PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ground Pound (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taj Mahal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Pound
vs
Mahal

183 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

198 cm
22
238 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ground Pound!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taj Mahal!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mahal closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Pound did well to prevent Mahal getting side control.

Pound is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mahal pulls his head out easily.

Pound looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Mahal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pound keeps working.

Pound looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pound wants to improve his position but Mahal is controlling well.

Pound looking for submissions off his back.
Pound might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pound is staying active underneath Mahal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pound keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mahal is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mahal feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

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

Pound throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Mahal avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Pound is breathing heavily.

Pound escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mahal gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mahal trying to control but Pound is working from the bottom.

Mahal decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Pound, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mahal shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pound napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Pound is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pound prevents Mahal from moving into mount.

Mahal stands up and beckons Pound to his feet.
Pound doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Mahal counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Pound has an active guard here but Mahal has managed to pass into half guard.
Mahal trying to control from half guard but Pound is working away.

Pound has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Mahal escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Mahal!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahal in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Pound tries to improve position but can't.
Mahal working the ground and pound from side control.
Mahal tries to move into full mount but can't pass Pound's legs.
Pound is not content to let Mahal control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pound tries to improve position but can't.
Pound is working hard here to advance position.
Mahal just content to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Pound gets back to half guard.
Mahal is looking to take a break and control but Pound is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mahal with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Pound is trying to get back to full guard.

Pound looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Pound is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mahal pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taj Mahal dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mahal moves into the clinch successfully.

Pound is fighting off a takedown attempt but Mahal is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Pound to the mat. Pound regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Pound could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Pound isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mahal stacks Pound on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mahal!
Pound gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Pound is staying active underneath Mahal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pound is looking to improve his position.
Mahal is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Pound!
Mahal lands a big elbow.
Mahal trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pound is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mahal trying to control but Pound is having none of it.
Pound is wriggling around trying to escape.
Mahal controlling the pace for now.
Pound working to try and regain half guard.

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.
Mahal looking to control but Pound is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pound slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Pound looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Pound is looking to improve his position.
Mahal keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Pound tries to get to full guard but Mahal has control of the leg.
Mahal is trying to control. Pound wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Pound is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mahal pulls his head out easily.
Pound is not content to let Mahal control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mahal throws a head kick that half lands.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mahal. Pound does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ground Pound is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mahal with a poor takedown

and Pound counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pound throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pound throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mahal being controlled here, momentarily.
Taj Mahal has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pound scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pound postures up in Mahal's guard and throws a big left but Mahal blocks it.
Mahal throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Mahal working a defensive guard here.
Pound is looking to work some ground and pound but Mahal has wrist control.

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

Mahal bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pound is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Mahal's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Mahal is trying to control. Pound wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pound looking for submissions off his back.
Pound is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taj Mahal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Mahal with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pound counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mahal's guard now.
Pound with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Pound content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pound scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mahal avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mahal looking to control.
Pound missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pound in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pound wants to control from the top but Mahal keeps moving.
Mahal looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

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

Pound gets the takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pound lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Mahal wants to control but Pound postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pound throwing strikes but Mahal manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Pound is trying to get back to half guard.
Mahal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pound keeps working.
Mahal taking a breather here.
Pound is looking for a sweep.
Pound parries the strikes from Mahal easily there. Mahal is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Pound to escape.

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

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pound being controlled here, momentarily.

Pound is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mahal defends well.

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

Pound has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Mahal is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Pound.
Pound is trying to improve his position.
Mahal controlling from side mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mahal has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Mahal has his takedown stuffed

and Pound counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Pound trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mahal is trying to keep Pound in close.
Pound throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mahal works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mahal holds on and takes a little breather.
Pound lands a couple of elbows.
Pound content to stall in guard here.
Pound 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahal keeping moving, preventing Pound from controlling successfully.
Pound makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Pound trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mahal trying to keep a closed guard but Pound is proving a slippery customer.
Pound trying to control the position from guard on top but Mahal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mahal has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pound can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pound working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ground Pound showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mahal has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taj Mahal!