PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alexandro Kassim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sahraim Alib (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Alexandro Kassim has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Kassim
vs
Alib

185 cm
18
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Star.Inc

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alexandro Kassim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sahraim Alib!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kassim looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Kassim gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kassim is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Alib wants to improve his position but Kassim is controlling well.
Alib is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Kassim scores with a couple of nice shots.
Kassim is keen to just control but Alib is a slippery customer.
Kassim tries to stand and escape but Alib is controlling the position.
Alib trying to control here.
Alib pushes Kassim off looking to stand but Kassim dives back in and keeps control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alib wants to control but Kassim is keeping busy.
Alib is concentrating on defense, preventing Kassim from advancing position.
Alib is looking to improve his position.
Kassim is keen to just control but Alib is a slippery customer.
Alib really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kassim. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Alib takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Sahraim Alib has been cut.

Alib looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kassim makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Kassim.
Kassim striking off his back but it's not causing Alib any problems.
Alib trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kassim looking to hit a scissor sweep but Alib is one step ahead there.
Alib is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Alib working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Kassim working for a triangle but Alib defends it easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Alib stopping the sweep attempt from Kassim.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kassim bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alib's guard.
Alib trying to control the position here.
Alib is looking to stand up but Kassim isn't so interested in that idea.
Kassim postures up and lands a big shot to Alib's brow.

Kassim decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Kassim tries a head kick but it misses.
Kassim throws a head kick that Alib semi-blocks.
Alexandro Kassim is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alib takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Alib closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Alib lands in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alib landing with the ground and pound.

Kassim is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Alib is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kassim tries to strike from the bottom.
Kassim throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Alib stopping the sweep attempt from Kassim.
Alib wants to control from the top but Kassim keeps moving.
Kassim manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Kassim scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Alib?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kassim throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kassim trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Kassim working for a submission but Alib is keeping him at bay.
Kassim wants to control but instead Alib manages to regain half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alib has his hands clasped together around Kassim's back. He's all about the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexandro Kassim dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sahraim Alib's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A head kick misses from Kassim.
Kassim misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kassim throws a head kick but Alib moves out of range.

Alib changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kassim looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Kassim sneaks back into half guard.
Kassim is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Alib scores with a couple of nice shots.
Kassim trying to control here.
Alib working Kassim over with strikes.
Alib blocks the strikes from Kassim.
Alib drops an elbow to the side of Kassim's head.
Alib looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Kassim scores with a few weak punches.
Alib is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Alib lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kassim is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Alib stops Kassim from getting back to his feet.

Kassim looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kassim trying to control but Alib postures up.
Alib seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Alib working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Alib lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Alib trying to control from half guard but Kassim is working away.
Alib lands with a punch from half guard.
Alib lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kassim is trying to stand back up but Alib is controlling him
Kassim punching from the bottom.
Alib wants to take a breather but Kassim is having none of it.
Kassim wants to improve his position but Alib is controlling well.
Alib is thwarting Kassim's attempts to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kassim pushes Alib off looking to stand but Alib dives back in and keeps control.
Kassim is looking for a sweep. Alib is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A head kick misses from Kassim.
Kassim misses with a head kick.
Alexandro Kassim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Alib shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kassim's guard.
Alib tries to free his leg and advance position but Kassim is retaining full guard.
Kassim will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kassim doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Alib trying to control the position from guard on top but Kassim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alib cracks Kassim with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alib connects with a couple of short punches.
Alib cracks Kassim with a solid left hand.
Kassim trying to control the position.
Alib distracts Kassim with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kassim wants to get back to his feet but Alib is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sahraim Alib has got the better of the ground game so far.
Alib working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Alib content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Alib scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Kassim working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Alib doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Alib manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Alib with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Alib wants to control from the top but Kassim keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alib landing some decent shots from guard.
Alib missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Alib trying to control but Kassim is working from the bottom.
Alib is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Alib's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kassim doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Alib postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Alib bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Alib lands a nice forearm strike.
Alib misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Kassim 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.
Alib working away.
Kassim manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sahraim Alib showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sahraim Alib's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

A head kick misses from Kassim.
Alib throws a right and a left that both miss.
Alib swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kassim lands with a kick to the temple. Alib shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Kassim throws a head kick but Alib moves out of range.

Alib darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kassim regains full guard. Nicely done.
Alib scoring with some ground and pound.
Alib won't allow Kassim to sweep him here.
Kassim manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Alib is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kassim trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Alib takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alib is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kassim trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Alib is working to get back to half guard.
Alib tries to hold on but Kassim postures up.
Alib can't escape the position.

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.
Kassim trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Kassim looking for a guillotine from mount but Alib is having none of it.
Kassim tries to control but Alib wriggling away.
The referee warns Alib that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kassim can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Alib is looking to escape.
Alib squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Kassim throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kassim tries to control but Alib wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kassim jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Alib manages to avoid the submission attempt.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kassim misses with a head kick.
Kassim throws a head kick that misses.
Kassim misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kassim throws a sloppy head kick and Alib moves out of range easily.
A head kick from Kassim lands but Alib takes it in his stride.

Alib fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kassim sprawls well initially but Alib persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ground and pound from Alib.
Alib looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Alib.
Kassim on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kassim on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Alib scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Alib is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Kassim trying to control here.
Kassim is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Alib is nestled in close to Kassim, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Alib wants to free his trapped foot but Kassim is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Alib working the head and body with strikes.
Kassim is looking to control Alib's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kassim avoid being mounted?
Alib scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sahraim Alib comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Alib 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sahraim Alib!