a head kick that stumbles Normaali and the fighters go to the mat.

Normaali is rocked!

It looks like Nipa Normaali has been cut.
Abdul Rahim trying to control the position from guard on top but Normaali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Oh Normaali is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Normaali seems to have got his legs back now.
Abdul Rahim working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Normaali looking for a sweep. Not yet Normaali, not yet.
Abdul Rahim passes into half guard.
Normaali has a hand on Abdul Rahim's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Abdul Rahim takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Normaali tries to hold on but Abdul Rahim postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdul Rahim scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Normaali tries to improve his position but instead Abdul Rahim has taken his back!
Normaali is trying to stand back up.

Abdul Rahim is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Normaali knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Normaali for a finish.
Abdul Rahim is controlling the position but Normaali somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abdul Rahim is keen to just control but Normaali is a slippery customer.
Abdul Rahim tries to pass to full mount but Normaali defends it.
Normaali is looking to improve his position.
Normaali on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Normaali tries to get out of the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Normaali scores a takedown into full mount!
Normaali is breathing heavily.
Abdul Rahim sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdul Rahim is trying to maintain the position but Normaali is very close to passing his half guard.
Abdul Rahim is trying to stand up here but Normaali is controlling him well.
Abdul Rahim is pressing down on Normaali's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Normaali stopping the sweep attempt from Abdul Rahim.
Abdul Rahim trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Normaali's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Normaali trying to control but Abdul Rahim is working from the bottom.
Abdul Rahim working a defensive guard here.
Normaali stops Abdul Rahim from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhummad Abdul Rahim dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nipa Normaali's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Abdul Rahim stuffs the takedown attempt from Normaali. Normaali gets slowly back to his feet.
Abdul Rahim scores with a nice body kick.
Nice sprawl there from Normaali as Abdul Rahim shoots in.
Abdul Rahim tries to clinch up but Normaali circles away and keeps his distance.

Abdul Rahim gets a clinch.

Abdul Rahim breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Abdul Rahim darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

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

Abdul Rahim looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdul Rahim seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Normaali does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are battling for position here. Normaali manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Normaali keeping moving, preventing Abdul Rahim from controlling successfully.
Normaali is trying to control the position but Abdul Rahim postures up.
Normaali tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Normaali trying to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Normaali throws a head kick that misses

and Abdul Rahim counters with a takedown into side control.
Normaali tries to bench press Abdul Rahim off him but Abdul Rahim keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Normaali's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Abdul Rahim moves into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Normaali tries to reverse the position but Abdul Rahim maintains control.
Normaali tries to lock up and control but Abdul Rahim gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Normaali really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Normaali tries to hold on but Abdul Rahim postures up.
Abdul Rahim landing strikes from the mount.

That's four 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.
Normaali tries to hold on but Abdul Rahim pushes him away.
Normaali is trying desperately to improve position.

Abdul Rahim jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Normaali manages to avoid the submission attempt.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Normaali shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Normaali was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Abdul Rahim tries to reverse the position but Normaali maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhummad Abdul Rahim showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nipa Normaali's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Abdul Rahim misses with a takedown

and Normaali counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Normaali content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Normaali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Abdul Rahim keeps working.
Normaali not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Abdul Rahim throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Normaali prevents Abdul Rahim from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdul Rahim trying to hold on to Normaali's head to control him but Normaali postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Normaali slips a nice elbow through Abdul Rahim's hands, connecting with Abdul Rahim's forehead.
Normaali is thwarting Abdul Rahim's attempts to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Abdul Rahim swats away the attempt to clinch by Normaali.
Abdul Rahim has his takedown stuffed

and Normaali counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Abdul Rahim fails to pull guard.
Nipa Normaali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Muhummad Abdul Rahim.
Abdul Rahim taking a breather.

Abdul Rahim's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Normaali lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

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.
Normaali doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Abdul Rahim counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Abdul Rahim fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Abdul Rahim.
Abdul Rahim jabs at Normaali's body.
Abdul Rahim will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Normaali tries to clinch up

and Abdul Rahim moves into the clinch.
Normaali taking a breather.
Abdul Rahim tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Normaali breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Abdul Rahim misses with a takedown

and Normaali counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Normaali trying to control but Abdul Rahim is working from the bottom.
Normaali content to stall in guard here.
Normaali slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Normaali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Abdul Rahim keeps working.
Abdul Rahim wants to control but Normaali is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Normaali has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Normaali lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Abdul Rahim hang on?

And that's the end of the fight!
Nipa Normaali showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Abdul Rahim 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Muhummad Abdul Rahim!