PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nawal Chekhemani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rasheed Willis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Willis comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Kendrick Lamar - HiiiPower kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Nawal Chekhemani had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Chekhemani
vs
Willis

170 cm
25
191 lbs
13 - 10 - 0

187 cm
27
200 lbs
9 - 5 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nawal Chekhemani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 1, fighting out of New York, Rasheed Willis!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Steve Montenegro and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chekhemani misses the shot to the body.
Willis swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Willis scores with the left hand. Chekhemani knows he should have avoided that one.
Chekhemani scores with a three punch combo!
Willis throws a series of punches but Chekhemani moves out of range.
Chekhemani scores with a body shot.
Willis misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nawal Chekhemani seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chekhemani keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Willis throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Danga de danga de dang - Chekhemani scores with a four punch combination!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Willis blocks a jab.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Chekhemani enables Willis to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Chekhemani manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Willis throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Chekhemani works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Willis trying to control the position from guard on top but Chekhemani is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Willis passes Chekhemani's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willis missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Willis is trying to work for a kimura but Chekhemani is defending well.
Willis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Chekhemani defending well though.
Willis not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Willis trying to control from Chekhemani's half guard. Chekhemani has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Willis must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Willis content to stall in guard here.
Chekhemani keeping moving, preventing Willis from controlling successfully.
Chekhemani is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Chekhemani.
Willis makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Willis.
Chekhemani trying to control but Willis is working from the bottom.
Chekhemani postures up.

Chekhemani drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Willis manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Chekhemani has Willis in his guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Willis trying to control the position from guard on top but Chekhemani is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chekhemani is controlling Willis's posture.
Chekhemani keeping moving, preventing Willis from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willis lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Chekhemani escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Willis gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Willis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Chekhemani pulls Willis in to control the position.
Willis slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Willis chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willis postures up in Chekhemani's guard and throws a big left but Chekhemani blocks it.
Willis advances to half guard.
Willis wants to control but Chekhemani is keeping him busy.
Chekhemani blocking the ground and pound attempt from Willis.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chekhemani is trying to get back to full guard.
Willis thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Chekhemani's head.
Willis prevents Chekhemani from improving his position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Chekhemani is staying active underneath Willis, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Willis throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Chekhemani to regain full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rasheed Willis dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Chekhemani lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Chekhemani.
Chekhemani tries to land a leg kick but Willis saw it coming and moves away.
Chekhemani takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Willis scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Chekhemani throws a nice looking combination but Willis bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Willis throws a right hand that misses
and Chekhemani counters with a two punch combo.
Chekhemani takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Willis.
Willis misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Chekhemani drops Willis with a left and a right! Oh, Willis is hurt - Chekhemani dives into side control looking to finish!

Willis is rocked!

It looks like Rasheed Willis has been cut.
Willis is looking for a sweep.
Willis is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chekhemani takes a little break here. Willis wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Check out the look on Chekhemani's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Willis is trying to get back to half guard.

Chekhemani is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Willis has escaped the position, nice work there.
Willis manages to work his way to half guard, despite Chekhemani's best efforts.
Ground and pound from Chekhemani.
Chekhemani is thwarting Willis's attempts to control the position.
Willis keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Willis is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Willis is controlling Chekhemani's trapped leg to prevent Chekhemani from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chekhemani looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Willis trying to control from the bottom.
Willis moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chekhemani is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Chekhemani avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Willis is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Chekhemani is aware though and is defending well.

Chekhemani 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.
Chekhemani is pushing down on Willis's leg trying to pass to half guard. Willis is fighting to maintain full guard but Chekhemani has managed to sneak the leg through.
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.
Willis trying to control from the bottom.
Willis is trying to get back to full guard.
Chekhemani trying to control from half guard but Willis is working away.
Willis tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Chekhemani has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Chekhemani tries to control but Willis wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willis takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Willis is looking to get to half guard.
Chekhemani wants to control the pace but Willis is squirming around nicely.
Chekhemani putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chekhemani trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Chekhemani lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Willis regains half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Willis has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Chekhemani is working away from the top position though.
Willis is not content to let Chekhemani control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nawal Chekhemani dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rasheed Willis's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Willis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Willis or perhaps it was just good defense by Chekhemani which made him look bad.
Chekhemani throws a right and a left that both miss.
Chekhemani throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A left lands for Willis.
Willis misses with a wild body shot.
Chekhemani throws a one two combo.
Good shot there by Willis.
Willis misses with the combination.
Chekhemani looks to land a combination but Willis avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chekhemani lands a left and a right that sends Willis crashing to the canvas! Chekhemani dives into mount looking to finish!
Willis is still in real trouble! Can Chekhemani finish him?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Chekhemani postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Willis bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Chekhemani and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nawal Chekhemani!
Nawal Chekhemani managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Legion of Pain Nutrition, into his post fight interview.