PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Esteban Finley (ranked 25157 p4p, 0 weight class) and Habib Abdul (ranked 5636 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Finley
vs
Abdul

150 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
24
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Esteban Finley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Habib Abdul!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Richard Clark and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Abdul closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Finley did well to prevent Abdul getting side control.
Abdul content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Abdul is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Finley is looking to improve his position but Abdul isn't that keen on the idea.
Finley is squirming around, avoiding Abdul's attempts to control the action.
Finley could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Abdul goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Finley turns into him and now he's in Abdul's guard.
Finley is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdul is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Finley postures up.
Finley is looking to work some ground and pound but Abdul has wrist control.
Abdul wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Finley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Finley stops Abdul from standing up.
Abdul wants to get back to his feet but Finley passes into half guard.
Finley missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Finley not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Finley 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.
Abdul wants to get back to full guard.
Finley is trying to control. Abdul wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Abdul gets full guard.
Finley postures up in Abdul's guard and throws a big left but Abdul blocks it.

Abdul looking for a guillotine here but Finley defends easily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Abdul closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Finley did well to prevent Abdul getting side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finley is staying active underneath Abdul, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Abdul keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Finley tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Finley moves into full guard.
Finley has control of Abdul's left arm, preventing Abdul from doing any damage.
Abdul sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Abdul swats away the attempt to clinch by Finley.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Abdul closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Finley's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Habib Abdul will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Abdul tries to keep at a distance but Finley has taken the fight into the clinch.
Abdul prevents a body shot from Finley.
Finley wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Abdul ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Abdul no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Finley postures up in Abdul's guard and throws a big left but Abdul blocks it.
Abdul is trying to keep Finley in close.
Finley is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abdul trying to control the position here.
Finley working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Abdul's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Finley with a nice head shot there.
Finley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Abdul is trying to hold Finley in close to prevent damage but Finley has managed to pass into half guard.
Finley thows a huge punch but Abdul dodges it nicely.
Abdul regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Abdul is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Finley makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Finley being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Abdul has managed to clinch.

Abdul has Finley pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Abdul pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Finley tumbling to the mat - Abdul dives into Finley's guard.

Finley kicks Abdul off and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Finley tries to sprawl but Abdul drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Finley makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Abdul is breathing heavily.

Abdul throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Finley tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Abdul is in Finley's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Finley striking off his back but it's not causing Abdul any problems.
Finley is striking from the bottom but Abdul uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.

Abdul is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Finley moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abdul wants to stand and escape but instead Finley has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Finley throwing strikes but missing.
Finley is in close to Abdul's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Finley slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Abdul wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Finley is now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esteban Finley dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Abdul swings for the body but Finley moves out of range.
Finley throws a big counter combination but Abdul scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Abdul moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Finley tries to sprawl but Abdul drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Finley has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Abdul is on him like a limpet, forcing Finley back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Finley.

Abdul pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Finley wants to clinch.

Abdul rushes Finley and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdul holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Abdul's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Finley doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Abdul breaks the clinch.
Finley swats away the attempt to clinch by Abdul.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Finley takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Habib Abdul seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Abdul tries a head kick but it misses.
Abdul wants to clinch up but Finley keeps it at a distance.
Abdul scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Finley circles away from the clinch attempt.

Finley closes the distance and clinches.
Abdul throws an elbow but it misses.

Abdul manages to break the clinch.

Abdul looking to score a takedown here. Finley is defending well but Abdul drives through and ends up in Finley's guard.
Abdul really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Finley. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Abdul takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finley avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Abdul throws an elbow that misses. Finley uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Abdul's guard. Nice move by Finley!

Finley with a flurry of punches that miss.
Abdul is trying to control the position but Finley postures up.
Finley throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Esteban Finley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Finley thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Finley won't allow Abdul to get back to his feet.

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.
Finley with a nice head shot there.
Abdul trying to control the position here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Abdul had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Finley defends it easily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Finley tries to close the distance and clinch but Abdul swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Finley takes the fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Habib Abdul.
I think Abdul 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 William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29

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