PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aldin Arifi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Malick Bah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arifi comes into the arena with Eminem - Not Afraid blaring out of the sound system. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Arifi
vs
Bah

170 cm
25
135 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

177 cm
21
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Aldin Arifi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Malick Bah!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Paul Tew and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bah tries to clinch up but Arifi circles away and keeps his distance.
Bah tries to clinch there but Arifi circles away.
Bah tries to clinch there but Arifi circles away.
Bah tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Arifi fails with a takedown attempt.
Bah tries to clinch up but Arifi circles away and keeps his distance.
Bah fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arifi dodges the punch combination from Bah.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bah looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bah tries to clinch up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Arifi.
Bah tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arifi avoids a kick to the body.
Arifi shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bah but Bah pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aldin Arifi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arifi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bah.
Arifi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bah avoids it really well and circles away.
Arifi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
Bah tries to clinch but Arifi moves out of range.
Bah tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bah is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bah wants to clinch up but Arifi keeps it at a distance.

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.
Bah is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bah is looking to clinch but Arifi is avoiding it.
Arifi tries a head kick but it misses.
Bah tries to clinch there but Arifi circles away.
Malick Bah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bah tries to close the distance and clinch up but Arifi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Arifi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bah swivels and escapes.

Bah clinches up against the ropes.

Bah breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Arifi keeps the fight on the outside.
Bah throws a body kick that misses.
Arifi has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Bah moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bah has Arifi pressed against the ropes.
Bah lands a knee to the body.
Bah lands a knee to the head.

Bah breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bah tries to close the distance and clinch but Arifi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bah looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Arifi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Arifi steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Bah. That one must have hurt.
Arifi is breathing heavily.
Arifi keeps the fight on the outside.
Bah tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Arifi paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Bah gets a clinch.
Bah lands an elbow just above Arifi 's eye.
Bah is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bah using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Bah landing knees to the head.
Bah is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Bah holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Bah lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Bah breaks the clinch.
Arifi on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Bah. Arifi shrugs it off though.

Bah gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Bah breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
Arifi slips a jab and a cross from Bah.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Bah throws a quick inside leg kick.

Bah closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Bah lands a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Bah.

Bah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bah lands with a kick to the temple. Arifi shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Bah lands a head kick. Arifi smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Malick Bah is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Arifi. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Bah is looking to clinch.
Bah is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bah is looking to clinch.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Bah fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bah wants to clinch.
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
Arifi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bah lands a leg kick that knocks Arifi off balance momentarily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Arifi keeps the fight on the outside.
Bah thows a body kick. Arifi tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Arifi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bah tries to clinch but Arifi moves out of range.
Bah tries to close the distance and clinch up but Arifi swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Bah tries to clinch up but Arifi circles away and keeps his distance.
Bah wants to clinch.

Bah rushes Arifi and presses him up against the ropes.
Bah landing knees to the head.
Bah scores with a knee to the head.
Bah with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Bah landing knees to the body.
Bah landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Bah is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Arifi takes a knee to the side of the body.

Bah escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bah is looking to clinch but Arifi is avoiding it.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Bah bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Bah fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bah connects with a solid leg kick.
Bah wants to clinch.

Bah has managed to clinch.
Arifi takes a knee to the side of the body.
Bah with a knee to the head.
Arifi takes an elbow to the forehead.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bah is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Bah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A slapping leg kick lands for Bah.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Bah wants to clinch up but Arifi keeps it at a distance.
Bah tries to clinch but Arifi is having none of it.
Arifi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bah defends it nicely.
Arifi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bah tries to close the distance and clinch but Arifi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bah tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bah tries to clinch up but Arifi circles away and keeps his distance.
Bah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Bah clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malick Bah 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. This is the final round!

Bah tries to close the distance and clinch but Arifi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bah is looking to clinch.
Bah connects with a high kick.
No luck for Arifi with that takedown attempt.
Bah tries to clinch up.
Arifi throws a series of punches but Bah avoids them all with ease.
Arifi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Arifi misses with a takedown attempt - Bah sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bah looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bah is looking to clinch but Arifi is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bah is looking to clinch but Arifi is avoiding it.
Bah tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bah tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bah throws a nice inside leg kick.
Arifi shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bah but Bah pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aldin Arifi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A solid body kick from Bah.

Bah closes the distance and clinches.
Bah with a knee to the head.
Bah connects with a nasty looking knee right to Arifi's face.

Bah escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bah fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bah fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bah delivers a nice body kick.
Bah tries to clinch but Arifi moves out of range.
Bah is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Bah fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bah fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice body kick from Bah.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bah tries to clinch up.
Arifi will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Arifi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Arifi crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Bah - the referee stops the clock and Arifi gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Bah. Arifi manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Bah has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Arifi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Arifi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bah lands a high kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bah wants to clinch up but Arifi keeps it at a distance.
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
Bah fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bah tries to clinch but Arifi moves out of range.
Bah tries to clinch up.
Bah tries to clinch but Arifi is having none of it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Arifi is defended easily by Bah.
Bah is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bah scores with a spinning back kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bah throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Arifi's head.
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
Bah connects with a high kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Arifi crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Bah - the referee stops the clock and Arifi gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Bah. Arifi manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Bah throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arifi avoids the head kick by Bah.
Arifi keeps the fight on the outside.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bah is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Bah landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Arifi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bah smiles and moves away.
Bah tries to clinch there but Arifi circles away.
Bah tries to close the distance and clinch up but Arifi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice takedown defense from Bah. No joy for Arifi on that attempt.
Bah wants to clinch up but Arifi keeps it at a distance.
Arifi keeps the fight on the outside.
Bah tries to close the distance and clinch up but Arifi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bah fails with an attempt to clinch.

Bah gets caught flat footed, as Arifi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Arifi being controlled here momentarily.

Bah working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Arifi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Arifi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Arifi throws a strike but Bah rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Arifi wants to stand and escape but Bah is having none of it.
Bah is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Bah's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Bah gets to his feet. Arifi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Arifi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bah doesn't manage to clinch there - Arifi circles away.
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
Bah stuffs the takedown attempt from Arifi. Arifi gets slowly back to his feet.
Bah moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bah lands with a kick to the temple. Arifi shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Aldin Arifi has been cut.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Bah tries to clinch up but Arifi circles away and keeps his distance.
Bah fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arifi swats away the attempt to clinch by Bah.
Bah throws a right and a left that Arifi avoids nicely.
Bah tries to clinch but Arifi moves out of range.
Bah throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Bah - that will leave a mark!
Aldin Arifi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bah moves in looking to clinch but Arifi pushes him off.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bah lands a high kick!
Bah fails in his attempt to clinch.
Malick Bah is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bah is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malick Bah comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bah 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Richard Clark scores the fight for Malick Bah!
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight for Malick Bah!
Judge William Gold scores the fight for Malick Bah!

Malick Bah wins by unanimous decision!