PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Muhammad Ariffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bubble Bob (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bob has chosen Diamonds Aren't Forever - Bring Me the Horizon as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Ariffin
vs
Bob

167 cm
18
131 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

158 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Muhammad Ariffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bubble Bob!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ariffin clinches with his opponent.

Ariffin jumps into guard, dragging Bob to the mat.
Ariffin pulls Bob in close to prevent any damage.
Ariffin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bob is controlling him.
Ariffin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bob on the ground.
Ariffin is striking off his back. Bob thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Ariffin wants to get back to full guard.
Ariffin scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Bob manages to mount him!
Bob throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Ariffin because Bob loaded up on that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bob putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Bob unloads with some shots from mount but Ariffin bucks and avoids them well.
Bob punching from mount but Ariffin doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Ariffin is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ariffin tries to hold on but Bob pushes him away.
Ariffin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Bob is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Ariffin is looking to get to half guard.
Ariffin is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin is squirming around, avoiding Bob's attempts to control the action.
Bob looking to ground and pound but Ariffin is blocking nicely.
Bob has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bob lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Ariffin is trying to escape the mount.
Ariffin trying desperately to get to his feet.
Ariffin is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bob looking to control but Ariffin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bob looking to ground and pound but Ariffin is blocking nicely.
Ariffin blocking the ground and pound.
Ariffin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Bob throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Ariffin controls the position.
Bob wants to control the pace but Ariffin is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin wants to control but Bob is having none of it.
Bob landing strikes from the mount.
The referee warns Ariffin that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Ariffin tries to hold on but Bob pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bob throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Bob is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ariffin can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bob won't let Ariffin get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bubble Bob will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ariffin gets a clinch.
Bob jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ariffin walks away with a smile on his face. Bob gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A head kick by Ariffin misses
and Bob counters with a body kick that stops Ariffin in his tracks momentarily.
Ariffin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bob.
Ariffin circles away from the clinch attempt.

Ariffin gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Ariffin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ariffin lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ariffin.

Ariffin closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bob to the mat! Bob manages to get full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Ariffin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ariffin clinches with his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ariffin has hold of one of Bob's legs. Bob is fighting the takedown attempt but Ariffin gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Bob can't keep his opponent in guard - Ariffin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Bob regains full guard. Nicely done.
Bob not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ariffin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ariffin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin throwing strikes from guard but Bob blocks nicely.
Ariffin is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Muhammad Ariffin wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bob misses with a leg kick

and Ariffin counters by clinching up.

Ariffin pulls guard.
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!

Bob is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Bob trying to control the position from guard on top but Ariffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ariffin has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Bob has passed into side control.
You can see the frustration on Ariffin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ariffin is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin wants to control but Bob is keeping busy.
Bob thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ariffin's head.
Ariffin wants to control but Bob is keeping busy.

Ariffin has one foot on Bob's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ariffin on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhammad Ariffin dominated that second 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bob throws a leg kick which misses Ariffin's front leg but catches the back leg as Ariffin tries to avoid it.
A low kick from Bob is predictable there

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

Ariffin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ariffin clinches with his opponent.
Ariffin scores with a shoulder strike.
Bob tries to stall but Ariffin uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Ariffin has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Bob regains guard immediately.
Bob utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bob utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bob takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ariffin wants to pass the guard but Bob is keeping the position.

Bob looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ariffin throws a big elbow that misses.
Bob controls Ariffin momentarily but Ariffin frees himself.
Bob utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ariffin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bob is keeping the position for now.
Bob keeping moving, preventing Ariffin from controlling successfully.
Ariffin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bob not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Bubble Bob was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sloppy strikes from Ariffin. Those never looked like landing.

Ariffin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ariffin advances to mount.
Bob holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Ariffin tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ariffin looking to finish with strikes here!
Bob tries to lock up and control but Ariffin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Ariffin looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Ariffin looking for a guillotine from mount but Bob is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bob tries to hold on but Ariffin pushes him away.
Ariffin throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Bob really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ariffin content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Muhammad Ariffin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ariffin has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Muhammad Ariffin!
Muhammad Ariffin thanked the fans post fight for their support.