PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zen Budha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Cassidy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Budha comes to the cage accompanied by Fight Club - Where is my Mind. Zen Budha had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Budha
vs
Cassidy

186 cm
25
199 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

183 cm
20
190 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Fight Club Clothing™
Fight Club Clothing™

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zen Budha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kevin Cassidy!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Budha fails to land the takedown.
Budha misses with a takedown attempt - Cassidy sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cassidy is looking to clinch.

Cassidy changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Budha looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Budha is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cassidy off and has taken his back!

Cassidy fending off the submission attempt from Budha.

Budha looking for the RNC.
Budha is trying to stick to Cassidy's back but Cassidy is turning into Budha. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Budha's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Cassidy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cassidy is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Budha not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Budha working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cassidy doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cassidy manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cassidy 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.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cassidy is looking to stand up but Budha won't let him.

Budha working for a triangle but Cassidy defends it easily.
Budha keeping moving, preventing Cassidy from controlling successfully.

Budha is looking for a triangle but Cassidy pushes his legs off easily.
Budha looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cassidy wants to control from the top but Budha keeps moving.
Cassidy passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Cassidy is trying to get an arm triangle but Budha is defending well.
Budha is looking to reverse the position.

Cassidy working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Cassidy tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Cassidy wants to control but Budha is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Budha gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Budha gets back to full guard.
Cassidy lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cassidy won't allow Budha to sweep him here.
Cassidy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Budha swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cassidy passes Budha's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Cassidy trying to control from half guard but Budha is working away.
Cassidy wants to pass to mount but Budha is defending the position.

Cassidy is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Budha has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Budha is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Cassidy is looking for a kimura here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Budha gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cassidy counters with a series of strikes. Budha will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zen Budha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Budha throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cassidy.
Budha dodges the punch combination from Cassidy.
Budha gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Cassidy moves into the clinch.
Cassidy is pressed up against the cage. Budha has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cassidy down to the mat. Cassidy avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kevin Cassidy will probably get the nod.
That's time! Budha's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Budha fails with the takedown

and Cassidy counters with a nice double leg into side control. Budha won't be happy with that.
Budha wants to control but Cassidy postures up.

Cassidy stands up and beckons Budha to his feet.
Cassidy rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Budha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Budha shoots and misses

and Cassidy counters with a head kick that drops Budha to the mat! Budha scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Budha is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Budha fails with the takedown

and Cassidy counters with a nice double leg into side control. Budha won't be happy with that.
Oh Budha is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zen Budha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cassidy wants to control but Budha is keeping him busy.
Budha seems to have got his legs back now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cassidy working away.
Budha tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cassidy is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Budha is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Budha gets back to half guard.

Budha is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cassidy pulls his head out easily.
Cassidy passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Budha!
Cassidy tries to control but Budha wriggling away.
Budha working to try and regain half guard.
Cassidy controlling the position easily from mount.

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.

Cassidy is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Budha is surviving well by controlling Cassidy's body position as best he can.
Cassidy content just to control the position here.

Cassidy looking to secure an arm triangle but Budha defends it well.
Budha bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Budha looking to pass the guard.
Cassidy is controlling Budha's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cassidy keeping full guard, as Budha tries to pass.
Cassidy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Budha. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cassidy controls Budha momentarily but Budha frees himself.
Budha pushing down on Cassidy's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Cassidy wants to get back to full guard.
Cassidy keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cassidy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cassidy is trying to maintain the position but Budha is very close to passing his half guard.
Budha is keen to just control but Cassidy is a slippery customer.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Budha is looking to land body kicks.
Zen Budha is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Budha drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cassidy manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Budha throwing shots but Cassidy is blocking nicely.
Cassidy keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cassidy is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Budha's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Budha's back!

Cassidy patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Budha looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Budha showing good submission defense here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Cassidy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Cassidy scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cassidy is keen to just control but Budha is a slippery customer.
Budha trying to control from the bottom.
Budha is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

Budha looking for submissions off his back.

Cassidy 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.
Cassidy is thwarting Budha's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Budha manages to get to full guard.
Cassidy advances position into side control!

Cassidy tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cassidy has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Budha is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Cassidy's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Cassidy slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cassidy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Budha keeps working.
Budha manages to get to full guard.
Cassidy wants to control from the top but Budha keeps moving.
Cassidy is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Budha is trying to control the position but Cassidy postures up.
Cassidy postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cassidy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cassidy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Budha throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Budha keeping moving, preventing Cassidy from controlling successfully.
Cassidy is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cassidy works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cassidy seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Budha does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Despite being in the dominant position, Kevin Cassidy just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Budha throws a body kick that misses.
Budha tries for a takedown but Cassidy circles away easily

and Cassidy counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cassidy wants to pass to mount but Budha is defending the position.
Zen Budha has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cassidy trying to control the action but Budha is working from the bottom.

Budha actively working from the bottom here.

Cassidy has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Budha defend it? Cassidy steps over the head and cranks it - Budha is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Cassidy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Kevin Cassidy!