PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sahraim Alib (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gui Saint (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saint has chosen The Haunted - 99 as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Alib
vs
Saint

170 cm
22
170 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

178 cm
26
182 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sahraim Alib!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gui Saint!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Daniel Cesar and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alib shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Saint cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Alib fails to land with a series of punches.
Alib fails with the takedown
and Saint counters with a stiff right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Saint shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Alib manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Alib is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saint controlling from the top position.
Saint postures up.
Alib is really struggling to control Saint but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Saint working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Sahraim Alib has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Saint lands the left hand.
Alib misses with a takedown

and Saint counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sahraim Alib. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alib is refusing to be controlled, as Saint sits in half guard.
Saint is controlling the pace.
Saint misses with a head shot. Alib uses the momentum to regain guard.
Saint trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saint stopping the sweep attempt from Alib.
Alib is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Saint dives into side control.
Alib tries to bench press Saint off him but Saint keeps the position.
Alib is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Saint asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alib can't do much from the bottom here.
Saint landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four 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.
Alib tries to improve position but can't.
Saint working away.
Alib manages to get back to half guard.
Alib throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Alib is trying to control but can't.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Saint in particular looking to stall.
Alib wants to improve his position but Saint is controlling well.
Saint takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gui Saint 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.

Saint shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Alib manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Alib wants to stand but Saint is controlling the position.
Saint trying to control the position from guard on top but Alib is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alib is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Alib holds on and takes a little breather.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Saint trying to control the position from guard on top but Alib is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Alib misses with a takedown

and Saint counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Alib wants to control the action here but instead Saint manages to pass to full mount!
Alib is looking to get to half guard.
Alib is working hard here to advance position.
Alib tries to lock up and control but Saint gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saint sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
BOOM! Saint connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Alib tries to hold on but Saint pushes him away.
Saint lands a heavy elbow.
Alib is wriggling around trying to escape.
Saint lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Saint controlling the pace for now.
Saint unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saint controlling from the full mount.
Alib is looking to improve his position but Saint isn't that keen on the idea.
Saint landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Alib is trying to escape the mount.
Saint with a couple of short strikes.
Saint looking to control and managing it successfully.
Saint prevents Alib from getting the reversal.
Saint tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Alib is trying to stand.
Alib gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gui Saint showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Alib swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Alib gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Saint counters with a single leg into guard. Alib didn't expect that.

Alib is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Still in the clinch, Alib scores with a nice short uppercut.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Alib.

Alib is trying to trip Saint. He has hold of a leg but Saint is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Alib persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Alib is in close to Saint's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Alib with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alib throwing strikes but missing.
Saint wants to stand but Alib is controlling the position.
Alib trying to control but Saint is working from the bottom.
Saint wants to stand up but Alib is controlling him.
Alib loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alib throws a big right hand that misses.
Saint not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Alib wants to pass the guard but Saint is keeping the position.
Alib won't allow Saint to sweep him here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Alib accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Saint bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alib's guard.
Saint is standing up over Alib. Alib looks to escape but Saint dives into side control.
Saint just content to control the position.
Saint is trying to ground and pound but Alib uses the momentary lack of control by Saint to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saint moves into full mount! Alib won't be happy about that!
Alib tries to reverse the position but Saint maintains control.
Saint trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Saint controlling from mount.

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.
Alib keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gui Saint is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saint lands a nice shot to the head.
Alib sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Alib is pressing down on Saint's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sahraim Alib has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Saint won't allow Alib to sweep him here.
Alib is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Saint tries to free his leg and advance position but Alib is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Gui Saint.
I've got Saint winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gui Saint!