PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mai Ghoul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Greco Roman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ghoul
vs
Roman

185 cm
20
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mai Ghoul!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Greco Roman!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A chopping leg kick lands by Roman.
Roman swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Roman tries to work over Ghoul's front leg with a kick but Ghoul checks it.
Roman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Roman misses with an uppercut. Ghoul saw that one coming.
Roman throws an off balance right hand

and Ghoul holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Roman has picked Ghoul up - he's going for a ride! Roman dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Roman prevents Ghoul from standing back up.
Roman is controlling the pace.
Ghoul gets full guard.
Roman stays in close to Ghoul's body and controls the position.
Roman looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roman preventing the sweep.
Roman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Roman lands a couple of digs.
Roman slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Roman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ghoul works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ghoul will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Roman content to stall in guard here.
Roman really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ghoul. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Roman looking to pass the guard.
Ghoul 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Roman gets the takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ghoul pushes Roman away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Roman gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Roman scores with punches from side control.
Ghoul is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ghoul wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Roman is chipping away with strikes.
Ghoul is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Roman off and has taken his back!
Roman is really stuck here.
Roman turns into Ghoul and is now in his guard.
Ghoul is looking to stand up but Roman isn't so interested in that idea.
Ghoul is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Roman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ghoul is keeping the position for now.
Ghoul can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Roman controls the pace.
Roman lands a couple of elbows.

Ghoul is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Roman defends well.
Roman slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Roman advances to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ground and pound from Roman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ghoul is trying to stand back up but Roman is controlling him
Still in half guard, Roman seems content to control.
Roman slips a nice elbow through Ghoul's hands, connecting with Ghoul's forehead.
Roman controlling the action here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ghoul looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Roman is figuring out what he wants to do next.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Roman passes to full mount!
Roman controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Roman throws an overhand right that lands on Ghoul's shoulder, as Ghoul tries to avoid the shot.

Roman drives through with a takedown into Ghoul's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Ghoul is looking to stand up but Roman isn't so interested in that idea.
Roman showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ghoul bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Roman's guard.
Roman keeping moving, preventing Ghoul from controlling successfully.
Roman is looking to stand up but Ghoul isn't so interested in that idea.
Ghoul trying to control the position from guard on top but Roman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roman striking off his back.

Roman pushes Ghoul off and gets back to his feet.
Roman throws a combination that misses

and Ghoul counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Roman pulls Ghoul in to control the position.
Let's hope that Roman 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Roman tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Greco Roman wasn't active enough on the ground.

Roman drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roman seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ghoul is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Roman is aware though and is defending well.
Roman advances to half guard.
Roman is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Roman wants to free his trapped foot but Ghoul is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Roman takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Roman perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman slips a nice elbow through Ghoul's hands, connecting with Ghoul's forehead.
Roman is nestled in close to Ghoul, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Roman controlling the pace.
Ghoul throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Roman manages to pass to side control.
Roman working the ground and pound from side control.
Roman controlling from side mount.
Ghoul is looking to regain half guard here but Roman keeps moving and retains side control.
Ghoul takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Roman is working Ghoul over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Ghoul's face as Roman controls the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Roman moves into full mount!
Roman looking to control and managing it successfully.
Greco Roman has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ghoul is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Roman lands a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Greco Roman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Roman looks to score with a jab to the body but Ghoul is just out of range.

Roman fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Ghoul to the ground. Roman is now in Ghoul's guard.
Roman postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Roman looking to pass the guard.
Ghoul keeping moving, preventing Roman from controlling successfully.
Ghoul is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Roman content to stall in guard here.

Roman got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ghoul has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Roman has managed to get both his arms back between Ghoul's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ghoul has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Roman should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Ghoul has tightened it up now! Roman should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Mai Ghoul!
Mai Ghoul is the new welterweight champion!