PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sami Assasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Probert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Probert is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by walk (pantera). Sami Assasi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Assasi
vs
Probert

186 cm
20
195 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

190 cm
22
200 lbs
3 - 3 - 1

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sami Assasi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Bob Probert!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Trevor Gratis and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Assasi shoots in for a takedown but Probert shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Probert tries to clinch but Assasi moves out of range.
Probert tries to clinch but Assasi moves out of range.
Assasi misses with a takedown attempt - Probert sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Probert clinches with his opponent.
Probert is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Assasi gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Assasi manages to break the clinch.
Assasi looks to score with a jab to the body but Probert is just out of range.
Probert tries to clinch but Assasi moves out of range.
Assasi darts in trying to clinch

and Probert holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Assasi wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sami Assasi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Assasi throws a head punch that misses.
Probert tries a body shot but Assasi blocks it.
Assasi is looking to break free of the clinch but Probert has double underhooks.
Assasi tries to stall but Probert uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Probert tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Probert creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Probert breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Probert gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Assasi counters with a nice uppercut.
Assasi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Probert.
Assasi throws a combination that misses

so Probert counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Probert must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Probert has gone for a leg lock! Assasi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Probert's guard.

Probert throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Probert is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assasi pushing down on Probert's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Assasi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Probert is looking for a sweep. Assasi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Assasi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Assasi looks to land a strike but Probert avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Assasi passes Probert's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Assasi takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Assasi trying to control from half guard but Probert is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assasi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Assasi seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Probert for as long as he can get away with.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Sami Assasi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Probert wants to clinch

and Assasi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Probert won't be happy with that.
Assasi is looking to take a break and control but Probert is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
You can see the frustration on Probert's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Probert gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Probert wants to control but Assasi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Assasi wants to pass the guard but Probert is defending well.
Assasi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Probert is refusing to be controlled, as Assasi sits in half guard.
Probert is trying to maintain the position but Assasi is very close to passing his half guard.
Probert is looking to improve his position.
Assasi is trying to control the action in half guard but Probert is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Assasi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Probert uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Assasi.
Probert misses with a takedown attempt

and Assasi counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Assasi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Probert knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Probert is refusing to be controlled, as Assasi sits in half guard.
Assasi uses his free foot to push down on Probert's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Probert.

Assasi is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Assasi fails with the takedown
enabling Probert to counter with a crisp jab.

Probert scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Probert connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Assasi some visible discomfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Probert.
Assasi can't do much from the bottom here.
Assasi avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Probert.
Assasi is looking for a sweep.
Assasi gets back to half guard.
Probert is stalling here. Assasi is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Probert seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Assasi has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Assasi stands up and beckons Probert to his feet.

Probert closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Probert is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Probert thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Assasi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Assasi trying to keep a closed guard but Probert is proving a slippery customer.
Probert throwing strikes from guard but Assasi blocks nicely.
Assasi wants to sweep but no luck.
Probert is in close to Assasi's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Probert postures up.
Assasi keeping full guard, as Probert tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assasi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Probert trying to control the position from guard on top but Assasi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Probert drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Assasi manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Probert has Assasi in his guard.
Assasi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Probert's guard.
Assasi uses his free foot to push down on Probert's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Probert.
Probert regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Probert is looking to improve his position.
Probert is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sami Assasi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Assasi is taking a breather. Probert says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Probert is refusing to be controlled, as Assasi sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Assasi passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Probert!
Assasi trying to control but Probert is having none of it.
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 Sami Assasi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Assasi tries for a takedown but Probert circles away easily

and Probert counters with a single leg into guard. Assasi didn't expect that.
Assasi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Probert.
Probert postures up.
Probert lands a couple of elbows.
Assasi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Assasi has his foot on Probert's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Probert works his way back into a safe position though.
Assasi looking to control.

Probert stands up over his opponent, looking to dive in with a big punch. Here he comes, superman style! Oh, the punch misses and Assasi has got him in a triangle choke for good measure! Oh no! Probert manages to get his head free but now Assasi has transitioned to an armbar! Probert grimaces and is forced to tap! Beautiful Jiu Jitsu from Assasi! I'd be surprised if that didn't end up as submission of the night!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sami Assasi!