PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sone Aluko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Reem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aluko comes to the cage accompanied by 3 Little Birds. Reem is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Fabolous - My Time ft. Jeremih. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Aluko
vs
Reem

176 cm
23
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

[EVO] Koffin Inc. *Laundry Available*

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sone Aluko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Anderson Reem!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Ackerman and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aluko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Reem throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aluko.
Reem throws a sloppy head kick and Aluko moves out of range easily.
Aluko slips under a jab from Reem.
Reem throws a looping overhand right but Aluko ducks down to avoid it.
Reem throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Reem tries to clinch up but Aluko circles away and keeps his distance.
Reem moves to clinch but Aluko breaks away

and Aluko counters by moving into the clinch.

Aluko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Reem tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Aluko counters with a three punch combo that has Reem backing up. Reem nods at Aluko to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aluko doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Reem counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Aluko blocks a head kick by Reem.
Aluko changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Reem tries to avoid it but Aluko manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Reem to the ground. Reem escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sone Aluko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reem tries to close the distance and clinch up but Aluko swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Reem closes the distance and clinches.
Aluko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Reem looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Reem breaks from the clinch.
Reem throws a head kick that misses

and Aluko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Reem has Aluko pressed against the cage, preventing Aluko from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Aluko wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Reem has him pressed against the cage.

Reem breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reem swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Reem tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aluko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Reem misses with a head kick.
Reem throws a sloppy head kick and Aluko moves out of range easily.
Aluko could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Reem is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Aluko slips a jab and a cross from Reem.

Reem gets a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Reem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Aluko breaks from the clinch.
Aluko keeps the fight on the outside.
Reem closes the distance looking to clinch
and Aluko counters with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reem throws a head kick but Aluko moves out of range.
Reem throws out a loose jab but Aluko uses good head movement to avoid it.
Reem throws a combination that misses
and Aluko counters with a nice leg kick.
Reem misses with a hook. Aluko ducked under it nicely.
Reem swinging wildly here.
Aluko shoots in but Reem avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Reem throws a right hand that misses

and Aluko counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Aluko.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aluko blocks a body shot from Reem.
Aluko drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Aluko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Aluko is trying to break free.
Aluko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Aluko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Aluko circles away from the clinch attempt
and Aluko counters with an inside leg kick.
Anderson Reem seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Reem throws a jab when Aluko was well out of range.
Aluko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Reem dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Aluko tries for a takedown but Reem circles away easily
and Reem cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Reem moves in looking to clinch but Aluko pushes him off.
Aluko connects with a high kick.
Reem throws a head kick that misses.
Reem pivots, looking for a leg kick but Aluko is out of range and Reem settles back down.
A head kick misses from Reem.
Aluko throws a nice outside leg kick.
Reem is looking to clinch.

Aluko moves into the clinch successfully.
Aluko jumps guard but Reem stands there with Aluko around his waist. Aluko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aluko has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Aluko managing to block the knees to the body from Reem.
Reem wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Aluko has him pressed against the cage.
Aluko tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sone Aluko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reem landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Reem pushes Aluko back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Reem misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Aluko.
Aluko is looking for a takedown.
Reem tries a knee to the head but Aluko blocks it.
Reem throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Reem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Aluko fails to pull guard.

Reem breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A frustrated look appears on Aluko's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Aluko is trying to force a seperation but Reem has the dominant position.
Reem keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Aluko's efforts to push away.
Reem lands an uppercut.
Reem softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Reem pushes off an throws an elbow but Aluko leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Aluko avoiding damage as Reem throws knees to the body.
Reem tries to throw a body punch but Aluko avoids it by throwing Reem back against the cage.
Reem unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Reem is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Aluko is defending well for now.
Reem can't find room to land a body shot as Aluko controls the action.
Reem tries to land knees in the clinch but Aluko avoids the damage to the body.
Aluko jumps guard but Reem stands there with Aluko around his waist. Aluko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reem is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Aluko fails to pull guard.
Reem trying to land knees to the body.
Aluko is looking to break free of the clinch but Reem has double underhooks.
Reem putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Aluko in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Reem breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Aluko needs to keep his hands up - Reem had a free shot at his head there.

Reem moves into range and clinches up with Aluko.
Reem lands an elbow inside that Aluko shrugs off.

It looks like Sone Aluko has been cut.
Reem landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Reem's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Reem fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reem tries to close the distance and clinch but Aluko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reem tries to clinch up.
A left and a right from Reem both land. Nice combination.
Reem tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aluko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Reem swings for the body but Aluko moves out of range.

Reem pushes Aluko up against the cage in a clinch.
Aluko working hard to break the clinch.
Reem creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Aluko is pressed up against the cage. Reem has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Aluko down to the mat. Aluko avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Reem tries to clinch but Aluko is having none of it.
Reem misses with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Reem showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sone Aluko's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Reem tries to clinch there but Aluko circles away.
Aluko blocks a head kick by Reem.

Aluko has managed to clinch.

Aluko breaks the clinch.
A combination from Reem does no damage.
Reem fails to land with a series of punches.
Sone Aluko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Reem throws a right hand that Aluko ducks under and follows up with a left that Aluko also avoids with ease.
Reem looks to land a combination but Aluko avoids it well.
Reem looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Reem takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Aluko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Reem misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Aluko makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Reem really felt that one!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reem displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Aluko.
Aluko circles away from the clinch attempt
and Aluko counters with a nice body kick.

Aluko pushes Reem up against the cage in a clinch.

Aluko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Aluko moves into range and clinches up with Reem.
Anderson Reem seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Reem missing with knees to the body.
Reem tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Aluko's elbow.
Good body shot from Reem.
Reem misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aluko is trying to break free.
Reem is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Aluko is defending well for now.
Aluko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Aluko looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Reem keeps control of Aluko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Reem misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Reem tries to land knees in the clinch but Aluko avoids the damage to the body.
Reem is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Aluko pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Aluko looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Aluko is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Reem to keep the fight standing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Reem landing knees to the body.
Reem putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Aluko in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Aluko managing to block the knees to the body from Reem.

Aluko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Reem moves to clinch but Aluko breaks away
and Aluko counters with a three punch combo that has Reem backing up. Reem nods at Aluko to acknowledge the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reem chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Reem wants to clinch.
Reem misses with a body shot
and Aluko counters with a left and a right that stings Reem.
Reem tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aluko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Reem tries to clinch but Aluko moves away
and Aluko counters with a head kick.
Reem misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Aluko.
Aluko shoots in for a double leg but Reem sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sone Aluko. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Aluko gets tackled into the cage by Reem. Reem maintains the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aluko has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Reem after a bit of a struggle.
Reem with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nice elbow from Reem.
Aluko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Aluko wants to break free but Reem has control.
Reem landing knees to the body.
Aluko wants to break the clinch but can't.
Reem tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Aluko avoids it.

Reem breaks from the clinch.
Sone Aluko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aluko circles away from the clinch attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Reem has closed the distance and engaged Aluko in a clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Reem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Anderson Reem is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Aluko missing with knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anderson Reem comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Reem 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anderson Reem!
Anderson Reem bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.