PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rostam Samani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon Bruce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruce has chosen I want it all as his entrance music. Simon Bruce has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Samani
vs
Bruce

192 cm
30
247 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

195 cm
33
287 lbs
23 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Rostam Samani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Simon Bruce!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Samani misses with a takedown attempt

and Bruce counters with a nice double leg into side control. Samani won't be happy with that.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Bruce scoring with punches from side control.

Bruce working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Bruce throws an elbow but Samani slips to the side and avoids it well.
Bruce creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Samani sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Samani is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at ELITE GYM 40CAP that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Samani is looking for a sweep.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Samani avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Bruce.
Bruce misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce in side control, throwing shots but Samani defends.
Bruce working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Bruce in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Samani taking a bit of punishment here - Bruce scoring with strikes.
Bruce lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Samani down.
Bruce cracks Samani with a big right hand but Samani just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bruce is trying to ground and pound but Samani uses the momentary lack of control by Bruce to regain half guard.
Samani wants to control but Bruce is keeping busy.
Samani blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bruce.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce is keen to just control but Samani is a slippery customer.
Bruce throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Samani keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Bruce working over Samani with some ground and pound. Samani looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Bruce tries to pass to full mount but Samani defends it.
Samani keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Bruce throws a strike but Samani avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Bruce is looking to work some ground and pound but Samani has wrist control.
Samani manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Samani is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Bruce has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Bruce!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Samani trying to control the position.
Bruce makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bruce throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Samani works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bruce throws a big elbow that misses.
Bruce scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bruce throws a strike but Samani rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Samani is looking to work some ground and pound but Bruce has wrist control.
Samani throws a strike but Bruce rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Samani has a closed guard, preventing Bruce from standing up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bruce throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Samani works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Bruce dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Samani ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bruce moves away.
Samani tries to clinch but Bruce is having none of it.
Samani looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bruce fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Samani misses with a wild body shot.
Samani just misses with a punch to the body.
Samani misses with a straight left.
Bruce takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samani looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Samani misses the shot to the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Samani lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Bruce has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Bruce and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Bruce lands a slapping body shot.
Bruce missing with a left hand there. Samani was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Samani looks to land a left hand but Bruce moved out of range nicely.
A leg kick checked by Bruce.
Samani darts in looking for a takedown but Bruce gets double underhooks and turns Samani into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samani blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Samani tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bruce's elbow.
Samani working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Samani misses with a hook to the ribs.

Bruce breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Samani misses the shot to the body.
Bruce closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Samani scores with a leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Samani.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Samani missing with a left hand there. Bruce was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samani dodges the punch combination from Bruce.
Samani will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rostam Samani. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bruce lands a lovely overhand right.
Samani moves in looking to clinch but Bruce pushes him off.
Samani throws a leg kick but Bruce checks it.
Samani throws a quick inside leg kick.
Bruce looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Samani is fending him off so far but Bruce persists. Nope, Samani circles away and we're back to standing.
Rostam Samani seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samani throws a series of strikes that have Bruce backpedaling.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Samani is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Bruce's half guard.
Samani prevents Bruce from improving his position.
Bruce keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Samani is looking to stall here but Bruce recovers full guard.
Samani trying to control the position from guard on top but Bruce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bruce being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rostam Samani dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Samani lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bruce blocks a leg kick.
Samani slips a jab from Bruce.
Samani looks to land a right hand but Bruce moved out of range.
Bruce misses with a wild body shot.
Bruce jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Samani does no damage.
Samani throws a leg kick

and Bruce counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Bruce misses with a head shot. Samani uses the momentum to regain guard.
Bruce throwing strikes from guard but Samani blocks nicely.
Samani is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Samani is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bruce gets back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce controlling Samani's posture.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Samani lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Samani won't allow Bruce to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samani with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bruce looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Samani accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Samani stopping the sweep attempt from Bruce.
Samani postures up and lands a big shot to Bruce's brow.
Bruce keeping moving, preventing Samani from controlling successfully.
Bruce controlling Samani's posture.
Bruce looking to hit a scissor sweep but Samani is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Samani wants to hold on but Bruce pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bruce looking to ground and pound but Samani is blocking nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Samani regains half guard.
Bruce not landing any meaningful shots this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Simon Bruce.
I think Bruce has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simon Bruce!
A less than humble Simon Bruce misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.