PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Osman Ralf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Doan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ralf kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Frontlines. James Doan is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Ralf
vs
Doan

178 cm
23
176 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

180 cm
20
178 lbs
6 - 4 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Osman Ralf!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, James Doan!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, William Gold and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ralf wants to clinch.
Ralf looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Osman Ralf seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ralf looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ralf scores with a head kick.
Ralf throws a head kick that misses.
Doan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Doan takes a kick to the side of the head.
Ralf throws a right and a left that Doan avoids nicely.
Ralf rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Doan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ralf avoids a kick to the body.
Ralf plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Ralf throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Doan shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ralf napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Doan wants to control but Ralf is keeping him busy.
Ralf gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doan scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ralf is holding on to half guard well.
Ralf blocking the ground and pound attempt from Doan.
Doan working the head and body with strikes.
Doan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Doan is trying to control. Ralf wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ralf trying to hold on to Doan's head to control him but Doan postures up.
Doan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Ralf has one foot on Doan's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Ralf circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ralf throws a head kick but Doan moves out of range.
Doan takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Ralf tries a head kick but it misses.
Ralf throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ralf throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Ralf misses with a head kick.
Doan wants to clinch.
Ralf tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ralf with a poor takedown

and Doan counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ralf's guard now.
Ralf is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Doan postures up in Ralf's guard and throws a big left but Ralf blocks it.
Ralf avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ralf wants to stand but Doan is controlling the position.
Doan is standing up over Ralf. Ralf looks to escape but Doan dives into side control.
Doan in side control lands a decent elbow.

Doan wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ralf, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ralf tries to control but Doan manages to take his back.
Doan is landing with strikes from the back.
Doan connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Ralf to escape the position.
Ralf looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Doan is looking for the choke from the back position but Ralf is controlling his hands well.
Ralf wants to get back to his feet.

Doan is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Ralf knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Ralf for a finish.
Can Ralf hold on?! Doan is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ralf is taking damage to the body and head.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Doan.
Doan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Doan scores with strikes from the back.
Ralf is taking damage to the body and head.
Doan connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Ralf to escape the position.
Ralf trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
I would not like to be Ralf right now.
Doan lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Ralf.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Doan lands a shot to the head.
Doan is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Doan dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fight stays on the outside here - Doan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick misses from Ralf.
Doan closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ralf counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Doan is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Doan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Doan wants to clinch up but Ralf keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Doan rushes Ralf and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Doan lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Ralf tries to land a knee to the head but Doan blocks with his arms.

Doan has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Ralf regains guard immediately.
Ralf is trying to control the position but Doan postures up.
Doan lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ralf works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Doan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ralf keeping moving, preventing Doan from controlling successfully.
Ralf is trying to keep Doan in close.
Ralf is looking to stand up but Doan isn't so interested in that idea.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ralf circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ralf slaps away a takedown attempt from Doan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Doan tries to clinch there but Ralf circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ralf throws a head kick that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Doan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ralf displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Doan.
Doan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Doan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ralf paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Doan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ralf swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Doan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Osman Ralf has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Doan.
A head kick by Ralf misses

and Doan counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Doan throwing shots but Ralf is blocking nicely.
Ralf looks like he's trying to stand up.
Doan lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doan is trying to control the action in half guard but Ralf is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ralf is trying to stand back up but Doan is controlling him

Doan seems to be working for a kimura but Ralf defends the submission attempt.
Ralf is looking to escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Horrible takedown by Doan or perhaps it was just good defense by Ralf which made him look bad.
Doan wants to clinch up but Ralf keeps it at a distance.
Ralf misses with a jab, cross combination.
No luck for Doan with that takedown attempt.
Ralf closes this distance looking for a takedown but Doan circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ralf tries to clinch up but Doan circles away and keeps his distance.
Doan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ralf swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Doan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ralf swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Doan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ralf avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Doan avoids the head kick by Ralf.

Doan looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
James Doan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ralf is trying to control the position but Doan postures up.
Doan chips away with some ground and pound.
Doan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ralf's head.
Doan with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Doan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

Ralf rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Doan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Ralf has taken the fight to the clinch.
Doan tries for a takedown. No joy.
Doan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ralf blocks it with crossed arms.
Ralf blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Ralf manages to break the clinch.
Ralf misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ralf connects with a high kick.
Jab, jab by Ralf - just one landing.
Ralf misses with a head kick.
Ralf throws a nice looking combination but Doan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ralf tries a head kick but it misses.

Doan has closed the distance and engaged Ralf in a clinch.
Ralf is trying to break free.
Doan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Ralf blocks an elbow strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ralf avoids the elbow strike from Doan, against the cage.
Ralf takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doan wants a takedown but no success here.
Doan connects with a knee to the head.
Ralf is trying to force a seperation but Doan has the dominant position.
Doan has Ralf pressed against the cage, preventing Ralf from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Doan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ralf.
Ralf is looking to break free of the clinch but Doan has double underhooks.
Ralf on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ralf looking to throw knees to the head but Doan is blocking nicely.

Doan wants the takedown. Ralf is fighting it off but Doan persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Ralf's guard against the cage.
Ralf can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Doan controls the pace.
Doan scoring with some ground and pound.

Ralf scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Ralf delivers a nice body kick.
A head kick misses from Ralf.
Ralf throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Doan closes the distance and clinches.
Doan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ralf blocks it with crossed arms.
Doan misses with a knee strike.
Ralf is trying to break the clinch but Doan is controlling him.
Doan has Ralf pressed against the cage, preventing Ralf from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ralf has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Doan tries to pull guard but Ralf holds him up against the cage and eventually Doan drops back down to his feet.
Osman Ralf has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Doan.
Ralf wants to get back to striking at distance but Doan won't allow it.
Doan gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ralf wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Doan throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ralf working hard to break the clinch.

Doan drags the fight down to the ground.
Ralf has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Doan is proving hard to escape from.

Doan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Doan manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ralf wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Doan landing strikes from the mount.

Doan jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Ralf manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Ralf wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Ralf throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Ralf falls off balance throwing a combination

and Doan counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Doan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ralf looking to throw knees to the head but Doan is blocking nicely.
Ralf tries to break free but Doan pushes him back against the cage.
Doan cracks Ralf with a nice body shot.
Doan using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Doan with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Doan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ralf looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Doan obliges.
Doan tries a knee to the head but Ralf blocks it.
Doan is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ralf pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Doan scores with a knee to the head.
Ralf is trying to break the clinch but Doan is controlling him.
James Doan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Doan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ralf has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ralf wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Doan has him pressed against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Doan.
Ralf takes a knee to the side of the body.
Osman Ralf has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ralf is looking to break free of the clinch but Doan has double underhooks.
Ralf misses with a knee to the head.
Ralf tries to break the clinch but Doan is controlling the position.
Doan tries to land a knee to the head but Ralf blocks with his arms.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Doan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Doan 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Doan!