PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Muhammad Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Losefa Tuilagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Muhammad Ali has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Ali
vs
Tuilagi

200 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

187 cm
18
194 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Muhammad Ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Losefa Tuilagi!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Radbod Blank and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali is looking to clinch.
Tuilagi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ali circles away.
Ali with a poor takedown

so Tuilagi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tuilagi wants to control from the top but Ali keeps moving.
Tuilagi throws and elbow that misses. Ali uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Tuilagi's guard. Nice move by Ali!
Tuilagi looking for a sweep. Not yet Tuilagi, not yet.
Tuilagi pulls Ali in to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ali accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ali with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ali wants to stand but Tuilagi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ali shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Ali decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ali with a lazy takedown attempt

so Tuilagi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Ali looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ali is breathing heavily.
Tuilagi is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Tuilagi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Tuilagi working some strikes from top position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tuilagi prevents Ali from getting back to his feet.
Tuilagi postures up and lands a big shot to Ali's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Tuilagi wants to control from the top but Ali keeps moving.
Tuilagi cracks Ali with a solid left hand.
Tuilagi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ali swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tuilagi scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ali keeping moving, preventing Tuilagi from controlling successfully.
Ali is trying to control the position but Tuilagi postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ali with a lazy takedown attempt

and Tuilagi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Muhammad Ali. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ali is trying to control the position but Tuilagi postures up.
Tuilagi chips away with some ground and pound.
Ali is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tuilagi preventing the sweep.
Tuilagi trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Tuilagi stands up from Ali's guard - Tuilagi perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tuilagi shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ali counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tuilagi tries to roll over but Ali keeps him under control.
Tuilagi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Tuilagi is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ali's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ali's back!
Ali grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Ali can't escape the position.
Ali trying to control the hands but Tuilagi won't let him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tuilagi connects with a big shot to the side of Ali's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Losefa Tuilagi dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tuilagi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Tuilagi is thwarting Ali's attempts to control the position.
Ali is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tuilagi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ali with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ali tries to get to full guard but Tuilagi has control of the leg.
Tuilagi lands strikes from half guard.
Ali taking some punishment here, with Tuilagi in his half guard.
Ali pushes Tuilagi off looking to stand but Tuilagi dives back in and keeps control.
Tuilagi stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Tuilagi has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tuilagi lands strikes from half guard.
Tuilagi 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.
Tuilagi controlling the action here.
Losefa Tuilagi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ali on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Tuilagi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Tuilagi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali is looking to control Tuilagi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ali avoid being mounted?
Ali tries to kick Tuilagi off but Tuilagi keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Tuilagi is looking to take a break and control but Ali is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tuilagi controlling the action here.
Tuilagi landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Tuilagi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Tuilagi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ali is just riding it out for now. Tuilagi eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi is trying to control. Ali wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Losefa Tuilagi.
Ali falls off balance throwing a combination

and Tuilagi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ali won't be happy with that.

Tuilagi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tuilagi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Tuilagi looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tuilagi looks up at the clock and then as Ali takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Tuilagi smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Tuilagi is chipping away with strikes.
Ali taking punishment in the form of punches.
Ali manages to work his way to half guard, despite Tuilagi's best efforts.
Ali wants to get back to full guard.
Tuilagi slips a nice elbow through Ali's hands, connecting with Ali's forehead.
Tuilagi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Tuilagi lands with a punch from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Losefa Tuilagi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. 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.

Tuilagi shoots in for a takedown but Ali shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Ali moves into range and clinches up with Tuilagi.
Tuilagi is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ali.
A short right from Ali.
Tuilagi tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ali just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ali gets underhooks to prevent Tuilagi's takedown attempt.
Muhammad Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Losefa Tuilagi.
Tuilagi is trying to break free.
Tuilagi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ali fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Ali clinches with his opponent.

Ali jumps guard.
Tuilagi trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ali is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ali trying to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Tuilagi drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ali looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ali looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ali!
You can see the frustration on Tuilagi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tuilagi keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ali is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Tuilagi is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Tuilagi is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Ali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tuilagi keeps working.

Ali decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tuilagi.

Ali shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ali showed some decent athleticism there.
Ali stops Tuilagi from getting back to his feet.
Ali throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ali will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tuilagi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ali trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Tuilagi manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Ali trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali wants to stand and escape but Tuilagi is having none of it.
Ali utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tuilagi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ali is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Losefa Tuilagi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tuilagi lands a couple of elbows.
Ali trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tuilagi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Ali trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Muhammad Ali showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Tuilagi 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Losefa Tuilagi!