PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Lestat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Suleiman Osmanli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Lestat
vs
Osmanli

200 cm
23
196 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Lestat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Suleiman Osmanli!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paulsen Ambrosius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lestat fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Osmanli avoids it really well and circles away.
Lestat moves in looking to clinch but Osmanli pushes him off.
Lestat looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lestat slaps away a takedown attempt from Osmanli, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Osmanli missing with a left hand there. Lestat was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Osmanli gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Lestat counters with a single leg into guard. Osmanli didn't expect that.
Lestat has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lestat tries to free his leg and advance position but Osmanli is retaining full guard.
Osmanli keeping moving, preventing Lestat from controlling successfully.
Lestat really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Lestat is looking to stand up but Osmanli won't let him.
Osmanli is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Osmanli is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lestat wanted to stand there but Osmanli had control of the position.
Lestat postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Osmanli jabs at Lestat's body.
Lestat shoots in but Osmanli avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Lestat. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lestat is breathing heavily.
Osmanli tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Lestat counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Osmanli looking to control.
Osmanli seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Lestat tries to free his leg and advance position but Osmanli is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Osmanli wriggles free and stands up.

Lestat closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Osmanli did well to prevent Lestat getting side control.
Osmanli is holding on to half guard well.
Osmanli is trying to maintain the position but Lestat is very close to passing his half guard.
Lestat wants to pass to mount but Osmanli is defending the position.
Lestat throwing shots but Osmanli is blocking nicely.
The fighters are battling for position here. Osmanli manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Osmanli looking for a sweep. Not yet Osmanli, not yet.
Lestat stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Osmanli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lestat preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Osmanli looks to land a combination but Lestat avoids it well.

Osmanli gets a takedown into half guard.
Lestat regains full guard. Nicely done.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Osmanli accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lestat wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Osmanli chips away with some ground and pound.
Osmanli's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Osmanli content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Lestat is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Osmanli wants a takedown but no success here.

Lestat lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Lestat is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Osmanli!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lestat lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lestat pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lestat dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Lestat looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Lestat will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Lestat is pressing down on Osmanli's thigh, looking to free his foot. Osmanli is holding on for now.
Osmanli is trying to get back to full guard.
Lestat thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Osmanli's head.
Osmanli keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Osmanli gets back to full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Osmanli can do anything to dispel that myth.
Osmanli working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lestat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Osmanli looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Osmanli trying to keep a closed guard but Lestat is proving a slippery customer.
Lestat wants to control from the top but Osmanli keeps moving.
Lestat is looking to work some ground and pound but Osmanli has wrist control.
Osmanli trying to strike off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lestat stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Osmanli swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lestat gets a takedown into half guard.
Osmanli has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lestat is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Osmanli blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lestat.
Lestat wants to free his trapped foot but Osmanli is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Osmanli wants to control but Lestat is keeping busy.
Osmanli wants to sweep but Lestat has passed to side control!
Lestat is looking to take a break and control but Osmanli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lestat lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Osmanli is not content to let Lestat control the position.

Lestat thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Lestat tries for a kimura but Osmanli is defending well.
Lestat wants to stand but Osmanli is controlling his arm.
Osmanli is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Lestat tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lestat has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Osmanli is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Lestat's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Lestat not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lestat seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Osmanli does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lestat is pressing down on Osmanli's thigh, looking to free his foot. Osmanli is holding on for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Osmanli looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Osmanli shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lestat sprawls well. Lestat wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Osmanli gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lestat dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lestat.
Osmanli taking punishment in the form of punches.
Osmanli tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Osmanli takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Lestat in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Lestat wants to control but Osmanli is keeping him busy.
Osmanli holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lestat controlling from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Osmanli dodges the ground and pound from Lestat.

Lestat goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Osmanli rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Lestat's guard! Nice work there by Osmanli!
Osmanli with a flurry of punches that miss.
Osmanli trying to control but Lestat is working from the bottom.

Osmanli stands and steps away. Lestat gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
John Lestat seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lestat gets a clinch.

Lestat pulls guard successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Osmanli trying to control the position from guard on top but Lestat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Osmanli wants to stand but Lestat has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lestat pulls Osmanli in close to prevent any damage.

Lestat uses the cage to get back to his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lestat.
Osmanli throws a right and a left that Lestat avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Osmanli throws a combination that misses

and Lestat counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Osmanli!
Lestat working the ground and pound effectively.
Lestat can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Osmanli is looking to escape.
John Lestat overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lestat controlling his opponent.
Osmanli sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Lestat passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lestat looking to control but Osmanli is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Osmanli really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Lestat looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Lestat lands a heavy elbow.
Osmanli slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Suleiman Osmanli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Lestat is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lestat wants to control but Osmanli is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Lestat showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lestat, 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Lestat!