PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ovadis Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Cardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ovadis Ali looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Ali
vs
Cardy

170 cm
18
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ovadis Ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Dan Cardy!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Paul Tew and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cardy looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Ali closes the distance and clinches up with Cardy, looking for a takedown. Ali pushes Cardy against the cage but Cardy circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Ali pushes Cardy up against the cage in a clinch.
Ali leaning his opponent against the cage.
Cardy can't break the clinch.

Ali pulls guard successfully.
Cardy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ali is keeping the position for now.
Cardy won't allow Ali to sweep him here.
Ali is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cardy is controlling him.
Ali looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cardy is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ali looking to control.

Ali is looking for a triangle but Cardy pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali is pulling down on Cardy's head. It's preventing any offense from Cardy, at least for the moment.
Ali wants to stand but Cardy is controlling the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Ali looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cardy is fending him off so far but Ali persists. Nope, Cardy circles away and we're back to standing.
Cardy throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ali's waist but Ali gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cardy off to one side.
Ali shoots in but Cardy avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ovadis Ali. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ali scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Ali stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Cardy to get to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Ali.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Cardy counters with a one-two to the body.
Cardy swats away the attempt to clinch by Ali.
Ali fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cardy keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ali is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ali misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Cardy gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali tries to break the clinch but Cardy is controlling the position.
Cardy tries for a takedown but Ali manages to get underhooks.
Ali jumps guard but Cardy stands there with Ali around his waist. Ali gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Ali escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ali looks to land a combination but Cardy avoids it well.
Ali avoids the head kick by Cardy.
Ali throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Cardy counters with a takedown into side control.
Ali looking for a sweep but Cardy has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Cardy unloading with bombs!
Ali wants to hold on but Cardy pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cardy won't let Ali get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Ali can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali is working hard here to advance position.
Ali wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Ali is working to get back to half guard.
Ali wants to control but Cardy is having none of it.
Cardy in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Cardy fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ali knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cardy on the ground.
Cardy lands a heavy elbow.
Cardy lands a big shot there that rocks Ali but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Cardy dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cardy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ali circles away.
Cardy on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ali. Ali obviously looking to wear him down.
Ali goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Ali tries for a takedown but Cardy circles away easily
and Cardy counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Ali is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Ovadis Ali is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ali shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ali was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ali sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Ali jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Cardy is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Cardy and Ali has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Ali has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Cardy stuffs the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ovadis Ali. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ali throws a front kick that sends Cardy stumbling back into the cage.
Cardy throws a body kick the misses
and Ali counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Ali doesn't manage to clinch there - Cardy circles away.
Horrible takedown by Ali or perhaps it was just good defense by Cardy which made him look bad.
Cardy swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ali blocks a jab.
Ali throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Cardy stuffs the takedown attempt from Ali. Ali gets slowly back to his feet.
Cardy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ali swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Ali instigates a clinch.
Ali tries to pull guard but Cardy holds him up against the cage and eventually Ali drops back down to his feet.
Ali lands with a light punch inside.
Ali tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cardy prevents Ali from breaking the clinch.

Ali escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ali fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ali fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ali shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cardy as he avoids it easily.
Ali misses with a combination

and Cardy holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ali jumps guard but Cardy stands there with Ali around his waist. Ali gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ali is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cardy pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardy wants a takedown but no success here.
Ali goes for a takedown attempt but Cardy pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cardy lunges at Ali with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Ali's hand.
Ali tries a head kick but it misses.

Ali closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cardy misses with the head strike.

Ali pulls guard.
Ali looking to control.
Ali looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cardy is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali working a defensive guard here.
Cardy preventing the sweep.

Ali is looking for a triangle but Cardy pushes his legs off easily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ali shoots in looking for a takedown. Cardy tries to sprawl out of it but Ali keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cardy manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Cardy has closed the distance and engaged Ali in a clinch.

Ali drags the fight down to the ground.

Ali uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Ali clinches but Cardy breaks the clinch

and Cardy counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ali!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ovadis Ali will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Ali throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cardy's waist but Cardy gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ali off to one side.
Cardy throws a sloppy head kick
and Ali counters with a stiff right hand.

Cardy darts in and clinches Ali up against the cage.
Ali tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cardy just stands there and leans against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Cardy.
Ali tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ovadis Ali. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cardy successfully pulls guard.
Cardy utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cardy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cardy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ali trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cardy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ali wants to stand but Cardy has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Cardy pushes Ali off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ali pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali moves in looking to clinch but Cardy pushes him off.
Ali closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cardy circles away.

Cardy gets the takedown into side control.
Ali wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Ali avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cardy.
Cardy working away.
Ali is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cardy tries to advance to mount but can't.
Ali manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Cardy tries to get to full guard but Ali has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Ali tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice sprawl there from Cardy as Ali shoots in.
A head kick by Ali misses

and Cardy counters with a takedown into side control.
Ali is looking to regain half guard here but Cardy keeps moving and retains side control.
Ali is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Cardy has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Cardy working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali is looking to regain half guard here but Cardy keeps moving and retains side control.
Cardy working away.
Ali manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ali moves into full guard.
Cardy is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cardy passes Ali's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ali misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ali is trying to maintain the position but Cardy is very close to passing his half guard.

Cardy is trying to work for a kimura but Ali is defending well.
Ali throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali trying to control from the bottom.
Ali is looking for a sweep. Cardy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ali is positioning himself well to prevent Cardy advancing to mount.
Ali wants to control but Cardy is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ali gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Cardy counters with a single leg into guard. Ali didn't expect that.
Cardy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ali is keeping the position for now.

Ali throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Cardy stands up from Ali's guard - Cardy perhaps looking for a knockout.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Cardy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cardy 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Cardy!