PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alex Sultan (ranked 4312 p4p, 6669 weight class) and Bakary Mensah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sultan
vs
Mensah

225 cm
25
155
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
21
145
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Sultan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bakary Mensah!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, George Francis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sultan fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mensah raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Sultan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mensah is fending him off so far but Sultan persists. Nope, Mensah circles away and we're back to standing.
Sultan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mensah pinned against the cage. Mensah gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And Mensah tries to counter it with a takedown but Sultan pushes his down on his head and steps out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Sultan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sultan moves in looking to clinch but Mensah pushes him off.
Mensah throws a fast counter high kick but Sultan manages to duck under it in time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sultan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mensah paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sultan misses with a takedown attempt
and Mensah counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sultan tries to clinch up but Mensah circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sultan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And Mensah tries to counter it with a takedown but Sultan pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Sultan looks for a takedown but Mensah sprawls well.
Mensah displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sultan.
Mensah stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mensah wants it to stay on the feet.
Sultan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Mensah counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mensah keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Alex Sultan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sultan shoots in but no luck this time.
Sultan finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Mensah tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Sultan shoots in for a double leg but Mensah sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mensah changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Sultan really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sultan is breathing heavily.
Sultan misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And Mensah tries to counter it with a takedown but Sultan pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Sultan fails with the takedown
and Mensah counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sultan closes the distance but Mensah moves to the side

and Mensah counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mensah.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mensah not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sultan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mensah is stalling in the full guard.
Sultan controls Mensah momentarily but Mensah frees himself.
Mensah is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sultan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sultan controls Mensah momentarily but Mensah frees himself.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sultan misses with a takedown
letting Mensah counter with a right hand.
Sultan tries to clinch there but Mensah circles away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A nice leg kick lands there from Sultan.
Sultan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Mensah counters with a lovely shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bakary Mensah dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Sultan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mensah drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sultan gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Mensah is trying to drag Sultan to the mat but Sultan just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Sultan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sultan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mensah feints the counter takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Mensah. No joy for Sultan on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sultan pivots, looking for a leg kick but Mensah is out of range and Sultan settles back down.
Sultan moves in looking to clinch but Mensah pushes him off.
Mensah drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Sultan defends it well.
Sultan tries to clinch up.
Sultan fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Despite the aggression on Mensah's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sultan or perhaps it was just good defense by Mensah, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Sultan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sultan fails with the takedown
and Mensah counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sultan thinking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sultan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mensah paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mensah tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Sultan lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Mensah slaps away a takedown attempt from Sultan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sultan doesn't manage to clinch there - Mensah circles away.
Sultan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mensah with the counter takedown but Sultan avoids it easily.
Sultan fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sultan tries for a takedown but Mensah sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mensah leaves Sultan with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mensah is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Sultan fails with the takedown
and Mensah counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sultan throws a head kick that misses
letting Mensah counter with a right hand.
Sultan shoots in but no luck this time.
Despite the aggression on Mensah's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Sultan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sultan has his takedown stuffed
and Mensah counters with a three punch combo that has Sultan backing up. Sultan nods at Mensah to acknowledge the strikes.
Mensah avoids the head kick by Sultan.
Sultan tries a head kick but it misses.
Sultan looks to clinch
and Mensah counters with a left and a right that stings Sultan.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Some wild striking there from Sultan.
Mensah feints the counter takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bakary Mensah showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sultan tries for a takedown but Mensah circles away easily
and Mensah counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sultan shoots in for a double leg but Mensah sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mensah with the counter takedown but Sultan avoids it easily.
Sultan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Mensah counters with a one-two to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Sultan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sultan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mensah with the counter takedown but Sultan avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sultan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sultan backing away here, and Mensah unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sultan dives in and grabs Mensah's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mensah pushes down on Sultan's head and hops out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mensah defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sultan.
Mensah flicks out a counter leg kick but Sultan steps away.
Nice takedown defense from Mensah. No joy for Sultan on that attempt.
Mensah lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Alex Sultan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mensah keeps the fight on the outside.
Bakary Mensah seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sultan or perhaps it was just good defense by Mensah, which made it look bad.
Mensah is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Sultan shoots in for a takedown but Mensah shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mensah changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Sultan throws a combination that misses
enabling Mensah to counter with a crisp jab.
Mensah stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mensah wants it to stay on the feet.
Sultan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mensah counters with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sultan or perhaps it was just good defense by Mensah, which made it look bad.
Sultan tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mensah sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sultan somewhat.
And Mensah tries to counter it with a takedown but Sultan pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Mensah moves out of range of the body kick from Sultan.
Sultan moves in looking to clinch but Mensah pushes him off.
Mensah circles away from the clinch attempt
and Mensah counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sultan throws a head kick that misses.
Sultan tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mensah defends well and Sultan ends up having to push Mensah into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Mensah is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Mensah is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sultan gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Mensah has hold of one of Sultan's legs. Sultan is fighting the takedown attempt but Mensah gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Mensah is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Sultan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mensah doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mensah manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mensah slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sultan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sultan wants to sweep but no luck.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mensah controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mensah must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bakary Mensah comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mensah winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bakary Mensah!