PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Habib al Habibin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). al Habibin comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Can't Be Touched kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Habib al Habibin has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with James Jones's chin.

Jones
vs
al Habibin

188 cm
22
191 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
194 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, James Jones!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Habib al Habibin!
The judges for this bout are , and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones shoots for a double leg takedown but al Habibin sprawls well. He's pushed Jones's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
al Habibin misses with a wild body shot.
Jones throws a right and a left that al Habibin avoids nicely.
al Habibin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Jones counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Jones.

Jones avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
al Habibin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Jones pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. al Habibin is keeping the position for now.
Jones postures up and lands a big shot to al Habibin's brow.
al Habibin being controlled here, momentarily.
Jones trying to control but al Habibin is working from the bottom.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones lands a couple of elbows.
al Habibin wants to sweep but no luck.
Jones trying to control the position from guard on top but al Habibin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Jones stands up and waves to al Habibin to follow him.

al Habibin gets caught flat footed, as Jones shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

al Habibin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

al Habibin is looking for a triangle but Jones pushes his legs off easily.
al Habibin looks gassed!
Jones stands and throws al Habibin's legs to the side, diving into side control.
al Habibin is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Jones has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jones decides to stand up, so the ref orders al Habibin to his feet.
Jones misses with a head kick.
al Habibin wants to clinch

and Jones counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Jones 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.
Jones throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jones is looking to work some ground and pound but al Habibin has wrist control.
Jones trying to control but al Habibin is working from the bottom.

al Habibin working for a triangle but Jones defends it easily.
al Habibin controls Jones momentarily but Jones frees himself.

al Habibin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones postures up.
Jones wants to control from the top but al Habibin keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

al Habibin closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
al Habibin trying to control the position but Jones is working away.

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

al Habibin decides to stand back up. al Habibin steps back and let's Jones get back to his feet.

al Habibin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

al Habibin has control of Jones's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Jones regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Jones manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones trying to control but al Habibin postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of al Habibin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take al Habibin's back!
al Habibin trying to control the action but Jones just sinks the hooks in.
Jones throwing damaging strikes from the back! al Habibin could be in trouble here!
Jones scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. al Habibin is looking for a way out.

Jones has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Jones is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. al Habibin knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften al Habibin for a finish.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
al Habibin can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Jones 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.

Jones gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and al Habibin counters with a big head kick but Jones shrugs it off.

Jones closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Jones prevents al Habibin from improving his position.
Jones lands strikes from half guard.

Jones decides to stand and escape the position.

Jones shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Jones was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Jones content just to control the position here.
al Habibin is breathing heavily.
al Habibin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
James Jones overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Jones unloading with bombs!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones avoids the attempt from al Habibin to control.

Jones jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but al Habibin manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
al Habibin gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Jones lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
al Habibin keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Jones seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
al Habibin is in trouble now - Jones has advanced to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries to control but al Habibin wriggling away.
al Habibin is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
al Habibin manages to regain half guard. Good work.
al Habibin gets full guard.
Jones controlling from the top position.
al Habibin working a defensive guard here.

al Habibin has his foot on Jones's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Jones works his way back into a safe position though.
al Habibin being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
al Habibin looking for a sweep. Not yet al Habibin, not yet.
al Habibin is trying to control the position but Jones postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
al Habibin throws a combination that misses

and Jones counters with a nice double leg into guard.

al Habibin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Jones doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Jones manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
al Habibin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

al Habibin is looking for a triangle but Jones pushes his legs off easily.
Jones controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones looking to sit in guard and control but al Habibin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

al Habibin stands up from guard. Let's bang!

al Habibin shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Jones's guard.
Jones is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
al Habibin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jones is keeping the position for now.
Jones has his hands on al Habibin's head, controlling the position.

al Habibin gets to his feet - Jones follows without any prompting.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
al Habibin comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

al Habibin moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Jones dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Jones gets a takedown into half guard.

Jones is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and al Habibin defends it well.
al Habibin is trying to maintain the position but Jones is very close to passing his half guard.
Jones wants to control but al Habibin is keeping him busy.
Jones prevents al Habibin from standing back up.
al Habibin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
al Habibin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jones wants to control but al Habibin is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jones dodges the punch combination from al Habibin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
al Habibin misses with a takedown attempt

and Jones counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

al Habibin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Jones controlling the action here.
al Habibin is holding on to half guard well.
al Habibin moves into full guard.
al Habibin controls Jones momentarily but Jones frees himself.
al Habibin wants to sweep but no luck.

Jones gets to his feet - al Habibin follows without any prompting.
James Jones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Jones closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
This has been an exciting period of action!
al Habibin is trying to improve his position.
Jones tries to advance to mount but al Habibin denies him.
Jones trying to control the position but al Habibin is working away.
Jones tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Jones is staying tight to al Habibin's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but al Habibin keeps working.
al Habibin is looking to regain half guard here but Jones keeps moving and retains side control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Jones drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones postures up.
Jones stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. al Habibin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jones passes al Habibin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Jones seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Jones prevents al Habibin from improving his position.
Jones is keen to just control but al Habibin is a slippery customer.
al Habibin wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. al Habibin manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Jones stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. al Habibin swivels though and keeps the full guard.

al Habibin looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Jones has picked al Habibin up and slammed him! al Habibin can't keep hold of the triangle and Jones manages to pass to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
al Habibin trying to control but Jones flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

al Habibin showing good submission defense here.
Jones doesn't have the hooks in and al Habibin manages to turn into his guard.
Jones wants to sweep but no luck.
al Habibin trying to control the position from guard on top but Jones is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jones looking to control.
Jones is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
al Habibin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
al Habibin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Jones clearly takes that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

al Habibin misses with a combination

and Jones counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Jones advances position into side control!
Jones trying to control the action but al Habibin is working from the bottom.
al Habibin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Jones wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Jones wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by al Habibin, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on al Habibin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The referee asks Jones politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Jones prefers to stall for the moment though.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

Jones goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, al Habibin has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Jones but great work by al Habibin.
You can see the frustration on Jones's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

al Habibin decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in al Habibin's guard.

al Habibin has his feet on Jones's thighs here. He's pushed Jones off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Jones screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:30 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Habib al Habibin!
Habib al Habibin is the new middleweight champion!