PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Geronimo Malkind (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haile Selassie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malkind's entrance music is Extreme Ways. A fine choice. Selassie has chosen ... as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Malkind
vs
Selassie

172 cm
27
152 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

172 cm
23
155 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Geronimo Malkind!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Haile Selassie!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Winston Howard and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malkind throws a sloppy head kick

and Selassie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Malkind's guard.

Malkind working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Selassie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Selassie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Selassie advances to half guard.

Selassie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Malkind is just riding it out for now. Selassie eventually gives up the hold.
Selassie is keen to just control but Malkind is a slippery customer.

Malkind looking for submissions off his back.
Selassie is trying to control the action in half guard but Malkind is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malkind looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Selassie controlling the action here.
Malkind trying to control but Selassie postures up.
Selassie is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Malkind wants to control but Selassie is keeping busy.
Selassie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Malkind does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Selassie moves into full mount! Malkind won't be happy about that!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Selassie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Malkind is looking to escape.
Selassie is landing with some decent strikes but Malkind is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Malkind is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Selassie trying to control but Malkind is having none of it.
Malkind can't escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malkind tries to lock up and control but Selassie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Selassie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Malkind is looking to escape.
Selassie lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Selassie is landing with some decent strikes but Malkind is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Selassie trying to control but Malkind is having none of it.
Malkind manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Malkind looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Selassie trying to control the action but Malkind is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Malkind actively working from the bottom here.
Selassie performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Malkind looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Malkind looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Malkind gets full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haile Selassie dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Selassie throws a poor cross that misses
and Malkind counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Selassie looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Malkind!
Malkind is looking to improve his position but Selassie isn't that keen on the idea.
Malkind is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selassie breaks from Malkind's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Selassie tries to control but Malkind wriggling away.
Malkind really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Selassie raining down shots from the mount!
Haile Selassie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Malkind bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Selassie working a defensive guard here.
Selassie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malkind is working Selassie over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Malkind looking to pass the guard.
Malkind throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Selassie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Malkind trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Selassie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Malkind loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malkind in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Malkind loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Malkind working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Selassie's head.
Selassie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Malkind pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Selassie is keeping the position for now.
Selassie is pulling down on Malkind's head to control his posture.
Selassie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Selassie might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Malkind kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Haile Selassie was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Malkind takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Malkind gets a takedown into half guard.
Malkind sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Selassie defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Geronimo Malkind dominated that second round.
That's time! Malkind's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Selassie misses with a wild body shot.

Selassie gets a double leg takedown into Malkind's guard.
Selassie trying to control but Malkind is working from the bottom.

Malkind has his foot on Selassie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Selassie works his way back into a safe position though.
Selassie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Selassie trying to control but Malkind is working from the bottom.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selassie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Selassie is looking to take a break and control but Malkind is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Malkind wants to control but Selassie postures up.
The ground and pound from Selassie seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Selassie working the ground and pound from side control.
Malkind striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Selassie is chipping away with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Selassie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Malkind keeps working.
Selassie working away.
Selassie scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Malkind to see if he's OK.
Selassie working the strikes but Malkind uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Selassie tries to pass to full mount but Malkind defends it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Malkind looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Selassie trying to control from half guard but Malkind is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malkind taking some punishment here, with Selassie in his half guard.
Malkind avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Selassie.
Malkind is trying to control but can't.
Selassie is trying to control. Malkind wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Malkind wants to control but Selassie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Malkind wants to get back to full guard.
Selassie is trying to control the action in half guard but Malkind is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Malkind wants to improve his position but Selassie is controlling well.
Selassie is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Malkind looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Selassie wants to advance to full mount but Malkind doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Selassie trying to control the position from guard on top but Malkind is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Malkind working for a triangle but Selassie defends it easily.
Selassie postures up and lands a big shot to Malkind's brow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Malkind can't keep his opponent in guard - Selassie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Malkind looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haile Selassie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Selassie 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Haile Selassie!