PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Harai Goshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mohammad Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mohammad Ali will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Goshi
vs
Ali

185 cm
22
226 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
20
250 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Harai Goshi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mohammad Ali!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Goshi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Harai Goshi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Goshi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No joy there for Goshi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Goshi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ali was well out of range. Poor timing from Goshi.

Goshi pushes Ali up against the cage in a clinch.
Goshi can't get the takedown.
Ali is looking to break free of the clinch but Goshi has double underhooks.

Ali pulls guard.

Ali escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Goshi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Goshi stopping the sweep attempt from Ali.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Goshi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ali wants to stand up but Goshi is controlling him.
Goshi trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.
Goshi content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Goshi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ali controls Goshi momentarily but Goshi frees himself.
Ali will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Ali can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Goshi controls the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ali changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Goshi tries to avoid it but Ali manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Goshi to the ground. Goshi escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Goshi darts in and clinches Ali up against the cage.
Goshi stalling the fight.

Ali pulls guard successfully.
Goshi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Goshi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ali is keeping the position for now.
Goshi trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Goshi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Goshi advances to half guard.
Ali is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Goshi scores with a couple of nice shots.
Goshi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Goshi 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.
Goshi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Goshi prevents Ali from improving his position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Goshi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ground and pound from Goshi.
Goshi is nestled in close to Ali, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Goshi seems to be looking for submissions.
Goshi is breathing heavily.
Ali works his way to full guard. Good work.
Goshi passes into half guard.
Ali is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Goshi wants to take a breather but Ali is having none of it.
Goshi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Goshi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ali is trying to stand back up but Goshi is controlling him

That's four 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.

Goshi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Goshi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ali doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Goshi.
Ali is trying to stand up here but Goshi is controlling him well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ali wants to clinch.
Goshi wants to clinch up but Ali keeps it at a distance.
Ali displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Ali looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Goshi is fending him off so far but Ali persists. Nope, Goshi circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harai Goshi dominated that 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.

Goshi blocks a head kick by Ali.

Goshi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Goshi pushes down on Ali's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Ali is defending against the submission attempts here by Goshi.
Ali trying to control here.

Goshi is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Goshi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Goshi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ali trying to control here.

Goshi seems to be looking for submissions.
Ali trying to hold on to Goshi's head to control him but Goshi postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ali throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Goshi's waist but Goshi gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ali off to one side.

Ali looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Goshi!
Goshi wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Goshi turns into Ali and is now in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goshi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Goshi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Goshi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ali works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ali keeping full guard, as Goshi tries to pass.
Goshi throwing strikes but missing.
Ali avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ali with a poor takedown

and Goshi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Goshi tries to pull guard but Ali won't allow it.
Goshi misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ali.

Ali drags the fight down to the ground.
Goshi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ali is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goshi looking to sit in guard and control but Ali gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Goshi is looking for a triangle but Ali pushes his legs off easily.
Goshi looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Ali puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ali passes the guard and advances to mount!
Ali tries to control but Goshi wriggling away.

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.
Goshi tries to reverse the position but Ali maintains control.
Goshi 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.
Goshi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Goshi flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Goshi tries to roll over but Ali keeps him under control.

Goshi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Harai Goshi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ali is looking to clinch.
Goshi moves out of range of the body kick from Ali.
Ali tries to clinch up but Goshi circles away and keeps his distance.

Goshi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Goshi trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.
Goshi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ali swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ali trying to keep a closed guard but Goshi is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Goshi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Goshi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali working a defensive guard here.
Goshi slips nicely into half guard.
Goshi trying to control from half guard but Ali is working away.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ali manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Goshi is working Ali over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Goshi tries to free his leg and advance position but Ali is retaining full guard.
Goshi is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Goshi trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ali keeping full guard, as Goshi tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ali shoots in but Goshi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Goshi doesn't manage to clinch there - Ali circles away.
Ali swats away the attempt to clinch by Goshi.
Ali changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Goshi tries to avoid it but Ali manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Goshi to the ground. Goshi escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Goshi swats away the attempt to clinch by Ali.
Goshi closes the distance but Ali moves to the side
and Ali makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Goshi really felt that one!
Goshi fails to land with a series of punches.
Goshi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goshi tries to clinch but Ali is having none of it.
Ali misses with a takedown attempt - Goshi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Harai Goshi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mohammad Ali.
Goshi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Goshi gets the takedown into side control.
Goshi works to advance to full mount. Ali defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Ali swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Ali tries to control Goshi's body but Goshi pushes him off. Ali squirms to his side and now Goshi has his back!
Ali breaks Goshi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Goshi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Goshi 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.
Goshi could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Goshi tries to strike from the bottom.
Ali trying to control but Goshi is working from the bottom.
Ali wants to stand but Goshi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Goshi keeping full guard, as Ali tries to pass.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Goshi working for a triangle but Ali defends it easily.
Mohammad Ali has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harai Goshi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Harai Goshi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Goshi trying to keep a closed guard but Ali is proving a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harai Goshi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Goshi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harai Goshi!